2 posts tagged “family”
Today is technically the last day of Lent as tomorrow marks the beginning of Holy Week with Palm Sunday. Today is also called Lazarus Saturday when we have a special Liturgy celebrating when Christ raised him from the dead days before His own voluntary death which defeated it's power. Today we also commemorate the repose of St. Innocent, enlightener of Alaska.
This, my third Lent, as have been my first two, has brought about enlightenment and change. The Church's inspired calendar with it's prayers, fasts and seasonal feasts demonstrates the wisdom and power of God to save us through connecting with His life in the Church. We are created with internal clocks and seasons which echo with universal rhythms, and the Church's liturgical calendar, and even the daily schedule of prayers, blend with that to bring us into harmony with the created order. The fall interrupted this special, beautiful, peaceful, natural order, but God restored it through His own created life, death, resurrection and ascension. Every year we are given the opportunity to fully participate in and celebrate His life in detail, and in the proper sequence that is supernaturally beneficial to our heart, mind, soul, and body.
This Lent has been transitional for me in many ways and with many who have surrounded me. My goal was to connect more with my husband and children and to have generally more healthy relationships. God has faithfully answered my prayer more than I could have anticipated. I believe He puts desires in my heart, corresponding with my natural need and ignorant perceptions, so that I ask for things I have no idea of or previous experience with. I know I still have a long way to go to reach the desired end of these changes, but I love the dramatic changes that occur during Lent that show me a concentrated look at God's interest and ability to conform me to His likeness in addition to His stamped image in all of us.
In the last few weeks I have genuinely enjoyed my husband and children even more, and seen their incredible beauty and amazingness. I'm loving watching my children blossom into intelligent, interesting, loving people, and I'm appreciating more my husband's genuine respectful, caring, constant love and companionship. I am most blessed.
When some windows are closed, God opens the Royal Doors.
