Lent
by Scott Dalen
Lent,
We're almost half way through it already. How did that happen?
I've been finding myself comparing this season with the same season from a year ago. There are some measurable differences. A year ago, I was up to my eyeballs with school work, taking Systematics with Dr Sponheim and Pentateuch with Dr Schifferdecker. Both very heave work loads. In addition, I was preaching a lot at that time (if memory serves me I preached on 3 different occasions during Lent as well as catching Easter morning as my week at the country church. Work was nuts, and not in a good way as I recall.
In other words...I was the mayor of Stress City.
I've come to call this the "Lent Effect." One of my pastors pointed this idea out to me during this period last year. I still remember the conversation.
"How's it going Scott?"
"You want the church answer or the real answer?"
Extended conversation about the massive level of stuff I was stressing over...
"It's Lent right, and you're preaching Easter Sunday right Scott?"
"Yep"
"Do you think Satan likes that?"
LIGHT BULB MOMENT!!!
We went on to discuss this for a while. Here's my take on the "Lent Effect." Easter is the greatest day in the church year (in my opinion anyway) because that's the day that Jesus won and Satan lost. As I like to say...It's on like donkey kong. On Easter, we celebrate the victory over sin and we proclaim it. And that has to make Satan angry. So (again in my opinion) he is going to do everything in his power to keep us from getting to Easter.
I find it ironic that the season that I enjoy the most (Lent) is also one of the most stressful and difficult ones to endure. Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment?
However, enough background. Back to this year. Admittedly, this year has been less stressful, though not entirely without issues. Schoolwise, we're in week 5 (again, how did that happen). We aren't quite half way through the semester yet. Getting close, but not quite there. Work is work, and that's all I'll say about it. I guess the kicker at the moment is that I'm getting my usual spring cold. Its starting to warm up and the 29 feet of snow that we got this winter is starting to melt away. How am I rewarded, with the sniffles...oh joy of joys.
But enough crabbing on my part.
Easter is coming...a few more weeks and we get to claim VICTORY!!!!
That's worth smiling about.
We're almost half way through it already. How did that happen?
I've been finding myself comparing this season with the same season from a year ago. There are some measurable differences. A year ago, I was up to my eyeballs with school work, taking Systematics with Dr Sponheim and Pentateuch with Dr Schifferdecker. Both very heave work loads. In addition, I was preaching a lot at that time (if memory serves me I preached on 3 different occasions during Lent as well as catching Easter morning as my week at the country church. Work was nuts, and not in a good way as I recall.
In other words...I was the mayor of Stress City.
I've come to call this the "Lent Effect." One of my pastors pointed this idea out to me during this period last year. I still remember the conversation.
"How's it going Scott?"
"You want the church answer or the real answer?"
Extended conversation about the massive level of stuff I was stressing over...
"It's Lent right, and you're preaching Easter Sunday right Scott?"
"Yep"
"Do you think Satan likes that?"
LIGHT BULB MOMENT!!!
We went on to discuss this for a while. Here's my take on the "Lent Effect." Easter is the greatest day in the church year (in my opinion anyway) because that's the day that Jesus won and Satan lost. As I like to say...It's on like donkey kong. On Easter, we celebrate the victory over sin and we proclaim it. And that has to make Satan angry. So (again in my opinion) he is going to do everything in his power to keep us from getting to Easter.
I find it ironic that the season that I enjoy the most (Lent) is also one of the most stressful and difficult ones to endure. Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment?
However, enough background. Back to this year. Admittedly, this year has been less stressful, though not entirely without issues. Schoolwise, we're in week 5 (again, how did that happen). We aren't quite half way through the semester yet. Getting close, but not quite there. Work is work, and that's all I'll say about it. I guess the kicker at the moment is that I'm getting my usual spring cold. Its starting to warm up and the 29 feet of snow that we got this winter is starting to melt away. How am I rewarded, with the sniffles...oh joy of joys.
But enough crabbing on my part.
Easter is coming...a few more weeks and we get to claim VICTORY!!!!
That's worth smiling about.
posted by Scott Dalen at 9:33 AM
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