It's Lent

I started this Lenten season by having my book club over for our usual monthly meeting on Ash Wednesday. We started the evening with a riveting discussion of the book "Silver Birches" by Adrain Plass. Our time together ended with me on the ottoman in front of the fireplace and 8 awesome women's hands on my back and shoulders, praying for my upcoming surgery. (Those darned pentacostals and their need to pray out loud and be all touchy feely.)

It was hot. The fire. The close body contact. The invasion into my personal space. The emotion. The Holy Spirit?

 The following day I had a completely uneventful gallbladder extraction, followed by a boring recovery week in which I gave not a second of thought to Lent.

I went back to work this morning and at a celebration luncheon at noon, the question was asked, "Are you using Arrow's Lenten Devotional?" And uh, I had to say no. I mean, I did read/edit/ponder/study all 40 devotions in one evening before we had them printed, but I'm not sure I got full value from the experience.

So it's today. Exactly one week after my little medical episode. And in between watching Olympic events (and crying along with the winners), I gave Lent a minute or two of my jumping-all-over-the-place attention. In the past, I've "fasted" from certain things that bring me joy (Facebook scrabble, chocolate, staying-up-past-midnight and so on) but this year, I never got around to it.

But whilst I was wiping away tears AGAIN (CSI Vegas) I realized I had inadvertently given up laughter for Lent. What the heck? (Or as Val would say, What the heckinstein?) Pretty sure I'm not gaining divine brownie points for being a crybaby.

Sigh.

So I've switched the channel over to David Letterman. Let's see if that man can get a chuckle out of me.

Three things I'm thankful for:
1.Staples are coming out tomorrow. Yay. That constant bee-stinging sensation will end soon.
2. My toe nails are dark pink, my heels are soft n smooth, my eyebrows are shaped and my arms are hair-free. Busy, productive day.
3. Clint just walked in the front door. Just this second. :)

Shalom,