Cheryl Mendoza

Not a very auspicious start when you miss writing on the first day of Lent.  Not being Catholic, I do not have the traditional teachings of Lent to fall back on, so I have just try to listen and see how God moves my heart.  So this year I heard someone say that the forty days is in commemoration of Jesus time in the desert.  I don’t remember hearing that before, or if I did it did not hit me like it did this year.  Why?  Well it had to do with a conversation I was having with God earlier today.

I was praying, because I knew I would need help writing for a couple of hours today.  I totally have ADHD and while writing is the way that I believe I am supposed to communicate, it is still really hard for me to do it.  I get distracted so quickly and easily.  Anyway, back to my conversation coming home.  I had gone for a walk to the bank, and knew I wanted to write when I got home, but I wasn’t sure what I would write about.  Then my mind started to wander back to my lovely surroundings, and the quick trip I took to the mountains with my hubby.

We hadn’t planned on heading to the mountains, it just happened.  It was a beautiful afternoon, I soaked up the sunshine and was able to really relax while enjoying what God had created.  I was even able to speak to my husband about something that I had hoped would encourage him.  The afternoon though, was not all fun and games.  By the time I got home, I was feeling badly.  I was uncomfortable, sick and just could not wait to get into a shower.  It was then on my walk that I wondered, “if I had known how uncomfortable I would be by the end of this little jaunt, would I have even gone in the first place?”

As I thought about it, I could not come up with a good answer.  We can drive up to the mountains any time, so would missing out on this trip have been such a loss?  Probably not, but the opportunity to tell my hubby what was on my mind would have been.  Now I know I can talk to him any time, but to have a serious talk is always good to undertake in ideal conditions.  And that afternoon was ideal.

What about life in general?  If I knew the hurdles, problems or obstacles that I had to face to achieve a goal, would I still try for the goal?

It is a hard question, but I believe it is one that is posed every day. So this year during Lent that is what I am thinking about.  Am I willing to play the fool if that is what God asks me to do? Suffer a little indignity, if it means I can meet someone else’s need?

I have always been struck by the last temptation that satan brought before Jesus.  The one where he shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory.  I always imagine that they take a trip through time, and history.  That when Jesus is looking at the kingdoms of this world, he sees the past present and the future ones.  Basically saying, this can all be yours, and I will not use my influence here for hate.  Jesus knew the trouble that was on His chosen path, so the temptation would have been great.  He knew though that what the devil was promising was just a shadow of God’s great redemptive plan.

Now we know from scripture that Jesus did not fall for the bait, because He was looking at the big picture.  He chose what was eternal over what was temporary.  He chose what would turn out to be a very hard journey, to make things right between us and God.  Did He know all of the details?  Maybe, maybe not.  What I believe He did know was that the cross was part of His future and the road to that day was not an easy one.  He knew, and He chose it any way.