march 16, 2011

Yesterday was a good day at school, with two students we were learning about laundry and even if sometimes they don't seem to respond, yet in other ways they do, and it is always a blessing when you see evidence that they grasped something.  Later in the day, I had Mr. Wright help with a students problem, but this time I sat at a desk with the problem on a paper in front of me, and he explained it to me, it was helpful.  -/+ numbers are hard for me.  Then with another student helping him get his work done, I just wish they would have sent him to me months ago.  After school Jack and I met with financial planner at Cando, so afterwards I cleaned church and came home, we ate and just took it easy.  Dad has removed some snow from by the garage.  It is going to be a mess for a while.

We were visiting with a Catholic Couple who love Jesus, and there was talk about Lent and giving up something.  It is like Fasting, for what we eliminate, we need to focus on God if we don't we have missed the message:

A Selfish Sacrifice


"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness
 of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider
them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

--Philippians 3:8

"So, what are you giving up for Lent?" That was a common question among kids as
I grew up. And the answers were predictable for many of the girls: chocolate, chocolate,
and chocolate!

If you've ever been a chocolate lover, you know what a sacrifice that can be. And
that's where our understanding of Lent and sacrifice perhaps went astray. You see,
while our minds focused on the object of sacrifice, our purpose of sacrifice got
 lost. So it is with any sacrifice, Lenten or life-long. If we focus on the food,
habit, energy, or time that we give up, we will have missed out on the gain.

"Gain?" you ask. "You're not supposed to gain anything during Lent or from any other
act of sacrifice. What kind of sacrifice gains anything?" Only the sacrifice worth
making, that's what kind. Because any sacrifice that is made for God must always
 focus on the gain: knowing Christ.

Paul was no stranger to sacrifice. In fact, he gave a list of his sacrifices in
Philippians 3:1-7. He listed his heritage, his education, and his status and "What
is more," he adds, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness
of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider
them rubbish, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:8)

Paul's entire life, from the moment of conversion, was a Lenten season.

"What are you gaining for Lent?!

Lord, You know what I value. You know what I count as special in my life. Help me
view everything-my achievements, people, things, and memories-as rubbish in order
that I might gain You. Let Your will be done in my life that I might know You better.