One of my kids recently had the flu. On day three, he had a fever of 104. On day four, his fever had broken and the boredom kicked in. He came into my office and slyly asked, “Why don’t we make a deal?” I raised an eyebrow and asked what he had in mind.
On Ash Wednesday, we are all invited “…in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent (BCP 265).” To help in the observance of a holy Lent and to mark this season, there are changes in our personal lives. We give something up such as sweets, sodas, candy, or something else we enjoy. We may take on a discipline such as reading a book, exercising, or engaging in a variety of forms of prayer. All of this we offer to God and to remind ourselves that God desires to be in relationship with all of us.