Mardi Gras, Lent, Pentecost

It's Mardi Gras!
It's the culmination of celebration before the sacrificial season of Lent.
I haven't really practiced any fasting or giving up anything for Lent since my Catholic days, which are now decades in my past. And some of you may have noticed that the title of this post went right from Lent to Pentecost and skipped over Easter. I did that on purpose. I'll try to explain why, but I'm not sure that it will make sense. Although I understand it in my head, I'm not sure that I can transfer that to words on a blog.

Here goes ...

It's roughly 90 days from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost Sunday -- 40 days of Lent, 50 days until Pentecost, plus those six Sundays that aren't counted during Lent -- just over three months.
Here's what I'm thinking. Pentecost is the day Christians recognize as the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is told in Acts 2.

The Bible says that the Apostles proclaimed the message that Jesus is risen and is the long awaited Messiah and that each person (though they came from many nations) heard them in their own language. We often emphasize this event as the giving of the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues (different languages or a spiritual language, depending on your beliefs).
But perhaps it is not so much a gift of tongues as it is a gift of understanding. Beginning at verse 14, it is only Peter that is speaking -- one voice, understood by all. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit allowed each person to understand his words, even though he may not have been speaking in their language.

For the next 90+ days -- through Lent and the seven weeks that follow -- I'm going to work to harness this gift of understanding. On Sunday, June 9 (Pentecost Sunday this year), I want it to be a celebration of understanding. My Lenten resolution is not to seek to be understood as much as it is to seek to understand.

John <><

Is Less Really More?

I need to get rid of stuff -- lots of stuff!
Being the technology dinosaur that I am, I have never used the internet or apps to sell anything. I've purchased a couple of things off eBay and found my motorcycle on Craig's list, but that's about it for buying and selling used items. Does StubHub count? I've done that, too.

I think I'm going to have to get familiar with Craig's list and/or Facebook marketplace so that I can sell some of this stuff and begin working my way towards a simpler, less cluttered life. We may have to do the dreaded spring garage sale, although I have to say that I really hate that idea. Maybe that will be my motivation to learn the art of selling via apps.

Just wondering -- is there still a classified section to sell personal items through a local newspaper?
Do people still do that?

In any case, I need to get rid of stuff.
Making a money would be cool. Donating to charity is certainly an option. Hauling stuff to the dump or waiting for the city-wide haul away your junk for free day is also an option, but I hate to trash usable stuff. Most of the stuff is still usable, we just no longer have a need for it.

What is your favorite way to sell your stuff?
Favorite app?
Favorite charity?
You know spring is only a couple of weeks away. Isn't getting rid off stuff a part of spring cleaning?

John <><

It's March

In like a lion.
March has finally arrived
Haiku month's ended!

Yeah, that was a weird haiku challenge that I made for myself. I'm glad it's over.
And judging from the response (or non-response), so is everyone else!
Now I'll be back to my irregular and sometimes irreverent posting.

I just finished a book called Red Letter Revolution: What if Jesus really meant what he said? 
I think I'll read more of co-author, Shane Claiborne's books. It took me a while to get through it since reading has become less of a habit and it was one of three books that I was working through (that doesn't count the Bible and the daily devotional reading for the blog).
I'll finish the second of those three, Defiant, today. The third is a the only fiction book of the three, Bleak Harbor, which was a freebie on Amazon Prime and I'm just getting started on it. It's a little weird because I've long ago gotten out of the habit of reading fiction. There are several other fiction books queued up on the Kindle reader, so maybe it will become a thing again. It's every bit as entertaining and only slightly more fictional reading than scrolling Facebook. And since books are labeled as fiction rather than fake lives presented as real, it's less frustrating and more entertaining.

I'll probably look for another non-fiction read to work through as I continue with Bleak Harbor, and the fiction will pretty much take the backseat, relegated to late night reading or when I'm alone and waiting for something -- appointment, car maintenance, etc.

*****

It's going to be a cold, wintry weekend in the Ozarks. I'm looking forward to preaching this Sunday and next Sunday.

I hope that March is a good month for you.
I hope that you are kind to the people you meet as you live out the month.
I hope that you have the opportunity to make somebody smile today.
I hope that someone makes you smile today.
I hope that today is a good day, and if it's not...
I hope that tomorrow is better.
I hope.

John <><

Matthew, Chapter 28

The tomb is empty.
He is risen from the dead.
Go, make disciples.

Matt 28

John <><

Matthew, Chapter 27

Tried before Pilate
Jesus, mocked and crucified
Buried in a tomb

Matt 27

John <><

Matt, Chapter 26

A new covenant
Not my will, but yours be done
Jesus arrested

Matt 26

John <><

Matthew, Chapter 25

Watch and be ready
Weeping and gnashing of teeth
The final judgment

Matt 25

John <><

Matthew, Chapter 24

Signs of the end times
No one knows, but the Father
Watch, and be ready

Matt 24

John <><

Matthew, Chapter 23

All show and no go
Woe to you, you hypocrites!
(seven times over)

Matt 23

John <><

F-f-f ... Facebook Fasting Fail

It's a day short of a week and I've done pretty well at avoiding Facebook. I said that I'd keep my linked posts from my blog and Instagram, and I said that I'd check daily for comments. I found myself scrolling through my news feed and seeing some posts that were informative for me ... my church site, some motorcycle forums and cigar forums, and some family and friend posts.

I stopped following several news feeds and picked them up on Twitter. And I don't think I've made any responses via comment and only a few reactions or likes. I can live with that -- for now. I'll probably continue with relatively few posts and limited or no comments. I'll just be a Facebook lurker.

     * * * * *

I have been spending a little more time with some people interaction. They've pretty much been from church (something with church peeps every day but Tuesday this week), but they are people interactions, nevertheless. I've actually talked to someone other than Chris every day this week! That's quite an accomplishment for a guy that's pretty comfortable being alone all of the time.

One fail, one bit of progress for the week.
Balance.
I'll take it!

John <><