it's that time again

I've been debating whether or not I wanted to go down this road for Lent again. Reading over some of my previous posts, I am aware of my not-quite-promise to shoot for posts happening around once a week. Once again, I return to my blog, which looks at me with winsome, hurt eyes, like a neglected pet turtle.

Why in the world am I doing this again? I guess it's not that ridiculous - this isn't the first time I've done the same fast multiple times, or even in back-to-back years. But is it just a cop-out? Am I doing this more for my own self-promotion or out of some arrogant impulse?

I honestly can't say for sure. But I can say this for sure: I'm somewhat dizzied by how radically different my life is now as compared to what it was like when I began Lent last year. I no longer live in the Los Angeles area, and I am no longer a youth pastor. Instead, I like in a small town north of Salt Lake City, Utah, and I am the lead pastor of a small church. Pastoring is something I had thought I might end up doing, but in, say, five or ten years. God had other plans, it seems.

I guess that's a reason why I feel called to do this again. In the space of less than a calendar year, my perspective has changed and my horizons have broadened. I imagine many of my posts will be indistinguishable in genre and content style from last year, but perhaps there will be a subtle shift. Only time will tell.

Anyway, let's go over the rules again, as laid out last year: A) It must be original content, i.e. no linking videos or songs or so on unless it’s for the purpose of offering some reflective commentary of my own, and B) it must be spiritually meaningful to me on some level, i.e. no fluff.

With this introduction, let us enter the Lenten season together and see where this goes...