{"id":8661,"date":"2023-03-28T15:04:01","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T19:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/?p=8661"},"modified":"2023-03-28T22:35:35","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T02:35:35","slug":"365270-7-steps-beyond-the-plantoys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/365270-7-steps-beyond-the-plantoys\/","title":{"rendered":"365+#270: 7 Steps to the Plan+Toys"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today I realized that I have about a week left in Lent and I\u2019ve barely implemented \u201cThe Plan<\/a><\/span>.\u201d Sure, I\u2019ve prayed, fasted, and done some service, BUT pruning a \u201cRoom a Day\u201d took a deep dive after Week 3 and pruning my \u201cDesk & Office\u201d area barely started.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So, what do I have to show for the last 2 weeks. First check out the children\u2019s toys that I am willing to part with. The bigger Lenten Lesson, however, is noticing that clearing stuff off shelves and cupboards is not the essence of Lent. Even doing community service, beneficial as that is, may not be the most important action I take.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0(Click to enlarge photo.\u2192)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>Today, I learned something about Lent by watching birds. At first, they were just a pretty distraction. But then I started reflecting on how they flit from tree to tree, they eat, they reproduce, feed their young, and eventually die. I also noticed that it was the bare trees of March than enabled me to actually watch their cardinal red color and flights more closely.
\n* Do I flit from tree to tree<\/strong> too quickly? Maybe my fixation with pruning stuff is hiding some deeper sacrifice I need to make?
\n* Do the birds have any enemies?<\/strong> Sure, larger birds, animals, and even humans eat them.<\/p>\n

This got me thinking more about LOVING MY HUMAN ENEMIES &<\/strong>\u00a0JUDGMENTALISM.<\/strong>
\nDuring Lent I\u2019ve been struck by how judgmental I am of my fellow humans. I don\u2019t usually use the word \u201cenemy\u201d but certainly there are people that I find myself at least internally criticizing, judging, feeling superior to, disliking, or disagreeing with. I hope I am not alone in this. ☹
\nSo, how can I be less judgmental\/critical of my human friends<\/em>?<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Notice when<\/strong> I\u2019m tempted to complain or criticize. What triggers my criticisms? Can I devise a personal warning system to help me be aware (like a rubber band on my wrist\u2026)<\/li>\n
  2. Refrain from speaking to others about my criticism<\/strong> of an individual or group. (If necessary, alert the subject of my complaint to the danger their words\/actions have upon themself or others. But beware, this is often more for self-satisfaction than for the other.)<\/li>\n
  3. \"\"<\/a>Seek to understand<\/strong> what might be behind an act I find annoying or offensive, i.e. don\u2019t presume that my analysis of an infraction is the whole story. For example:
    \n\u2022 Maybe that pokey driver on their phone, just received an urgent message about their child\u2019s injury.
    \n\u2022 Maybe a politician I disagree with is defending a life value that I uphold but doing it in a way that I believe would negate other values I hold.
    \n\u2022 Maybe a child abuser has been a victim of terrible abuse in their own early life.<\/li>\n
  4. Remember that I am not blameless.<\/strong> I\u2019ve done things I regret. I\u2019ve made mistakes.<\/li>\n
  5. Let go of stuff I can\u2019t change.<\/strong> Somethings are my business – and some are not.<\/li>\n
  6. God\u2019s mercy and forgiveness extends to all<\/strong> \u2013 including me. (If you don\u2019t believe in God, consider how a spirit of forgiveness – and reparation if needed – is more healing than hate.)<\/li>\n
  7. I can protest<\/strong> a decision or action a person takes and call for systemic change, without hating<\/em> the individual<\/strong>. In fact, the individual fault or tragedy that happens may prompt needed change.This hasn\u2019t been an easy Lent\u2026But it has been enlightening.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Today I realized that I have about a week left in Lent and I\u2019ve barely implemented \u201cThe Plan.\u201d Sure, I\u2019ve prayed, fasted, and done some service, BUT pruning a \u201cRoom a Day\u201d took a deep dive after Week 3 and pruning my \u201cDesk & Office\u201d area barely started. So, what do I have to show […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,12],"tags":[30,17,23],"class_list":["post-8661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beyond-stuff","category-days-365","tag-faith","tag-musings","tag-toys"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8661"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8661\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8700,"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8661\/revisions\/8700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}