Giving it up to God

Dear Friends, Last week marked the beginning of Lent in the orthodox calendar, and for our church, if you take a quick glance at our program, Passiontide begins March 23rd, just after the vernal equinox. During this time before Easter, we are encouraged to find ways to bring ourselves closer to the Christ, to try to prepare ourselves to experience, in just a small way, what Easter is all about. Most people consider Lent a time of giving up some little habit or luxury. Traditionally it was about fasting. Today, I want to consider a different perspective - the act of forgiveness. These were almost the last words that Jesus gave on the cross - Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, and is also fundamental in the Lord's Prayer. How many of us walk around in our daily lives carrying a grudge against someone? How many of us feel we are walking around with a dark cloud over our heads? Or perhaps it is something/someone you are worried about and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it? According to an article in MacLean's magazine, worrying has reached epidemic proportions, which translates into poor productivity, absenteeism, and of course, poor health. What if there was a way to help get rid of this heaviness? One way that I have mentioned before is the Hawaiian tradition of ho'oponopono. Please feel free to have a look at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac5SGwRPv0o Trust the Hawaiians to make forgiveness an art form! Dr. Emoto took it even further, in his work on revitalizing polluted lakes. In other words, it works just as well on bodies of water as it does on the human being. If you are ready to give up that dark cloud, or ball and chain you've been carrying around, give it a try. The second suggestion is not new, but I recently decided to give it a try. For some people, a real prayer chest works best, for others, one can try it figuratively. If you have a problem that is dragging you down and there is nothing you can do about it, it's time to give it up to God. Write it on a piece of paper and put in your prayer chest, or do it in prayer, it works either way. What would you like to give up to God? In the art, or act, of forgiveness, one is transforming darkness into light, and I intend to live my life in Light. Sparky