Turning Inward For Lent

I've been giving much thought to the approaching season of Lent. Careful thought. I want to take advantage of every moment of Lent this year to turn inward and take a look at myself and my own walk with the Lord. Lately my job has been getting the best of me and been somewhat overtaking. There's a lot of turmoil and that's a hard environment to be in daily. I've not been enjoying the journey and I feeling as if it changing me in ways I'm not okay with - taking from me the things I have always liked about myself. My easy smile and joyful nature. I find I'm a bit cynical, unfriendly and stressed of late.

However, each morning a "Minute Meditation" pops in my inbox from AmericanCatholic.org - I love starting the day with these. Often I feel like God speaks to me through the quotes of the day. This past week was no exception. The meditations through the week were clips from a book called Rediscover Lent by Matthew Kelly. I found myself thinking that was exactly what I needed to do - rediscover the beauty of Lent and grow closer to my Savior. Quiet myself and listen to His call in my life. Discern the direction He has planned for me and my family. Turn inward and rediscover the woman God calls me to be.

I know it might sound funny but whenever I need to pump myself up and lift myself to continue about my daily tasks and all that God has entrusted to me, I love to play Whitney Houston's I'm Every Woman. When I was little my older sister and I used to dance all over the house with our hair brush microphones to Whitney. Those memories are close to my heart and I've always loved her voice. But that one song, just speaks to me in ways I can't quite put into words. To me that song is my personal reminder of the woman described in Proverbs 31. The woman I haven't quite being feeling like of late and need to work my way back to. And with all of that said, I can hardly believe Whitney left his world just this past week too. Very sad indeed. But what beautiful inspiring gifts she left us all in her music. And through another song's words that I adore just as much, "And with your final heartbeat, kiss the world goodbye, then go in peace and laugh on Glory's side and fly to Jesus..." I believe it's called both Untitled Hymn and Come to Jesus. It's one of my very favorites, but more on that another day.