Friday, February 19, 2010

In Another's Words

"If you really want to be a penitent soul-both penitent and cheerful-you must above all stick to your daily periods of prayer, which should be fervent, generous and not cut short. And you must make sure that these minutes of prayer are not engaged in only when you feel the need, but at fixed times, whenever it is possible. Don't neglect these details. If you subject yourself to this daily worship of God, I can assure you that you will always be happy."
In Conversation with God, Vol II

As I read this in the morning I realized that this information is pretty much etched on my soul. And yet, I pretend it isn't there, so I do not have to discipline myself. It all somehow circles back to taking care of myself. I know what sustains me, what strengthens me, what elevates me, and what propels me forward. Yet, I often don't even take the time to do what sustains me. Sustains is a minimum, a bare minimum. When our children lived at home I did a better job of this, mostly because I wanted to teach them balance and the proper way to do things. The key themes I have heard so far about Lent and keep going back to in my mind are healing, repentance, and discipline. Being disciplined will help me heal and repent.

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