Preparing for Lent

I read an excellent blog post today about preparing for the Lenten Season which is upon us. In it, the author states, "God doesn't want my chocolate, He wants me."

This really got me thinking.

I know the value of giving things up. I have gone through the discipline many times, and not only during Lent. There is so much to be learned by making sacrifices.

But this Lenten season, I am going to try something new. I want to give God more of myself. I'm sure that in order to be successful in this, I will have to make sacrifices.

I want to give God more of my time...in prayer, in study, in meditation and in giving.

I want to give God more of my mind...in what I watch, what I read, what I listen to and what I think about.

I want to give God my best, not what is left over.

I want to SHINE like the stars, be an arrow pointing to HEAVEN, stop blending in. This leads me to something very practical that I can "give up" during this season...I want to give up complaining.

Philippians 2:14-15
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

What does this Lenten season mean to you?