Tag Archives: habits

Home Is My Favourite Place To Be

I haven’t written a blog post since February 2022 and before that I had only posted sporadically during the pandemic. I had so much that I wanted to write about, but during that time the world was extra sensitive. I wasn’t interested in posting something that meant a lot to me, but might upset readers.

Where I live, the majority of pandemic restrictions and mandates were lifted on March 01, 2022. It was a long 2 years, but I can’t complain too much. I hadn’t gotten sick during that time and I didn’t experience the economic hardship that so many people had to live through.

Now that we are almost back to “normal”, I’ve had enough time to reflect on the things that I cherished the most during those two years. It wasn’t difficult to decide: I cherished my home the most.

Home is where I spent over a year working when the government prevented us from being in the office. Home is where I felt safe, it was virus free. Home is where I could get away from all the turmoil that was happening in the world. Home is where I slept for 12-16 hours a day when I was hit with COVID19 in April 2022.

Once the pandemic mandates were lifted and we were once again permitted to go where ever we wanted I still enjoyed coming home. I also realized there were many things I hoped wouldn’t return to “normal”, number one being potlucks. There is nothing I dislike more than potlucks. But sure enough, we weren’t even 2 weeks into enjoying the lifted restrictions and people were already sending invites for potlucks.

Source: Inspirivity, “Home Sweet Home”

I had hoped that we would carry on checking in on people to make sure they are doing alright and asking “do you need anything” and following through with their request. I hoped that virtual meetings and working from home would still remain options for workers.

Now that pandemic mandates and restrictions have been lifted in most places, don’t let the lessons you’ve learned, the self-discovery, and any revelations you had during those two years be forgotten.

What did you learn about yourself during that time?
How did you handle isolation?
What are the activities you missed the most?
Who were the people you missed the most and the least?
Were there social habits that you wished wouldn’t return?
Did you learn new skills or discover new interests?

The pandemic is over, but you’re certainly don’t view or experience the world the same way you did 2 years ago.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Giving It up For Lent

Preparing for Lent 2016

 

Lent 2016: Wednesday February 10th – Thursday March 24th. Sundays are excluded when counting the 40 days. Lent is for all Christians, not just Catholics and mainline protestants.

For the past couple of year’s I’ve switched my focus during Lent from saying “no” to saying “yes”. In the past I had placed my attention on what I was giving up at the expense of realizing what I was gaining by practicing the spiritual disciplines of the Lenten season. When Jesus spent time in the desert, he didn’t simply say “no” to the temptations before him; he was also saying “yes” to all that God had to offer.

Our spiritual practices during Lent aren’t meant to be easy, but they aren’t meant to be torture either. When I choose something to give up during Lent I try to find something that benefits my spiritual life beyond the approximately six weeks of the season. This year I have chosen to say “no” to garbage foods and say “yes” to foods that make my body feel great. Sounds like a diet doesn’t it? But… it’s not a diet.

I decided to eliminate garbage foods and foods that my body doesn’t react well to because I have once again experienced negative physical reactions due to stress induced junk food snacking habits. I’ve been dealing with an increase in stress again and a decrease in my mindfulness and meditation practice. As a result of these changes, I realized I had started turning to mindless snacking to deal with unpleasant life stressors. My goal during this Lenten season is to reconnect with the spiritual discipline of turning to God when I feel anxiety, stress, or fear. I don’t need to use food or exercise to deal with issues when I have a God I can turn to instead.

If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to take some time to pray about what earthly habits or unnecessary pleasures you might want to say “no” to in exchange for a spiritual “yes” during this season.

Remember, Lent is not the same as our regular liturgical year. Whatever you take away you replace with extra time spent in prayer and reflection.

As an example, for some people Lent will mean not logging onto Facebook; this is great, but it only becomes a spiritual discipline if you replace that Facebook time with something reflective such as prayer, devotional reading, meditation on God’s words, or another spiritual activity of your choice.

creat in me a clean heart Psalm 51:

QUESTION:

What is something that you can focus on during Lent? e.g. Praying every day for the poor in your community; praying for political candidates in your area; commitment to learning about a justice issue that you are not familiar with or comfortable with; reading and learning about an area in your life where you need personal growth.

The following are some self-reflective questions for Creighton, “But this year we might reflect and ask the deeper question: What is God inviting me to change this Lent? How do I know what God might be stirring in me? I begin by listening to the movements in my heart. Where am I feeling uncomfortable with the choices I am making? With the things I have done? With the habitual ways I respond? The Lord will be speaking to me in those small nagging moments of discomfort in my heart. We can ask: What would it cost me to change this behavior. …What if I did decide to “give up” something really destructive in my life, ….?  As I reflect, I might realize that changing a particular way I live is coming to me as a call from God and I don’t have to do it alone. God is moving my heart to reflect on these changes and God will remain faithful and help me to stay open to the grace being offered to me for change.”

 ACTION:

There are many options to choose from. If you find yourself overwhelmed or unsure what to focus on, pray, meditate, ask God to reveal to you what sacrifices or changes would are needed in your life at this time.

Resources for Lent:

http://www.loyolapress.com/8-ways-to-pray-during-lent.htm

http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/from-ashes-to-glory

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/lent

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/lent_1.shtml

http://www.saintmatthewsanglicanchurch.com/worship-teaching/seasons-holy-days/lent-holy-week/

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/BeyondChocolate.html