“A Season of Promise”

    Well, yes, February flew by quickly – but then it only had 28 days!  It was another month of winter and, as we’ve come to expect, bizarre weather.  Pesky winter snow/ice, weird warm days, wild winds; but, then, no great snowstorms.  Whatever can we expect from March?
    March is the month in which we enter the season of Lent.  The season when we confront ourselves, honestly.  As we live from day to day, we tend to rationalize our moments of bad behavior, our times of impatience, pessimism, fault-finding, or criticism.  Even when those moments are few and far between, and they last only briefly, we explain them away as our being right in acting that way or saying what we said.  
    As we contemplate what Lent brings to us, perhaps it is more valuable that we humbly acknowledge our humanity and our weakness.  That we realize we’re not perfect and have little hope of ever being so in this life.  Perhaps it is more valuable that we confess our past shortcomings and ask for forgiveness, possibly both from God and from any person we have offended.  Perhaps we need to pray for more patience, for a recognition of how blessed we are, and for a forgiving nature in ourselves.
    Lent is a season of looking back and facing our weaknesses.  But it should also be a season of promise.  A time when our contemplation's lead to a future that includes achieving a closer relationship with God.  A time when we can look forward with hope, knowing that, in our moments of weakness and temptation, we have a strong Savior, ready to support us and ready to forgive us.  A Savior who is working with us, and preparing us for a rich welcome into His eternal kingdom.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Virginia  “ make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. … For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”                                            2 Peter 1:3-7, 10-11