2 Weeks to Ash Wednesday

Two weeks from today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  I have been thinking of how to best prepare for March 9th, mostly because I am scheduled to be taking my clinical skills Board exam in Chicago that day.  I am overwhelmed by the inconvenience and cost of having to travel to Chicago, take the test, leave my family.  It feels like so much unnecessary hassle....

I realize that is, coincidently, how I tend to approach Lent and Ash Wednesday as well.  So much inconvenience and personal cost (read: sacrifice) to observe the Lenten disciplines of fasting, giving, and repentance.  Isn't it really just unnecessary hassle?

The preparation that I am putting into accomplishing my clinical skills exam is not wasted energy, though it does feel like a hassle this week because I would rather think about other things.  When I finish the exam, I will have completed the last major hurdle of medical school before graduation.  The preparation and the process of the exam bring me closer to my goal.

Likewise, any preparation I put toward my Lenten disciplines, any commitment I make toward my Lenten observations should be directed toward a higher goal -- renewing and strengthening my relationship with God.  Far from being a hassle, it is among the greatest of opportunities!  And by preparing ahead of time for the season, perhaps I can make the most of each Lenten day and the opportunities that the traditions and observances provide.  So perhaps tomorrow, after I finalize the logistical plans for my March 9th trip to Chicago, I will turn my thoughts toward the other significance of March 9th and consider preparing for Lent.