Yesterday, someone reminded me that I haven’t posted here for a while. I know.

I said that I have no opinions at the moment. Which isn’t quite true, of course. If there’s anything many of us have too much of, it’s opinions — and many opportunities to express them, from a simple “like” to a 140-character tweet to a post at a blog. Sometimes there are a lot of us talking.

But the real reason for the relative silence is that I’ve been pressed with other kinds of writing — a round of revision on my current novel project and preparing a talk I’m giving to a breakfast meeting tomorrow morning.

I’m hoping to pick up the pace at my blog, however, during the next six weeks….

Week 1: Water & wilderness

Lent begins — this Wednesday! — and this year our congregation is participating in a Lenten Guided Prayer called “Where do I sign?” written by Mennonite Spiritual Directors of Eastern Canada. It includes materials for Sundays as well as a guide for personal or small group reflection. I thought I might journal some of my reflections on the six-week exercise here. If you would like to come along, you will be most welcome.

This week’s texts are Mark 1:9-15 (Jesus baptism/temptation/proclamation) and Psalm 25:1-10. This week’s symbols wait in the place of prayer: a small bowl of water to remind me of Jesus’ baptism and a saucer with pebbles to remind me of the wilderness. The days lengthen and the time to journey approaches….