Led and Lent

First off, my apologies to anyone who wanted to see the Queer Carnival video and ran into the wall that is Facebook. If I could figure out how to get Blogger to agree to let me post my video representation of the party, I would do that. Sadly, Blogger doesn't like my video enough to let me post it. I think the file might be a bit too big or something. Trust me, the video is fun, and if you are on FB already, you can always sign in and then view the video.

Apologies out of the way... I move on to what has been on my mind the past couple of days. Being immersed in the season of Lent, I have found myself unusually busy. Taking on the responsibility of organizing our Morning Prayer leaders has made me engage my brain in a more administrative way than I'm normally used to doing. It's been interesting, especially as I encounter various learning styles and curves of our volunteers. I've had to slow down... or speed up... the delivery of information. I've had to send, and re-send, the customary. And I've had to take some physically through the paces of where they will be and when they are to do what at the various points in the service.

And, invariably, at some moment in the explanation, I will look people in the eyes and tell them what I believe is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about all of this: I believe God is just happy that anybody cares enough to try to do any of this at all, so relax and don't worry too much about it.

And that's what I believe is at the heart of what I think God is showing me in this season of Lent. That as much as I am taking on a leadership role in my parish with this Morning Prayer piece, I am still not at the front of the parade. The grand marshall is, and always will be, God and I am to be led as much as I am to lead. The purpose of doing the Morning Prayer liturgy is to begin the day with placing the attention and intentions of our lives on God, our creator, redeemer and sustainer. Whether we are standing, kneeling, sitting at any given moment is not as important as the words we are saying in the General Thanksgiving,

And, we beseech thee,
give us that due sense of all thy mercies,
that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful;
and that we show forth thy praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to thy service,
and by walking before thee
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.