I recently had to do a ridiculous amount of weeding in our yard. Quite a few weeds had sprung up during the winter rainy season. We noticed them, but thought they were merely clover and dandelions, so we left them alone. Then, when we were ready to mow the grass, we realized how extensive and damaging the weed bushes had become. I spent a week pulling and digging them up. Each plant spread from a central root, but put down more roots as it grew, so each one required a lot of pulling and digging to remove it. What I thought would be a small task quickly piled up - literally- into a mountain.
While I was weeding, I had plenty of time to think, and I started to realize how much the process of weeding is similar to the process of fasting and making sacrifices during Lent. (Lent is the 40 days of preparation for Easter.) We all have weeds that creep into our lives. Often, we don't even recognize them at first. I left the ones in my yard because they had pretty yellow flowers! But when we ignore bad habits, bad choices, or bad influences, they grow and spread until they overtake huge portions of our lives, and start choking out the time we have for other things. When we finally do own up to some of our vices, we are often shocked at how deeply rooted they are, and how difficult to remove. That's what Lent is for. I actually look forward to a new chance every year to look at my life, my relationship with God and my family, and see what needs to change. Everyone makes their own journey through Lent, but I actually enjoy self-improvement, and inviting God to be part of my life and help shape me.
So what am I weeding out this Lent? Well, that's personal, but I can say that I am fasting from chocolate and soda, which are my 2 biggest addictions. I am also taking steps to make prayer a much more constant and conscious part of my life. By Easter, I look forward to celebrating a soul that has a lot less weeds and is a much more beautiful garden.
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