Today is the first Sunday of Lent – the first day I have been on Facebook since Wednesday.  (Sundays don’t count during Lent)  I have to say that my fast is going fairly well.  I have had very few instances where I felt tempted to get log on and see what was happening.  I made Matt log into my Facebook account yesterday to check on a friend of ours living in Japan to make sure she and her family were okay.  Other than that, I’ve stayed away.  It’s been good, I think.  I take a little pride in the fact that the temptation hasn’t been too strong and that I have not logged on once.  But another part of me feels as though I should feel more tempted somehow.  I don’t know – like I want to punish myself or something during Lent.  🙂

I think it’s really interesting how people have reacted to my fast.  Some people react as though they don’t think I can really do it – a sort of, “Oh yeah? Well, we’ll see how long this lasts” reaction.  Others have commented in ways that make me feel like they are policing my fast.  I’ve been called a cheater for the link that went up when I last blogged and for the photos that were posted.  In my defense, I explain that the link was posted from Twitter, and that the photos were shared from my iPhoto software – I didn’t log on to FB once.  Shame on me for even feeling as if I need to defend myself though.  This fast is between me and my Lord – not anyone else.  He and I have set the parameters for this fast, and He and I will work out my “cheating” as such.

I feel that, for the most part, a Lenten fast should not be publicized much.  I feel like it is something very personal.  Each person makes their decision on what to fast (or not) for very personal reasons, and it really doesn’t matter what others think.  I feel like I shouldn’t have said anything about fasting from Facebook, because doing so has created a spectacle (of very small proportions).  At the time, I felt like people needed to know that they couldn’t get a hold of me on Facebook – I didn’t want to seem rude when I wasn’t replying!  Now I think I should have just slipped away unannounced.  Oh well…

My intentions for the fast were pure, and I know that – no matter how much I am being called into question.  Not spending so much time attached to Facebook has freed me for better productivity at work and at home and a clearer mind that isn’t clouded by thoughts of what everyone is doing or saying.  It feels good to know that when I did break my fast and log on to FB today, I was only on for about 10 minutes – tops.  Perhaps this fast is breaking my social media addiction? 🙂  Time will tell…

I hope you all are having a good Lent.  It’s an interesting concept – one I’m not theologically trained to discuss much – but I feel like this time of preparation is being used well for me.  I feel the rumblings of something happening here – perhaps there will be a smaller, much less meaningful resurrection of my own in the coming weeks…

Matt and I are curled up on the couch, watching a little TV tonight.  There’s not much on, so we keep it on Finding Nemo on the Disney Channel.  We’ve tuned in towards the end of the movie – when Marlin is traveling with the Sea Turtles to get to his son Nemo.  The young turtles ask him about the journey he is on, so he reluctantly tells them about his trek to find Nemo – the son who has been lost.

Nemo, in a fit of rebellion against his dad, travels to parts of the ocean that his father has prohibited. It is during this rebellious escapade that Nemo gets picked up by fishermen, and ends up living in a fish tank in Sydney – far, far from home.  Marlin chases after Nemo and his captors, going through one life threatening situation after another, searching for his Nemo.

After Marlin tells his story to the turtles, the tale of his quest spreads from creature to creature all throughout the ocean and finally falls on the ears of a pelican who has befriended Nemo and his friends in the aquarium.  The pelican rushes to Nemo to tell him of his father’s journey.  The battles with sharks, the navigation of a mine field of jellyfish, the high-speed jaunt through the Eastern Australian Current – Nemo hears it all.  After a quick moment of doubt that his father would go through all of that just to find him, Nemo is overcome with wonder that it’s all true.  The love that Nemo’s dad has for him was so strong that he practically moved mountains to rescue him from his captivity.

As I watched the movie, I couldn’t help but be caught up in the wide-eyed wonder that Nemo had when he discovered just how much his father had done to save him.  How easy it is to forget that our Heavenly Father has done so much more for us.  So much more than traversing an ocean and braving a whale’s gulp.  Even more than braving strange waters and surviving an encounter with an angler fish.

Creating a beautiful world for us to live in; sending his son to redeem us; counseling us day after day through the Spirit; bringing people into our lives to live with in community – these are a few of the things our Father has done to rescue our sad, spoiled lives.

It reminds me of this song – listen to it; meditate on it’s lyrics – let God show you a few of the things He has done in your life to save you.  It’s happening to all of us – a story of love and redemption is unfolding in each of our hearts…