Day 31

[Text from image: 1. Forgive me, 2. Forgive my friends, 3. You are forgiven]

Day 30

[Text from image: Is there a problem? - um... no]

Day 29

[Text from image: We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty]

Day 28

[Text from image: Wisdom comes not with age, but from God!]

Day 27

[Text from image: IF I have sinned, punish me!]

Day 26

Day 25

[Text from image: You must be wicked! - Seriously?!? Why are we still talking about this?]

Day 24

[Text from image: Evil people do not succeed. - Just take a look around you!]

Day 23

[Text from image: Repent! Encourage!]

Day 22

[Text from image: Why?]

Day 21

[Text from image: Defense - Prosecution]

Day 20

[Text from image: Sadness + "I don't know what to do" =  Frustration]

Day 19

[Text from image: I wish I'd never been born. Job did not sin by blaming God.]

Job 12:7-10

Job 12:7-10

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature

    and the breath of all mankind."

Author's Note: This past weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Cook Forest. I'm always blessed by creation to see God and rest in the peace of the things he has made. Just as long as I don't have to sleep in a tent.

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down (Job 42:6)

Last year, if you would have asked me how I felt about Lent I bet I would have been less than supportive. One of my favorite arguments dealt with the history. They say that in 16th century England, a meat shortage coincided with a slumping fish industry. British parliament and the Catholic church got together to solve the problem with the idea of meatless Fridays during Lent (excluding fish). The whole idea is based off of economics and politics and thus I turned up my nose.
 
If I could travel back in time to see that version of myself, I would ask him “What did the five fingers say to the face? SLAP!” If you work off this premise of strictly following only the Biblical procedures for Christian holidays, what are you left with? Off the top of my head the only ceremonial instructions from Jesus that I can think of are for Maundy Thursday. That's a rip-roaring good holiday! (Get the party favors ready!) Can I have presents on Christmas? Mary and Joseph didn't have time for the toy store. Candy on Easter? Marshmallow chicks don't mix with a lost corpse. Turkey on Thanksgiving? Jesus definitely didn't wear a buckle on his hat. So by this anti-Lent standard, aren't all holiday traditions bad? At least fasting has Biblical merit.
 
This year I've had an obvious revelation. For any spiritual experience, holiday or whatever, you will only get out of it what you put into it. Ash Wednesday is just around the corner. This means that lots of people return from church with ashes on their forehead. They are symbolic of repentance and inner reflection towards God as shown throughout the Bible. (I just like Job because he really knew how to suffer. Sackcloth is a fashion statement with an exclamation point!) Not eating meat is meant to be a form of self-denial for observance and mental preparation for the Easter season. However, fasting without reflection is just a diet. Partying like a crazy person on Fat Tuesday doesn't bode well for repentance on Ash Wednesday.
 
This year when you ask me about Lent, I'll let you know that it's a great idea if you put in the real effort. As an added bonus, my future-self won't come hit me. (Well at least he'll have to use one of the million other reasons to slap me around.)
 

If you knew that “Ring Around the Rosie” actually has nothing to do with the plague: