3rd week of Lent, Friday –The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Genius 2:7 Think of your favourite person, living or dead. Picture them hugging you. Add as many people as you can think of who you would like to surround you with hugs right now. Then add the people who have supported these people with love too. Your place is in the centre of this ‘divinely given’ hug. You are not alone. This is love at work – outside of time, outside of space. Forever yours because you have been formed from the earth by God himself.

3rd week of Lent, Thursday – Put your hand on your Bible. Through the text in its earthy, tangible format and its everyday events, God is becoming known to you. This understanding of God has been passed down to you through the ages. As much as it reveals…much, much more is unknown about God. This is the divine mystery of which you are a part. Consider the known compared to the vastness of the unknown.

3rd week of Lent, Wednesday –Look at the grass you placed by your candle the other day. It likely looks shriveled and drying or moldy. Without God’s blessing in his continuous creation of life and the circumstances for life, there would not be life. Your action in removing this grass from its roots changed the grass’s existence from living to dying. A natural enough process perhaps, but effected by you. What else does humanity affect in our time, with our acceptance? Which of those many things within your view yesterday would you give up for the life and health of the planet? For God’s sake?

3rd week of Lent, Tuesday – Look at and touch ‘natural things’ you can reach from where you sit. Do you see any? Look at and touch the ‘man-made’ things you reach from where you sit. Do you see any? Everything we have is a combination of ‘naturally occurring elements’ or  these same elements transformed or harvested through the effort of humanity. All come to us as God’s blessing in His creativity of the world, the cosmos and human form. Stop to consider and admire this handiwork.

2nd week of Lent, Saturday – Look at the glass of water within your view. Let your eyes examine it – trace all its edges, colour, light, etc. Swirl it, tip it,  pour it, wet your face, hands, etc. Let your eyes rest on this object seemingly without purpose. Let your mind settle and relax.

2nd week of Lent, Friday – My Mom would often say…’Go ahead and cry, that’s why Gods gave you tears.’ She was a wise woman. Tears are salty water. The world has cried buckets of tears in answer to the pain of living. Join the world in its sorrow. Add some salt to your glass of water and consider your being part of humanity and sharing its collective pain. Drink the water as though years of tears.

2nd week of Lent, Thursday –Take an ice cube. Hold it in your hand as it melts. If too cold, put it in the glass of water. Consider the distance this water has come and the changes it has been through to get to you this day. And where it will go to get back to use by another person. How many people are involved with this journey? What if this was the last glass of clean water your ever drank? Be thankful for your glass of water. Consider drinking only water for one day.

2nd week of Lent, Wednesday – Draw your fingers behind the glass of water and notice the way it changes shape in the process. Do the same with a few things near you. Notice without great intent, the image being distorted and returning to usual. Is your usual perspective of things the only way to see truth? Think of seeing this water from a distance, a great distance and from outer space. Many ways to see the same thing…all having a different effect.

2nd week of Lent, Tuesday – Take a swallow of the water in the glass. With every other mouthful, let your tongue ‘play’ in the liquid. Then swallow. This is a simple joy of being alive. Empty the glass.