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<\/a>Prayer<\/strong> \u2013 In addition to my regular prayer time I\u2019ve joined a contemplative prayer group at our parish. These twice-a-week online gatherings have been meaningful since they prompt me to go more deeply into the mystery of God’s sacred presence. But, I\u2019m going to miss at least 6 of the 13 sessions because of other commitments.<\/li>\n<\/a>Fasting<\/strong> \u2013 I usually give up sweets and fast from some regular meals during Lent. I think of this as being in solidarity with those who don\u2019t have enough to eat. It\u2019s not a choice for them. But for me, the main value is that it is a daily reminder to turn my attention to the \u201cWhy\u201d of Lent \u2013 to connect more intimately with God.<\/li>\n<\/a>\nThis year I thought I\u2019d wrap it all up in the word PAPER<\/strong>. I have way too much paper cluttering my desk and overflowing to the floor around my desk. This not only makes it difficult to find the right paper amongst my many piles, it clutters my mind and makes me feel behind in my daily life. I’ve pruned paper before, but obviously it needs an upgrade.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
So, Ash Wednesday came and went, and I kept figuring I would develop a \u201cpaper plan\u201d the next day. My first step was to commit to 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon to devote to paper pruning. I made a simple chart outlining which part of my desk area I would work on each day. Now, it\u2019s a week into Lent and I have my commitment chart but no action.<\/p>\n
What is all this teaching me? That I\u2019m not perfect. (In fact, I had buried my chart under other papers for several days and just now found it again. ☹) I\u2019m human and need to forgive myself.<\/p>\n