Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Some Strange things I do during Lent 2015


Some of my friends have known that Lent is my very special devotional season.
I have done (and continue to do) some things that many consider "radical" during the Lenten Season.
I'm sharing this, this year, in an invitation to my friends to get radical in their walks with God.
If you can, share them with me, personally or on my facebook page so that I don't feel like John the Baptist (a lone voice in the wildnerness) with my Lenten weirdness.

Lent # 1. The first thing I do, in commemoration of Lent is I color my hair...purple.
This began approxemately 4 years ago. Walt and I had found a new church (well--new for us).           I was still in the throws of grief over my mother and the life I had lost in caring for her full-time.
 There was a program on in which a woman talked about reading in the Bible about a woman cutting off all her hair, in grief. I became determined to wear my grief. But it was Lent. I walked into Sally Beauty and bought a bottle of Rave purple and never looked back.
 It happened that it was also the year that I made my walk to Emmaus, which ocurred during Lent. Consequently, when I attend Emmaus Events in Dunklin, there is a host of people looking for my purple hair.
But other things have happened during my Lenten purple season. As people in the general puplic comment (as they often do) I have the opportunity to testify. "That's a neat color" they might say. "I color it purple for Lent". So often, in people over the age of thirty, there is a "beat" that they take. I can see in their eyes, they're harkening back to a time when Lent was a part of their lives. It is a touching moment for me.
  #2 "If you color your hair purple, what are you giving up?"
    That is an interesting question, but it was not hard for me to answer. I am giving up my "invisibility".  When I was in High School, one of my good friends, Michelle, was a baptist. Her entire family were very active in the church. She was not the secretive about it. Once she was meeting a new neighbor, I was with her. She was talking about her family and added "And we're Christians.". I marveled at the way that tumbled out of her mouth, so easily.
It has not always been so easy for me to profess my belief and love of Jesus. In fact, in my life,
it has been much easier for my faith to remain "invisible", especially in the circles in which I travel.
Then, with my purple hair, the first thing I see in the morning, is...me with purple. I remember, "I do this for Lent". Then I am shopping, the cashier says "Wow that's amazing hair...is that really purple?"....I respond "thank you. I do this for Lent." (if she's in her early 20's she asks) "What is Lent?"..."It's the devotional journey of 40 days preceeding Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday and ressurection on Easter."....A smile comes across her face as she "remembers" the story. "That's cool".  My hair is the conversation starter for a testimony, I wouldn't otherwise give.

#3 I take out my Lenten Wardrobe. (yes, I actually have a Lenten wardrobe.) If you've known me for any length of time, you know I have clothing that matches most holidays and season. Fall/Halloween (of course) Christmas/Holiday, most recently all reds and pinks for Valentine season. Of course, I have a Lenten wardrobe. It consists mostly of purple clothing with some grey (the ashes) clothing. It wasn't that difficult to gather, as I love purple and have had much purple clothing in my wardrobe though the years.  One of the benefits of this , is I don't have to worry about anything clashing with my hair.

#4 Watch ALL the Jesus, Biblical and Pseudo-Jesus Films and doccumentaries that I can find.
 The History channel , History 2 and Smithsonian Channels are replete with "investigative" and theorizing programs centering around elements of the life of Christ.
Just recently, I watch one titled "The Wife of Jesus" (falls into my "DaVinci Code" category).
 There are specials on Crucifixion (a gruesome and painful study--not for the squeemish)
The Holy Grail (another in the DaVinci code category). I watch ALL doccumentaries on The Shroud of Turin. There is one about the "Face of Jesus" in which a researcher produces a Face of Jesus Christ from the iconography on the Shroud of Turin.
The films put me in a devotional mood and give me perspective on the sacrifice of Christ, I don't seem to get in any other way.
 The non-documentary films I watch each and every Lenten Season are:
1) Jesus of Nazareth Mini Series
2) Jesus Christ Superstar
3) The Passion of the Christ

#5 Bake lots of bread
     Christ said "I am the bread of life". During Lent, my usual bread making process takes on a devotional, even spiritual quality. I seek someone to bless with the bread after baked.

So there are some of my Lenten traditions. There are more and some change from year to year.
I wish you and yours a blessed Lenten season.

Until next time,
Eat something delicious
and live a life worth loving.


-Kim