We’re two days away from the start of Lent. Over the past decade, my views on the Lenten season have evolved to the point where I’m excited to get started. The redemptive and purifying nature of the season, the call to universal holiness and constant renewal, really appeal to me. I’ve pondered my game plan for weeks. This Lent, I’m swinging for the fences.
I quit social media three years ago and deleted my Google account two years ago. Part of my motivation was to relieve myself of the negative emotions that those companies drive. The true evil that they not only cultivate, but prop up in furtherance of their business interests is clear to all. These advertising companies, pretending to be technology companies, must continue their program of social engineering and customer manipulation to increase page views and revenue. The sad truth is that the Internet, set up to be a beacon of freedom and a marketplace of ideas, is now locked down and intellectually impoverished.
It’s not enough for me to get off social media. I want to experience more headspace and put more distance between me and the negativity that abounds online. I’ve decided that the best route is to stop consuming the Internet. I need to go to websites with intentionality and, when I’m done, put down my device and move on.
So, the first part of my Lenten journey is to stop surfing. I have subscribed via RSS to a few sites and that’ll be it. Oof, that’s an adjustment. I anticipate having more time to pray, work, and play.
The second part of my sacrifice is also geared towards a better me: no eating out. Eating out is fast, convenient, and easy. During this Lent, a brand new Chick-fil-a will open up 7 minutes from my house. By not eating out, I will have to daily engage three times a day in the act of love that is preparing meals for my family.
The last part will be to limit TV time to 30 minutes per day for my kids, guarded by a timer. When the timer goes off, so does the TV.
Throughout all of this sacrifice, I expect to gain something tangible each day: time. I’ll seek to invest that time increasing spiritual opportunities for my kids, and doing more of the things that I’d like to do with them each day.
Lent is meant to be purifying, but its spirit of constant renewal also calls us to permanent life change. If I set about these three objectives, and carry them on past Easter, I’ll be a better man.
Tags: Spirituality
