Lenten Season

I've always liked the basic idea of Lent; taking the 40 week days before Easter and doing something different with your life. So this year I've decided to do something for Lent. Which starts Wednesday. I'm not doing anything denial-wise. I don't really have a much loved food I could afford to give up. I'm also pretty sure I'd hyperventilate if I were to go eight weeks without CSI:NY and I'm not too interested in setting myself up for failure. So for my first Lent I'm going to take an hour a day; 20 min with an exercise DVD and 40 with the Lord. I've not properly exercised in forever and I'm not exactly consistent with my devos.

Easter is my favourite season. Growing up there would be an appropriately themed sermon on Palm Sunday. We didn't have school on Good Friday and I vaguely recall going to Church and having potlucks afterwards. But I could be confused....so I pretend it happened and life's quite happy for it. Sunday was of course filled with Sunrise Services, breakfasts afterward (those were fun times, often the kids would get in trouble. Heh. I remember one time Brandon and Megan Daugharty and I got Benjamin to drink like 3 cups of black coffee at the Ivy Rose. He'd never had coffee before. At the oldest we were 13 and 14.), and another serivice. We would not have an evening service but would often go to a church in the area for evening services. I remember a Sunday filled with more joy than usual; we were celebreating the Ressurection!! He is risen! He is risen indeed!! One of my favourite hymns for Easter is "Christ the Lord is Ris'n Today". Why is the joy in that song so often not present in our Christian lives? It's been years since I've heard a joyful sermon at Easter. Why is the focus so rarely on the Empty Tomb and all that it means. Oh well. I can find good sermons online if need be.