The Dog Ate My Lenten Devotional

It's true...my roommate's dog actually ate my lenten devotional book. I guess he was really hungry for some inspiration. Either that, or he was trying to get the taste of wallpaper glue out of his mouth, since he also recently ate a chunk of wallpaper off the wall. I was planning to remove it anyways eventually, so he just got it started for me.

I actually didn't miss the devotional book that much either...I was about a week behind in the daily readings anyways, and I could get another one from church if I wanted.

Lent seems like an especially good time to contemplate what we hang on to, salvage or protect in our lives, and what we are willing to let go of, throw out or leave behind. In a recent conversation with some women at church (the fabulous Mary Circle!) several people mentioned that they had been trying to de-clutter their houses, and how difficult it was. One inspirational 90-year-old church member has been diligently cleaning out the house where she has lived for decades, in order to move into an independent living facility. Life seems to lead us to collect so much stuff that goes along with our memories and experiences, our relationships and our dreams...and not only the physical accumulation of clothes, books, photos, etc., but the emotional and spiritual collection of ideas, beliefs, places we love, people who have impacted us in some way...grudges and crushes, heroes and hopes, expectations and disappointments.

Is there a way to let go of the clutter in our hearts that keeps us from being fully present in the present? I don't know, but maybe the first step is letting go of that chewed up Lenten devotional book and instead of the time I would have spent reading it, I can spend some time reflecting on what else needs to go...