Love and light in the season of Lent

There's a lot of darkness in the world just now.  A steely grey sky for starters, and dusk that falls early while dawn still comes late. February in Cleveland is not for the faint of heart.  To make matters worse, I've been plagued by low-grade, coughy-achy crud all week.  And, too, this broken world of ours is continuing to be broken, with news feeds full of terrible policies, bigotry and narrow thinking-- and these past few days, anger and shock and despair over yet another school shooting.  There have been 30 school shootings in our country this year so far.  This year so far has been only 45 days long.  "Thoughts and prayers" ricochet among our leaders, empty echoes that won't change a thing.  Meanwhile the power stays with those who have money and there is no tragedy large enough to spark compassion in the hearts of the greedy and it is enough to make one lose hope.
Meanwhile, the season of Lent has arrived. In the arbitrary timeline of the church year, this is a time of self-reflection, a time to inspect, admit, and atone for the very sin and broken-ness that is manifest at every turn right now in the world. Dust to dust and we are not worthy.

February, you are bleak indeed.

And yet.

Ash Wednesday also fell on Valentine's Day.  I think that has to be some kind of sign to choose hope.
I had the opportunity to sing at a very lovely, meditative Ash Wednesday service, and our voices chanting the anthem "We are not alone" -- they were a sign of hope too. While my days as Bible Bowl champion may be long behind me, I still harbor a soft spot for the poetry and power of scripture-- and last night's reading of Isaiah 58 struck a chord for me.  Of hope -- and maybe of power.  Maybe the knowledge that in the face of darkness we are bound and compelled to fight for the light.  To be the love.  To speak truth to power.  To be the good.  I'm not trying to make this into some sort of "bible blog," I promise you-- but I need to quote a little bit of this for you:

"Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free... Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor with shelter?  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing ill quickly appear...If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness..."

I am no theologian, but I think this verse just flies right in the face of all those "thoughts and prayers" right-wing hypocrites, right in the face of "all-talk" Christianity.  We can call it religion or call it justice, we can do it for God or to follow our own moral compass. But we need to DO it, to loose the chains of injustice, to satisfy the needs of the oppressed.  This is how we bring the light.  Not thoughts and prayers, but action.

And so we round the corner towards March, towards the promise of spring and rebirth.  The days are going to get longer, and warmer.  I know they will.  I will not always have this pesky cold.  The world will always be full of darkness, doubtless.  But we've got the power to see and bring and share the light.

Also, the Olympics are on for another week so really everything is ok.

Now-- for those who have read this far-- some pictures of the lighter side of February.  Orchids, butterflies, ballet, and Valentines...  A deep well of joy to draw from,  here in our corner of the world.

Orchid Mania was magical as always...

 ... particularly watching these three participate in the butterfly release.   And watching all the adults participate too, for that matter.  No one can resist the magic of butterflies.

 February weather means finding indoor fun at home...

 Also, Parent Teacher conferences!  This little girl loves her school and teacher-- and the feeling is mutual.  Our boy on the other hand-- rocking the academics.... but sneaking onto youtube in school!  That booger. :)

 Love him anyways.

 We've almost finished "Puppy One" obedience, this little girl and I.    When you've got a treat in your hand, she's quite the performer!

 So's this one.

 Our first time hosting Soup for a while!  We had a great turnout for our Valentine celebration-- 43 guests and all of the accompanying chaos and mess and conversation and love.

A basement full of pre-tweens!   When did this happen????

 Gosh, I just love all of these people so much.  My friends are the best and most beautiful.

One of my favorite views on a Soup night....

And thinking of soup-- a spontaneous trip to Hiram tonight to remember our roots at Bread and Soup.  Conversation and adorable college kids and memories on this drizzly night-- just right.

 These two.  My lights in the world for sure.