Thoughts from the Mountain

Another day in beautiful Colorado and I am getting lots of writing done.   For those that don’t know I wrote a book’let’called Reflections from on the Water”.    It is an account of my trip to First Descents this summer and the lessons I learned.   If you would like a copy of this, please email me at allipalooza@gmail.com and I will gladly send you one.

I consider myself a very spiritual person but not necessarily a religious person.  I feel that my relationship with God is a private one and I try not to push it onto other people.   I will warn you ahead of time that this post is a about my spirituality.

This week marks the beginning of Lent.  I was a bad Christian and did not get to church on Ash Wednesday, but I did read the service in my Prayer Book.   It is the tradition in the Episcopal Church to give something up Lent or to take on a practice for Lent.    I had a priest once that said that you should only give up something that will help you get closer to your relationship with God.   Giving up the candy bar you eat as an afternoon snack may not bring you closer to God, but maybe donating the money you would have spend on the candy to a Christian outreach program will.  

Many times I have added meditation or devotionals to my daily practice and did find them helpful.   Several years ago when I was first diagnosed, I could not fathom taking on something else or giving something up, unless I could give up chemo. 

A couple of years ago a friend was driving me to Ash Wednesday service and asked me what I was giving up for Lent.   I sassily replied dying.   It was a smart mouth remark, but after I thought about it, I decided it was a good one.   It was not so much giving up dying, but giving up waiting for the cancer to kill me.   I continued that during last year’s Lent as well.

This year I pondered what I should give up.   Food and I are having a battle these days and as my stomach and I am at war regarding what I can and cannot eat.   The list is so short I can’t imagine giving up the few foods I can eat.  . 

What I decided to give up is saying I’m Sorry.      I learned at camp this summer that I tell people I’m sorry too much and it is truly because I am setting my expectations too high and feel I am letting people down.   In fact it is the opposite.   I do not ask for help enough.  So that is my other thing I am doing for lent.  I am going to start practicing Asking for help more often.    The reality is that people want to help, but truly do not know what to do unless you tell them.

Even if you are not a practicing Christian or observe Lent, I encourage each of you to ponder things that you might be able to give up or take on things that will bring you closer to yourself.