As I look around my room, and my life for that matter, there is no doubt that I have plenty of STUFF. My roommate and I have certainly filled our room to the brim, over the top decorated for our Luau theme, and yet almost every week I find some reason to go to the store. And thats not it. Besides all the material things I’ve managed to tetris into my small dorm room (insane to think I still have things at home) all the activities I find to do daily certainly are part of the STUFF in life too.
Yet for some reason, I’m always looking for more. More opportunities to volunteer, more positions to undertake, more time with friends, more time to do my school work. While I sit here typing out all these things that I know the feeling of all too well I think I’ve finally realized something pretty big. I don’t want any more responsibilities. I don’t want do have my days planned down to the minute. What I want, is more of Him.
I’ve always struggled with the idea of giving something up for Lent. I understand the premise behind it, as lent is a time for us to turn away from the Earthly distractions and turn to Christ and our relationship with Him. Certainly giving things up that are distracting are beneficial to this endeavor. But when we moan about cravings for chocolate, or find other ways to waste time when we give up Facebook, its hard to see how these things bring us closer to Christ.
“Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return” are powerful words with a powerful message. They continue to catch me off guard despite hearing them year after year. The ashes received today in church are a reminder of our sin, giving us a chance for self-examination and reflection. Jesus was never concerned with material goods during his time here on Earth. Instead, he was a man of powerful words, willing to leave this Earth, giving us the gift of eternal life with him in Heaven.
No matter how much treasure we store up in this world, it will never be comparable to a life for and with Christ. Though we are dead in sin, it is through Christ and Christ alone that we live.
Matthew 6:19-21, 2 Corinthians 5:17
- a.e.
Amy Engle (a.e.) is currently a sophomore Digital New Media and Graphic Design double major at Creighton University. With interests in new and emerging media sources a blog seemed like the perfect way to get started. Faith has always been a central part of Amy's life. Growing up in St. Louis with her parents and four brothers church was a weekly event. Now at a Jesuit University, she has realized the importance of developing ones own personal faith and discovered the benefits of looking for God's presence in daily life. Check in for new updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
AH so true. I just wrote about ashes and Lent in my blog today, too!