Monthly Archives: February 2010

faith, lent

The Lenten season

Lent. The period of time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. The 40 days of preparation for Jesus’s resurrection.

I’ve been amazed by how many people are participating in “giving something up for Lent” this year, and it’s really made me feel good and hopeful. It’s been several years since I seriously gave something up for Lent. I’ve, year after year, set out with something in mind only to have to fall by the wayside a few weeks in. I’ve even failed to follow not having meat on Fridays!

Tonight at a buffet. A brother and a sister filling cups of ice cream. Little Boy: “OH NO! We weren’t to have any sweets!” Little Girl looking at her bowl of ice cream: “Oh well!”

I had to laugh at that exchange to myself. It was about when I was that little girl’s age that I, too, gave up candy for Lent. I made it! I slipped up by having a chocolate mint after supper one night, but I justified it by saying it was for fresh breath. Funny how I remember that so clearly.

This year, for some reason, I’m approaching Lent with a whole new (or perhaps a very old) frame of mind. I’m going at it full force. I even found out about Stations of the Cross in Nashville, and I hope I can make it one weekend.

I’ve decided to give up Dr. Pepper and Beer for Lent. The beer won’t be too tough. When I am at my parent’s house, I just don’t drink it much. It’ll be difficult, though, when I go home, as its just the thing to have when socializing. The Dr. Pepper, however, has already proven difficult. I saw a real sugar Dr. Pepper today, and I itched to grab it.

I’ve thought of a third thing to do for Lent, and I think I’m going to go for it. Even though I’m technically starting it a few days late. To write a blog entry every day of Lent. THIS will be the tough one, as some days I’m just too tired to be creative. Other days, I frankly just don’t have time. But in the spirit of my last entry, I think its a challenge I need to take on for myself.

So brace yourself. Time to put this blog on 10.

Or rather 40.

writing

What is your passion?

2 Comments

passion – a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept

My husband’s passion is music. It’s why he’s a musician. It’s why every time he gets fed up with the industry for awhile he doesn’t give up in the end. Its too much a part of who he is to ever give it up in frustration. It’s also why I won’t let him give it up. I’ll do anything I can to make sure he stays in and with the music.

Similarly, my dad is a bookkeeper and tax preparer. He’s notorious for counting things. When I was in band, he’d count how many people were in other bands. Or he’ll figure how many people can fit in a venue. Dad’s all about numbers, and he’s made a living working with them.

For me? I always find myself coming back to writing/photography/design work. Primarily writing.

When I look back on life, a recurring theme is writing. Already in third grade I was competing in writing competitions. Every time I had a new electives option, I’d go for the writing elective. In college, I majored in Journalism, and one of my favorite classes I ever took was a creative writing course.

I’ve had a private journal since 2001, and I worked for a year and a half at a newspaper. Now I have this blog and I’m more and more determined to nurture it and let it be a creative outlet.

At the end of the day, I know its what I want to make my living doing. Writing. It’s MY passion.

I thoroughly enjoy design in addition to it, and I’ve found a fascination with photography. I’ve never nurtured photography until I did my 365 Project, and that project sparked an interest that I want to explore further. Photography in addition to my writing just seems to make sense. One of these days I’ll upgrade from a point and shoot to advance myself in that medium.

Anyway, all this being said, I’m finding we all have our own passions in life. The talents we are given to use. Unfortunately, life and the economy often don’t care about passion. All they care about is the almighty dollar. Many times I’ve considered throwing in the towel on my writing dreams. It seems like this impossible mountain to climb — making a life at it.

But then I look at my husband, who has successfully made music his career. I look at so many others who have a talent and a dream, and they work to make it happen. I can do it, too.

I enjoy other jobs. I find joy simply in doing work. There’s satisfaction in a job well done, whatever that job may be. But at the end of the day, its writing that I love to do. And its writing that will remain my focus.

So I ask, what’s your passion? Are you living it? Or has it gotten lost in a maze of bills and bureaucracy?