What I Learned During Lent Last Year

April 19, 2014

As I read over the journal I kept for Lent, I realized I learned quite a bit. Some of it was just a repeat, like even though our choices are few we still have choices. It can be hard to forgive ourselves. Staying focused was another lesson learned. But I also learned to look toward the light at the end of tunnel.
When I learned of Lent in high school, I thought it was eating only fish on Friday. One Friday the home-ec teacher fried up some hamburger on a spring day. Two of the girls were Catholic and didn't eat. The teacher apologized. I mistakenly thought that Catholics could only eat fish on Fridays year round. It wasn't until after I had graduated from the U that a co-worker kindly corrected me that it was only during Lent.
I remember once as student at the U that a classmate dropped the f-bomb when he remembered it was Lent. Sometime my classmates told him not give that up. I learned then that during Lent, Catholics gave up something.
Somewhere over the years, I learned that Ash Wednesday started Lent. Probably from my co-worker who taught me about fish on Fridays. But I probably learned first about Ash Wednesday from another co-worker, who attended a Catholic high school in the neighborhood I lived in. Apparently, he and his friends would skip services on Ash Wednesday and walk over to the apartments that I lived in. There was a patch of trees in front of my apartment, where he and his friends would smoke. Before they headed back, they would take the ashes from their cigarettes and make crosses on their foreheads.
As I prepared for Lent, I googled. From my search, I found out that Lent was symbolic of Jesus fasting for 40 days. I learned about Jesus fasting for 40 days in Sunday School and probably Primary. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we usually fast on the first Sunday of each month.  We skip two meals or go without food for 24 hours. It is during those 24 hours that we drawer closer to God. It is what Muslims do when they fast each fall. And it what Catholics and most Protestants religions do each spring. Fasting is a time to draw closer to God and to be more focused by not being distracted by the cars of the world.

Toward the end of my Mormon version of Lent,  (I didn't fast on Ash Wednesday or eat only fish on Fridays.) I thought of sacrifice. Just before Lent, I went to Seattle area to be with my sisters. One day we visited the Brown & Haley's Almond Roca factory store. The cashier told us about the Mountain chocolate bar, which was part of the food rations for soldiers who served in World War II. I was reminded of my dad who served in Alaska during the war. I thought of the sacrifice that my dad made by leaving his widowed mother and his family behind while he served.
I also thought of the sacrifice Jesus made while he fasted for 40 days. Jesus fasted so he could be focused while he prepared for His ministry. It would be hard to fast 40 days. Whether Jesus went entirely without food or water as Mormons do when they fast once a month or as a Muslim would during Ramadan, by eating a meal before sunrise and waiting until sunset to eat the other meal of the day.

But Jesus Christ sacrificed much more when he went into Gethsemane and took upon Himself our sins. He died on the cross for us all and was resurrected on the third day. He suffered, died and was resurrected so we all could have eternal life.

True Love

The helpless infant will later take care of a helpless parent. (01/19/04)

I read this and I get emotional. Because it rings true to me. I am reminded of my youngest sister and my mom.

When my sister, Laura was 6 months, she was infected with Spinal Meningitis. As the morning services at church ended that day, Laura was throwing a fit. That was unusual behavior for her (and still is). She was usually a calm pleasant little baby girl. Shortly after that she was admitted at the Magic Valley Memorial Hospital in Twin Falls fighting for her life. My mom was at her bedside a lot and my older sister, Mary took over the household duties, which had to be hard for her; Mary was only in 7^th or 8^th grade. My mom took care of a helpless infant in her time of greatest need.

Eight years after I wrote down that thought, my mom got cancer. Laura and her family were coming back from Lake Powell one August afternoon. Mom hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer yet, but Laura stayed behind to take care of Mom as her health quickly declined. Her husband, Bill and son, Skylar headed back to Washington. Shortly after Mom was diagnosed, Laura and Mary took Mom back to Seattle, where they could take better care of her. Laura spent most days at the hospital with Mom, with help from Mary and her daughter, Tracina. Just like Mom saw Laura at her worst, Laura saw Mom at her worst. Laura took care of a helpless parent in her time of greatest need.

That is true love.