And so it begins....

Genesis 2:7 (New Living Translation)

7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

Genesis 3:19 (New Living Translation)


 19 by the sweat of your brow
 will you have food to eat
 until you return to the ground
 from which you were made. 
 for you were made from dust, 
 and to dust you will return.”

I am GREAT at starting things… I have many projects lying around my house that I have started. My bookshelf is filled with wonderful captivating books that I started to read and then never finished. I have several snack bags that I started to eat but never finished.

Just this morning I started emptying the dishwasher… but then it came time to empty the silverware container (my least favorite dishwasher emptying tasks) and I decided it could wait until I get home from work tonight.

Starting new, starting fresh, starting anything is fun and exciting. For example, there is nothing line a brand new start to a tube of toothpaste. The first squirt is always the best one. But come the middle of the tube I forget about the first toothpaste squirt of the tube and I have to wait that tube out before starting a new one.

Today as many of you know is the starting line of Lent. I have struggled for a couple of days trying to figure out what I am going to add or take away for Lent. Today is the start of me adding on intentional scripture focus in my daily walk. I have decided to blog about it so that I am held somewhat accountable. J

For the past week I have really been thinking about life. Life is a precious and fragile thing. We are reminded of this every time we turn on the news, read the newspaper, or even log onto Facebook. Just this week I heard from a friend who almost lost a family member unexpectedly. Through countless prayers and medical attention she will be okay… but you can't help but think about how precious life is at a time like this.

These scriptures remind us that we are merely dust. We were formed from dust and God breathed life and His image into us. That was our start. We started from dust. We started with one breath. We are one breath away from life or death.

Our journey is not just about our start… it is about what we do with the breath that has been given to us each day.

Lent is not just about our start… it is about what we do with this time that we have been given.

Lent is a time of reflection. It's a time of renewal. It is intentionally slowing down enough to breath and thank God for the breath you have been given.

Tonight as I worship and have ashes placed on my head I want to be reminded of life that comes from death. I want to be reminded that I can start on this journey again tomorrow with the same excitement that I had today.

Please join me in thinking about life…. And the everlasting life we receive by the one who taught us how to truly live until the last breath.