For example, one of the things I am doing this year is 40 Bags in 40 Days. Although Lent began last Wednesday and I only needed to get rid of six bags by today, I have found 8 bags of items to donate and 18 bags of trash or recycling...26 all together.
In the process, I found major leaking on my home office ceiling and in the walls that are going to result in a significant repair and renovation of that room and the living room (the room adjacent to my office). Needless to say, I'll have more than 40 bags by the end of Lent.
Another thing I'm doing is trying to prepare and serve more wholesome food - more "real" food - during this time period. One of the recipes I made was for Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.
As I looked at ideas on my Lent board on Pinterest, I came across a pin for a poem called Fasting and Feasting by William Arthur Ward. After changing a couple of sentences or words to make it more relevant to me, I thought it held some interesting and alternative ideas.
Below is the poem alternating with some photographs I have taken throughout the years.
Fasting and Feasting
Lent should be more than a time of fasting.
It should also be a joyous season of feasting.
Lent is a time to fast from certain things and to feast on others.
Fast from judging others; feast on the goodness in them.
Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.
Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on healing powers.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent: feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.
Fast from worry; feast on positive guidance.
Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives: feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility; feast on non-resistance.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; feast on assurance.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress; feasts on truths that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity.
Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that supports.
1 comment:
That is a beautiful, beautiful poem!! :)
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