Day 46- last day

Well, it's the last day of Lent! Tomorrow we celebrate our Risen Lord! It's been a fun journey of remembering, learning, growing, and sharing. I hope by next year when I do this again, I will be able to say that I steward some of what I've talked about over the last 46 days much better than I do now. I definitely feel like I have a grid and framework with which to evaluate things that I do or think more carefully after this month. It's amazing that if you think on something for a length of time like this, it actually starts to change how you think and process things because there's real intention to it.

One piece of the grid is this writing process. If there's something I'm considering doing, I'm going to write it out, and consider if it's something that is being consumed or stewarded. Does it drain me or give life? Is it wasteful or responsible? Another piece of the grid is taking areas that are important and holding them up to the Word of God to see if they mesh. If not, I really need to evaluate how much value I put in said area. Another piece of my grid is accountability. Even though not everyone comments, knowing even a few people read this everyday makes me accountable for my actions, and I have had a choice about sharing real stuff or blowing smoke so that I can look "acceptable". I've really tried to be authentic, and knowing that, I have enjoyed the accountability of others knowing me. It's so easy to hide stuff in our lives, and part of my grid is if there's something that I want to hide and not share with anyone, then it shouldn't be part of my life. These are just a couple examples of what I've taken away from this experience. There is a lot more, and it will take re-reading these posts for me to make it nice and concise.

To end though, I just want to share that this has been a very significant Holy Week for James and me and the boys. I'm so excited to be able to end the week with a celebration with my church family and my family family! I'm excited to go downtown tomorrow night with my boys and ask people how their day was and give them a meal to eat. I'm grateful for the opportunity to live my life full of life instead of skirting through half-dead like so many Christians I see around me. I pray that I will choose this attitude daily and make every moment count. What Jesus did on this week should mean everything to a Christian. Because of it, we're alive!! Let's not waste those lives, and let's make sure we're helping others find life too!!

Who but You
Could breathe and leave a trail of galaxies
And dream of me?
What kind of Love
Is writing my story until the end
With Mercy’s pen?
Only You.

What kind of king
Would chose to wear a crown that bleeds and scars
To win my heart?
What kind of Love
Tells me I’m the reason He can’t stay
Inside the grave?

You. Is it You?
Standing here before my eyes,
Every part of my heart cries

Alive! Alive! Look what Mercy’s overcome;
Death has lost and Love has won
Alive! Alive! Hallelujah, Risen Lord,
The only One I fall before
I am His because He is alive.

Who could speak,
And send the demons back from where they came
With just one Name?
What other heart
Would let itself be broken every time
'Til He healed mine?

You. Only You
Could turn my darkness into dawn;
running right into Your arms

Alive! Alive! Look what Mercy’s overcome;
Death has lost and Love has won
Alive! Alive! Hallelujah, Risen Lord,
The only One I fall before
I am His because He is

Emmanuel, the promised King the baby who made angels sing
Son of Man who walked with us, healing, breathing in our dust
The author of all history, the answer to all mysteries
The Lamb of God who rolled away, the stone in front of every grave

Alive! Alive! Look what Mercy’s overcome;
Death has lost and Love has won
I am His because He is alive.
I am His because He is alive.