Lent Experiment

What if for 40 days we added something instead of gave up something. What if for Lent instead of picking something to fast from we did something to enhance other's lives. Today is valentine's Day and I keep thinking about God's love and how we can show God's love to others. The Lenten season ends with the ultimate act of love. Jesus died on the cross so our sins were forgiven. Then he rose from the dead so we can spend eternal life with God.

In Karen Ehman's book Keep it Shut she proposed one idea like this. She said she bought notecards and wrote encouragement to people all 40 days of lent. She one day she wrote a thank you to the garbage man. Another day she may have picked the janitor. If you prayed about it I bet God would bring someone to mind each day that needed some extra encouragement.

Another idea especially if you have kids it to do something nice for your neighbors every day.  Maybe they could help you bake cookies for the neighbors. They could create cards for the neighbors. You could help shovel snow, pick up leave, clean up yards. Think about how much better your neighborhood would be.

At Christmas time you always see Small Acts of Kindness Advent calendars. What if we did something similar for Lent. One day you tape change to a vending machine. Another day you can take food to the fire station. Call your local animal shelter and see what they need and take that to them. Here is one example we did at Christmas.

Just think if we each did this for 40 days. If we focused on others instead of ourselves. If we showed gratitude instead of complaining about what we don’t have. I think we would be changed. We would also change others. Maybe someone would feel appreciated or loved when they normally don’t. Who is in with me?