Through the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, we have focused on becoming aware of God’s presence in our everyday living. We are continuing that focus during the Season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is February 14.

Lent provides an excellent opportunity to become more aware of God’s presence in our lives. Through self-examination and reflection, Lent is a time of discipline, which leads to self-denial and acts of service. I am writing today to invite you to join me on a Lenten journey.

It is my hope that we can and will set aside what hinders us from seeing and recognizing Christ in our midst. It is also my hope that we will begin to become more aware of Christ’s presence in the activities of our ordinary days of living.

As I think of self-reflection, I think of Fred Craddock who tells the story of being in the home of his niece. She and her family had adopted a “retired” greyhound as the family pet. When the dog couldn’t race any longer, the family got him, took him into their home, and made him part of the family.

Craddock said the dog was a big old spotted greyhound. The dog did nothing more than lie on the floor. The children, one a toddler, pulled his tail, the other older child, used the dog’s stomach as a pillow. The dog seemed happy. Nothing seemed to bother him.

A Chat with a Greyhound

So, Craddock started up a conversation with the greyhound. “Are you still racing?”

The greyhound replied, “No, no, no. I don’t race anymore.”

Craddock: “Do you miss the glitter and excitement of the track?”

Greyhound: “No, no. Not at all.”

“Well, what is the matter? Did you get too old?”

“No, no. I still have some race in me.”

“Well, did you not win?”

Greyhound replied, “I won over a million dollars for my owner.”

“Then what was it? Bad treatment?”

“Oh, no. They treated us royally when we were racing.”

“What then? Did you get injured?”

Greyhound: “No.”

“Then what?”

And the greyhound said, “I quit.”

“You quit?”

“I quit.”

“Why did you quit?”

The greyhound replied, “I discovered that what I was chasing was not really a rabbit. And I quit. All that running, running, running, running, and what I was chasing was not ever real.”

Let’s take advantage of this Season of Lent to get real in becoming aware of God’s presence.  I look forward to joining you this Lent to read Scripture and grow in our awareness of God’s presence. Are you ready to “Get Real”? Tell me you’re in by clicking below.