Lenten Balance

I usually use lent as a time to take stock of what is out of whack in my life and try to repair it. One year, I gave up chocolate, another year, I made a commitment to expressing patience when I felt anger. This year, I have been struggling to identify and articulate the aspect of my life in need of work, especially since participation in a covenant discipleship group this semester has meant ongoing attentiveness and progress toward balance. Nevertheless, I want to make a Lenten commitment that is greater in scope than the weekly covenant commitments. So, here goes...

Resolved: I will embrace balance this Lent, using the motto corpus, mens, spiritus from my alma mater and John Wesley's construct of public and private acts of piety and mercy as the models. Unlike the Lenten sacrifices I have made in the past, this may look different from one week to the next. The continuous aspect will be the evaluation of balance. Specifically, I need to balance the needs of my students with the requirements of my professors, and the demands of my professional life with the responsibilities of my private life. Self-care is also important, including sleep, exercise and wholesome home-cooked food.

I'll keep you posted.