Lent Day 3

If this is your visit to the blog, be sure and read the very early posts. This will provide you with the circumstances that inspired its creation.

Here it is, day three of lent and I am already behind in my attempt to post daily. I guess the lesson is God's schedule doesn't always match our schedule, and to realize his schedule requires us to be aware and to be patient.
First, last night I attended a meeting about watershed and water quality. The presenter said that he recently met with a group of agri-business people about regulations the DNR was proposing. After the meeting he was talking with those who participated and posed the question,” What would you do if the DNR required all of the proposed regulations.”
The spokesman for the farmers said, "I guess we would comply, but we all know that there are things we can all do better. If each of us would improve on what we know we can do, think of the positive influence it would have on our communities."

There is a Lenten message here. We use the day of Lent to evaluate our lives and identify those things we need to improve on. We improve those areas of our lives that need renewal. Think of the positive results this would have on our Christian community and the world as a whole.
Next, the Joplin Area Catholic Schools held an all school mass on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The Bishop was the celebrant. It was inspiring to see a church full of young people and witness their passion for their beliefs. My overall impression of the gathering was one of Christian love. Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season immediately followed. As I watch the students returning from Ash Wednesday mass, and idea began to develop. What kind of activity could we present to these youngsters that would allow then to participate in the Lenten Experience? Yes, I know we all can give up something, but if that's as far as it goes, what have we accomplished. We are charges with the responsibility of educating young adults. We need a project that goes to the heart of Lent. When I directed Christian education I would often time suggest a Lenten journal but I now realize that is a huge commitment for even the most devout. The idea of a Sharing Wall began to develop. This would involve securing a wall at our school. Next, we cover the area with a medium that would allow students to share their experiences. We then provide a writing utensil. My vision is to take the blank wall and let it develop into an area of Christian sharing, Christian growth.
I had a meeting with the art teacher. She shares my excitement for this project. She is covering a large canvas that we will be place in the center of the wall to collect written comments. The remainder of the wall will be available for drawings, poems, photos or any other type of sharing.
We received permission to continue with the project from our principal and he suggested that the wall should be blessed. That is where we stand. This blog will continue to report the development of "the wall"