Sunday-Lent is properly seen as a season of introspection and spiritual discipline. Perhaps a better angle on it is to get out of our own way and to seek the presence of God in our thoughts, feelings, and deeds. Instead of asking what we are doing, it may be better to inquire how  is God involved in my life at this moment; how is God involved in our world at this moment? Taking some time to consider such matters becomes less a matter of personal introspection and more a pathway into the generous presence of God. In other words, Lent can be more than a listing of one's failings, and more an entry point into a the love of God involved in your life.

Monday- Giving something up for Lent is a standard notion of the practice. Often, it was aimed at something we enjoy. when I was little, I would give up candy and potato chips. Here's some different ideas. Why not fast from being harried or frenzied.  How about buying something slighter cheaper and giving the money to the poor? (Often, we I officiate at a wedding, I ask the couple to reduce an item, maybe one less set of flowers, and donate it to a cause important to them. sometimes, it works.) Perhaps, one could consider doing once less activity during Lent.

Tuesday Gregory the Great saw temptation as moving in three stages: suggestion, delight, and consent.In other words, being tempted does not have to directly lead to sin. Perhaps if it is permitted to remain in the world of delight for a while, it would be hard to resist. Recall that Jesus was tempted, just as we all are. As the "new Adam" Jesus demonstrates that  we need not follow the path of Adam and Eve. What temptations are hardest for you to resist? Which ones are easiest for you to resist? Has your ability to resist temptation grown stronger over the years?

Wednesday- I'm a  fan of adding something in life for Lent instead of taking something out of it. Our resistance to that simple little idea may well be a sing that our lives have gotten way too busy. For instance, consider an act of compassion beyond what you normally do. How about reading one more verse of the Bible every day? Perhaps one could add 2 minutes to devotional time during Lent. From another angle, what seeds would you like to sow in your spiritual life that could blossom after Easter?

Thursday 7 deadly sins are: pride, wrath, envy, greed, gluttony, lust, and sloth. At random, I selected envy this time. Envy resents what others have. It usually has its focus on the material, but can expand into the personal easily. It is countered, at least in part, by the virtue of contentment. (Donald Capps has a book on deadly sins and saving virtues). As Paul said contentment allows us to live with equanimity with much or little. Envy is corrosive to relationships. It gnaws away at contentment, if allowed to go unchecked. It is a fruitless task to try to fill a gaping hole that absorbs whatever we try to put in it, for a god-sized hole exists in us all.

Friday- When many of us consider Lenten observance, our minds go toward the Roman Catholic tradition of  fish and abstinence from meat on Friday. the idea is to adopt the biblical tradition of fasting and making a mini-fast, if you will, of an item, in this case, meat. Its idea is one of discipline in the sense of training. Perhaps, if we can forego something small, it will empower us to be able to withstand more potent temptations. It is a reminder that we do not have to follow every impulse blindly, but we can consider and weigh our desires. Taking some time to consider what we put into our bodies allows us to become the proper reception for receiving Communion.

Saturday-Taming speech is a worthwhile Lenten discipline for any of us. Think of the words we use at a wedding: to have and to hold, to cherish, to respect and think about the kind of words that may be directed toward each other as the years roll on. Christians have a tendency to see vulgar language as the problem with words, but it is far more often the cutting remark, the falsehood, the constant complaining that runs us into trouble. Words can comfort or encourage, build up or tear down. We can pay attention to our words.