Lent Day 20 (Day 366 of Experiment)

Scripture: Ps 78:1-39; Genesis 45:1-15; 1 Corinthians 7:32-40; Mark 6:1-13 


Scripture standout: Ps 78: "³⁸ Yet he was merciful; 
   he forgave their iniquities
   and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger
   and did not stir up his full wrath.
³⁹ He remembered that they were but flesh,
   a passing breeze that does not return."

His Deed/The Day: Litter. I picked up some at the park on the way home from my run this morning. I'm a trashy gal like that. Picking up trash is another one of those easy deeds. You have two choices when you see it. You can either 1) pick it up and throw it away 2) or walk away. If there's a trash bin nearby, why not pick it up so someone else doesn't have to?

Deedsclosure: Here's an interesting observation from 366 days of daily deeding. When you focus more on others and how you can be a tool to support your community of humans, self falls away in a very physical sense. Now in my case, this is also coupled with the fact that I am turning 40 this May. Physical changes are obviously part of that aging process as well. Nonetheless, this experiment has shown me that I am indeed "a passing breeze that does not return."


My hair's gotten longer, my eyebrows shorter, my skin has gotten darker and I have more break-outs. Where I once stood in my closet nekkid for hours admiring my many clothing options for the day, I now often pull on the same pair of jeans I wore the day before — or my go-tos, the comfy brown velour sweatpants that I "hemmed" 10 years ago with a pair of scissors. As I mentioned a few days ago, I harbor ungodly amounts of material in my ears and one of my toes has a fungus. And you know what? I really don't care! Do I still take care of myself through exercise, eating right and spending time in good conversation and fun with people I adore? Absolutely! I feel great! But I am definitely less concerned about my appearance than in year's past. I attribute this to seeking daily deeds. There simply isn't time to worry about falling apart when you are neurotically seeking to meet someone else's needs at least once each day.


Here's something else to ponder. God gives us a wonderful reminder during Lent that we — and all of our stuff — are just a passing breeze. It's called moth season. Remarkably, the moths get busy every year at this time. Season of Lent = Season of Moths. The little eggs that have been festering in your sweaters, wool rugs, taxidermy or fur coats get restless this time of the year. They begin hatching and giving little air shows as a monster movie-like reminder that "We're Alive!" If you live in Florida, and you live near the water you can't escape them. They're lurking somewhere in your house — gnawing on your stuff. They're God's little devil angels whispering the important Lenten message,    ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6)"