Do You Observe Lent?

I grew up in the Methodist denomination. We did not make a practice of ash on our foreheads like my Catholic friends or "giving something up" for the 40 days of lent. We also were able to eat meat on Fridays. We did have church services on Wednesday nights celebrating Lent. I also remember my parents always having a folder to fill up with quarters every day leading up to Easter.

In the Methodist Church we attended prior to this move every Easter season they had a Maundy Thursday service. It was one of my favorite services all year. It is a service that was solemn and very reflective. It has been a few years so I don't remember a lot of the details, but it always had an impact on me.

In our current Evangelical church, we do not observe Lent. There are no Wednesday services or a sermon series on Christ's road to the cross. I agree that a lot of it has to do with tradition and a lot of the meaning is lost in the midst of it. However, I think that as a family we can celebrate Lent at home.

I was inspired by a post I read by Megan over at Sorta Crunchy. She led me to a few different articles that were about Lent and activities to do with my family. One of the articles written by Steven R Harmon had this statement, "Baptists not only can but should observe Lent, because it will help them take up the cross and follow Christ in the midst of a suffering world."

Take up the cross and follow Christ in the midst of a suffering world. . .I am not going to debate rather celebrating Lent is necessary or not necessary. My point is that if we can take some time out of our busy family schedule and focus the next 38 days (Lent started with 40 days on Wednesday) on taking up the cross and following Christ, we will all benefit.

Megan also sent me over to Kate's blog Momopoly to read this wonderful article about Living Lent by the Beatitudes. This article really has me thinking about trusting God and finding pure joy during this Lenten season.

One scripture comes to my mind that may be my focus this Lenten Season. It is all about praising God.

Psalm 150
Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,
praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

I will start posting later today over at Unforgettable Childhood the activities we are going to do during the next 38 days. I need to find my tote that has my Easter books, and our Resurrection Eggs, then I need to make a plan.

Do you celebrate Lent? I would love to hear your thoughts on this season.