Pensees: Fat Tuesday, Super Tuesday, Black History Month and a Prayer

Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington is a great classic, and I heartily recommend it.

That’s funny, Lyn, because Up From Slavery is the one I was going to reccommend. It was eye-opening and thought-provoking. I would love to read a great George Washington Carver biography, if someone knew of one that was any better than another.

Pastor, I am the official “greens-maker” for our black history employee potluck at work. I inherited this position from one of our black nurses that retired after many years since my co-workers have given me the high praise that I can “cook like a black woman.”

I found “My Grandfather’s Son: A Memoir” by Clarence Thomas to be enjoyable. It’s not a literary classic by any means, but there is still some good information in the book.

We have lent at my evangelical presbyterian church.

Why is “frugal February” better than lent? Mind you, I’m not saying it’s any worse — I say potayto, you say potahto. Although lent does sound a bit more serious.

Wow. Giving up coffee. That IS serious!

Mr. Pensees, you’re computer is acting up again. You probably want to get that looked at right away. For some very strange reason my posts get deleted.

And you don’t want my posts deleted. If you’re not careful you’re board is going to be overrun with new evangelicals who will propose that we listen to CCM and do all sorts of other odd things.

“Why is “frugal February” better than lent? Mind you, I’m not saying it’s any worse — I say potayto, you say potahto. Although lent does sound a bit more serious.” …. “Frugal February” sounds better than “Miserly March” and that’s why we chose that phraseology. But in essense it really doesn’t matter, as long as we stay away from fish on Fridays and perform our penances we’ll be ok, no matter what we call it.

Keith, we need people like you here. As I said in my previous post, we need good people like you to continue to post instead of these people who propose that we listen to CCM, allow women to wear pants, or do other such new evangelical practices. Some of these people like to post on boards where they are the minority and have some stupid “mission” to teach us their new ways, even though we don’t have any interest in whatever “wise” words they have to say to us. Some of these people just don’t get it! They continue to post even and don’t seem to quite get it that we don’t agree with them. Talk about dense!

Not sure I understand you masterjones. It seems like perhaps you’re trying to be ironic, but I’m not sure. Is there some back story here Bob?

For what it’s worth: Roman Catholics EAT fish on fridays. They stay away from MEAT. Protestants who observe Lent (and, by the way, I didn’t say I was observing it, I said my church was)focus on fasting, repentance, and generosity. The word penance does derive from the same word as repentance, but protestants don’t have a sacrament of penance. I think it would be wrong to require the observance of Lent — the Bible does not command it. However, I can see how it could be useful in helping a Christian maintain the self-discipline/scheduling of fasting, repentance, and generosity. Just like I can see how Easter and Christmas can be useful in helping a Christian maintain the self-discipline/scheduling of feasting and rejoicing. But, of course, there’s no command to celebrate these days anymore than there is to observe Lent. I’m not really a fan of CCM, but I don’t think it’s the bogeyman either. I have no problem with women wearing pants — as long as they look like women. These practices aren’t “new evangelical.” I’m not on any mission (I thought I was agreeing with Bob to a large extent), but I probably am dense.

Keith, I don’t know who “jones” is and since he will not respond to my efforts to get to know him/her, I am deleting his entries which are mostly nonsensical anyway. I don’t like anonymous comments with fake email addresses.

Yes, you got the gist and I always appreciate your comments even though much of the time you don’t agree with me!

I’d be interested to know how your church is promoting lent and how it is actually fleshed out by the leaders and the people.

Agreement can be overrated.

Anyway, don’t I mostly not agree with you about the fruit of the vine? And, speaking of which, I could give that up for lent, but you can’t give it up for Frugal February (think about it).

My Church hands out a prayer journal with things to pray about and historical prayers for the 40 days leading up to Easter. I think (I haven’t yet read it carefully) it also gives suggestions of ways for giving to those in need.

As I said before, I can see the usefullness of such things. However, I can also see how they could — without care — become legalisms that do more harm than good.

We sons of Adam know how to mess up anything — wearing pants or not wearing pants, drums or no drums, wine or no wine, and on and on and on.

Peace. It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.