Last week I talked about How To Tell If You Need A Vacation.  I also shared my own struggle, and my comment to my husband, Demetrius, about my need to get a away after Lent.  Then I went to church.  Have you had this experience?  The Holy Spirit seems to come down upon you during Liturgy, and all of a sudden…clarity happens. 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

I can’t even recall if this was our Epistle reading for the day.  All I know, is that I realized that one aspect I was missing about Lent, was the exact thing I needed.  I only needed to embrace it.  Instead of putting off rest until after Lent, it is right here in front of me!

Lent can be a time of renewal, introspection, stepping back from life, and taking a look at ourselves and how we live.  It’s a time to consider changing our perspective. 

Once a year, we are called to put aside all earthly cares.  Not just for the couple hours on Sunday, but for 7 weeks.  How many of us just squeeze Lent into our already full lives and let it add another layer of overwhelm on our souls?  I truly don’t think this is what the Church intends.

If you took part in 3 Days To An Intentional Lent, you’ve heard me talk about part of this…but…confession time…while I knew this in my head, I hadn’t taken the jump myself this year.  I didn’t clear my slate, and give myself permission to cut out all of the extra-curricular stuff that fills my daily life and makes me say to my husband, “I need a vacation.”  It’s all about focus, not entirely about getting away, although that can be helpful.  I’m not discounting being able to actually take off work and go somewhere, but this can definitely come under the heading of the now popular “staycation.”

Several years ago, a friend of mine went back to school to get her MBA.  She told me that her house was not going to be as clean as she would like, but that she was giving herself permission to focus on school for two years, and let the non-essential things go.  I took her lead when I went to school for my health coach certification.  It was freeing! 

What is non-essential right now in your life? What can be put aside for just 7 weeks? 

It’s all about focus.  Taking the focus off of what is unimportant in the scheme of things, and putting it on the essential…in this case…our walk with God.  A few weeks ago my priest started his sermon with “Everyone is wondering what their big PURPOSE is in life.  I will tell you.  Their purpose is to prepare for eternity.”

Let’s put aside all earthly cares that don’t have anything to do with our lives in eternity.  Just for the next couple weeks, let’s find rest for our souls, by embracing the Church wisdom of Great Lent, and following Matthew 11:29 which says…

 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.