Detours

I'm taking a detour on the Lenten Meditation road today. I want you to use this day to really spend some time in deep self-reflection to try to identify those issues we've been talking about for the past week. Write down at least 5 things you want to change about yourself, or 5 negative "scripts" you let dominate your thinking, then rank them, beginning with the one that you feel would change your life most down to the least significant one. After you've done this, find a quiet place, practice your deep breathing, close your eyes, then go down your list one by one starting at the top and ask God to bless you with a new strength and clarity of purpose as you spend the next month focusing on redirecting your energy toward a more positive world in which YOU contribute your best self, your most holy self, to love and peace. Try to do this at least 3 times today. And on this day when we celebrate "romantic" love, remember that you cannot fully participate in romantic love, love of neighbor, love of stranger, or love of God until you really love yourself. So, ask God to guide you on this path, then do something nice for YOURSELF today. You are part of God's beautiful and loving creation. Celebrate that today!