“The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure that as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to create momentum. The most important rules that I ever adopted to help me in achieving my goals were those I learned from a very successful man who taught me to first write down the goal, and then to never leave the site of setting a goal without first taking some form of positive action toward its attainment.” ~Anthony Robbins
Family vacations were well-thought out, well-planned, and well-executed when I was growing up. My parents would get together a few months before vacation to decide where we were going to go for summer vacation that year. After they decided where we were going, they would begin to plan what we would do.
As vacation got closer, they would begin to plan what we were taking. We, the kids, would have to set out the clothes we were going to want packed and would oftentimes have to give a reason for why we wanted to take some of them. Only essentials went into the suitcases. There was no room for fluff!
Then, as vacation was right around the corner, we began the countdown. My father always had a specific leave-time in mind depending upon where we were going and where we would have to drive through. We often left “very early” (translated: middle of the night) so that we would avoid being in a city during rush hour. We also left with a sight on what time and what place we would be stopping for breakfast. We never just went on vacation. It was always thought out, planned, and then executed like precision clockwork.
Tomorrow we begin the Season of Lent. When are you departing for your trip? There are some definite starting points if you are going to begin with Mass. Our Masses tomorrow are at 6:30 and 9:00 a.m. as well as 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. At Mass, we are marked with the sign of ashes on our foreheads. This action reminds us of our very fragile place in this universe: we are dust and we are destined to become dust one day.
Some of you may not be able to begin your journey with Mass. Make sure that your day begins, at the very least, embracing the spirit of fast and abstinence. Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence. The rules for that are included in yesterday’s post.
Make sure that you embrace the true spirit of Lent. We are called to abstain from meat. Do not turn around, however, and head out to a swanky seafood restaurant and celebrate with lobster, drinks, and dessert as your full meal of the day. That would defeat the whole idea of fast and abstinence.
Do not just be a lip-service type of person this Lent. Truly embrace the season for all that it is worth and for all that it will be able to do for you.
FAITH ACTION: Plan something concrete and specific to do to begin Lent tomorrow.