In making the assumption that this year's SSJE Lent project would be like last year's, I hadn't anticipated that there would be a new video on Sunday, so today's blog is combined for Days 5 and 6.
We start this week with the video entitled simply "Stop", and the concept here is to emulate God in the first thing He called "holy" - He stopped his creation, and made the Sabbath, the resting period. The concept behind stop is literally to stop working, stop planning, stop thinking of all the things you need to get done - and remember that holy time of rest.
For some of us workaholics, this is an extremely difficult task. But something to consider is that you use a great deal of energy and focus to accomplish your tasks, your multi-tasks, your planning and thinking. Does God not deserve the focus of your whole attention? Can you take the challenge of that video and sit in silence, focused only on God, for five minutes?
The video for today talks about creating the invitation to stop - the reminder to yourself not only that it's time to work, but the reminder that it's time to stop working. How many of us work over our allotted hours - oh, I just need another 10 minutes to get this finished; or I don't really need lunch today - I'll eat something later? Having done that myself more times than I can count, I know it's not an easy task.
So, today's challenge - create accountability for yourself for this entire week for times to stop. Whether that's a computer alarm or a real alarm clock or get a friend to call you - to remind you to get up, stop working, go breathe some fresh air, get out into God's creation, call your mother - do something that's not working, for the period you set aside.
At the end of the week, answer the question from the first video - how do you feel?
We start this week with the video entitled simply "Stop", and the concept here is to emulate God in the first thing He called "holy" - He stopped his creation, and made the Sabbath, the resting period. The concept behind stop is literally to stop working, stop planning, stop thinking of all the things you need to get done - and remember that holy time of rest.
The video for today talks about creating the invitation to stop - the reminder to yourself not only that it's time to work, but the reminder that it's time to stop working. How many of us work over our allotted hours - oh, I just need another 10 minutes to get this finished; or I don't really need lunch today - I'll eat something later? Having done that myself more times than I can count, I know it's not an easy task.
So, today's challenge - create accountability for yourself for this entire week for times to stop. Whether that's a computer alarm or a real alarm clock or get a friend to call you - to remind you to get up, stop working, go breathe some fresh air, get out into God's creation, call your mother - do something that's not working, for the period you set aside.
At the end of the week, answer the question from the first video - how do you feel?
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