In Amsterdam

And so it is, the start of lent. Time to recognize the gift of life we are given, that we are more than just bodies, or animals, or a momentary mistake. Somehow we've been given life, which encompasses the really good and the really bad, our creativity, our intelligence, our longings, our ability and desire to love and be loved. Amazing! And even more, that we're able to participate in whatever reason or purpose that this might be, to engage deeply with the reality of our humanness, to engage purposefully with the life-giver, and to engage hopefully with the people around us.

I want to press more into all of these. To figure out who I am and what I love even more, to more intimately experience God, and to love the people around me as well as I can. I have yet to determine a practical way to do this, such as something to sacrifice or focus on for 40 days...but I'm hoping offering this desire to the Lord will jumpstart my imagination!

I'm sure I've quoted him before but Thomas Kelly is pure genius, so here's a bit more.

"For the Eternal is urgently, actively breaking into time, working through those who are willing to be laid hold upon, to surrender self-confidence and self-centered effort, that is, self-originated effort, and let the Eternal be the dynamic guide in recreating, through us, our time-world."

and then he goes on to describe the hope for our lives to be "moving images of the Eternal Life" which is seriously beautiful.