[Magdalen] A Different Kind of Lent

[Marilyn Cepeda]

Seems most people in my circle are doing amazingly well with this enforced
isolation. All kind of positive and creative ways to cope and serve others
are popping up. 😀

On Tue, Mar 31, 2020 at 9:39 AM James Handsfield <jhandsfield at att.net>
wrote:

> A different kind of Lent
>
> A reflection by Jim Handsfield
>
>
>
> Before Lent started, I, like so many others, thought about my Lenten
> discipline.  After an EfM discussion of systematic theology, I decided
> that’s what I would give up.  One way or another we made our plans.
>
> SARS-CoV-2 had other ideas.
>
> Who of us dreamt that we would all be giving up close physical contact
> with one another?  Who dreamt that we would give up church for Lent?  Who
> dreamt that Easter would find us staying home for our own protection and
> that of others?  I certainly didn’t.
>
>  But that’s what did happen.  It has been hard in so many ways.  Thank God
> I’m an introvert!
>
>  I still get out a bit.  I go shopping for groceries and other things I
> need about once a week.  I get out a couple of times a week to go to
> meetings when there aren’t too many people in attendance, and we can keep
> our distance from each other.  Most days I take Petey out for a long walk.
>
>  While this discipline has been more or less forced on me, it is a force
> for good, particularly the exercise part.  I have time to reflect, to pray,
> to meditate, and to contemplate (occasionally disrupted by Petey jumping
> into my lap!).
>
>  One thing I’ve noticed is I’ve been given the grace to keep a good humor
> about this.  I’m in the high-risk group – diabetic, old, and my doctor
> tells me all diabetics are heart patients.  A triple whammy!  If I do get
> infected . . . well, I’ll leave it at that.
>
>  But life is life, and it goes blithely along not caring what I think
> about it.  My life is in God’s hands, and I am grateful.  Nothing will
> befall me that God and I can’t handle together.
>
> God’s blessings on you and yours, and stay safe.
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------
> Education is its own reward, both for the individual and for society.
>
> Jim Handsfield
> jhandsfield at att.net
>
> --
Marilyn (Owens, Palmero) Cepeda