Today is St. Patrick's Day. For anyone reading this, that may have seen my last Facebook post, suggesting that you research the real reason that we celebrate this day, or those who just happen upon this, I am posting some of it now! Even though, technically in NE is now March 18. Contrary to popular belief, it is not about wearing green, and drinking green beer until your pee turns green. It's not about parades, or lucky four leaf clovers! St. Patrick was a missionary.. Legend suggests that he drove all of the snakes out of Ireland, though there have never actually been snakes native to the area. It is believed that this is actually referring to druids. Also, he used a SHAMROCK (not a four leaf clover) to give a visual description of the Trinity. The Trinity is made up of three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, though they are all one. This is a confusing thing to grasp, for the human mind. St. Patrick used a shamrock to help understand a little better. Similar to the Trinity, a shamrock is three in one. If you look at a shamrock in a pot, there are several stems with leaves coming up from them, much like most plants. A shamrock however, at the top of the stem, has three leaves, that make up one! There are a lot of cool things about St. Patrick, that I urge you to research yourself. These are just two of them that we as Americans observe, but maybe don't know why!
Also, as for how my day went today, It was splendid. I do miss Facebook. I want to check in with everybody, but I won't! I said a few days ago that I couldn't figure out why we started Ash Wednesday when we did. I had counted and it put 40 days at Palm Sunday. I asked my Pastor if he knew, and he told me that Sundays are not counted as part of the fast. Sundays are to be spent celebrating the resurrection. After he said that, I remembered that a Catholic friend of mine had told me about that. So according to typical Lent rules, I could actually check into Facebook on Sunday. But like I said, I am not Catholic, and I do this fast to grow closer to God, to reflect on everything the Lord has done for me and to show thanks for Jesus' sacrifices for me. Not because someone tells me I should. That being said, how can I reflect on the resurrection, on Sundays if I am not fasting from things that take time away from the Lord. Isn't that what a fast is for in the first place? You give something up, for a certain amount of time, to spend the time you would be spending on that something with Him! I personally don't see how adding those things back into your life for one day a week, makes it so that you are celebrating the resurrection. Plus, as part of my fast, I am adding in daily Bible reading.. Maybe it is because of the nature of my fast that makes me not understand this..
I guess if I had given up chocolate, eating a few M&Ms wouldn't take away any quality time with the Lord. I would probably be thanking him for creating the cocoa plant!! Because lets face it, that was one of his best creations!! So I see both sides, for me, especially with what I gave up, it makes more sense for me to go straight through, even if it means adding a few days! While, I can also see that if you are depriving yourself of something, like say chocolate, or steak, or a meal a day, or showers, you might need a day to recoup! You might need a day that you are not thinking about what you don't have, and be able to rejoice in what He has given you!! Because of this, I will also not be going back to Facebook until the day after Easter. That day should be devoted to Him! I don't want to make that day about getting it back. Though, I do still plan on having the Bible completely read through by Easter! Not that I don't want to read the Bible on Easter, I just want to have taken in every ounce of the Word before I celebrate the day of His resurrection!!
Until Next Time!!
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