It’s Ash Wednesday… and so Lent begins.  Last year @ Roses in the Rubble we started out by opening our hearts to be embraced by God (click here to check out how) then moved into the desert to see how God’s embrace could keep us going in dry places (click here for desert how to’s..)

This year instead of navigating dry desert landscapes, let’s contemplate setting out into deeper waters of our faith, by faith.  Sure, the shore seems safer and our fears may keep us tethered to the pier.

Going deeper, after all, is not without risk.

When I was five-years old, I accidentally slipped into the deep end of a pool at my Aunt Ruth’s home in Pennsylvania.  Not good for a child who didn’t know how to swim!  As noisy family reunion interactions distracted the usually vigilant adults, they didn’t notice when I started drowning.  Thank God, my cousin Jill jumped in and saved my life.  Just two years older, she somehow grabbed my red pigtails & pulled me out of the deep end.

Life is a gift!  (thanking God for with-it cousins!!)

The thing about going deeper this Lent – yes, it’s risky. Our fears like the pier. Everything is so easy to see in the shallows. It doesn’t require much effort to stay afloat when our feet can still touch the ground.

Going deeper requires stronger strokes of faith as the ground beneath us disappears.

Moving into the deep with the life-preserver of Jesus Christ’s love surrounding us, we don’t have to be afraid. His grace & mercy will keep us afloat.

At church today Msgr. Timothy Keeney threw down several challenges: Lent is a time for new beginnings, metanoia – a chance to change.  We should be joyful (for Lent? while fasting? with ashes and all that?)  Yes, JOYFUL (he said it, i didn’t!)  Because? Receiving God’s mercy is a gift. Receiving God’s grace is a gift.  Receiving both should set us off rejoicing.

Kind of like how happy I was as a five year old when my cousin saved me from drowning (still rejoicing, many years on.)

FYI, remember Jesus is with us in the deep-ends of whatever we may be facing, always there to pull us out.

Yet, going deeper with Him this Lent, “do not dare not to dare.”  (C.S. Lewis)

grace, peace & deeper waters

Virginia  : )

p.s.  Here’s a peek at last night’s blueberry pancakes (my brother Dwight’s plate)

Probably not a fastingly good idea to share when you’re hungry, (now i know!) but hey, they were pretty tasty  : )