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Two Weeks of Lent–A Visual Diary

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I love this one-day-at-a-time, one tear-at-a-time journey through Lent. Lent for Everyone–Year C by N.T. Wright is a thoughtful combination of Scripture and reflection. The devotional includes a daily reading from Luke followed by a meditation from the author. As I look back at the growing pathway of words, I remember the stories from the Gospel. (Or on Sundays, a Psalm) Some of the words I chose are from the Luke reading itself: others are from the reflection piece. Both readings challenge me to rethink my relationship with Jesus. I’m trying to read not to confirm the opinions and beliefs I hold so tightly and arrogantly, but to receive what God might be asking me to consider or rethink or affirm.

The word combined with the doodles has been a helpful prompt to remember, review, and refresh my thoughts and prayers about the readings from a particular day.

How I’m Using the 2019 Lenten Calendar Template

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This year I’m combining the Tear Drop Spiral Template with a daily devotional called Lent for Everyone: Luke, Year C: A Daily Devotional by N.T. Wright. In many liturgical churches, the Gospel readings for the Sundays of Lent this year (Year C in a three-year cycle) are from Luke. Wright’s devotional takes a daily small chunk of Luke and goes through the whole Gospel during the Lenten season.

Each day I read the passage from the Gospel of Luke and Wright’s reflection on it. From either the gospel or the reflection I choose a word that jumps out at me. Sometimes the choice might require more than one reading. Then I write the word in a space on the calendar. Yesterday’s word was seed. I wrote it in the starting tear drop dated March 6. On a separate piece of paper I wrote the word seed and started brainstorming about the word. I call this a data dump. I wrote down everything that came to mind when I thought of seed—no editing. What I write about a word might be silly or serious: I’m just clearing my mind of all preconceived ideas to make room for new ones.

When I feel empty, I stop writing and start doodling around the word of the day. The doodling can be abstract or realistic. It doesn’t matter. But I stop overt “thinking” and just listen to the word. “What does it have to say to me today? What might God be saying to me through this word?”  I doodle and color and try to get still on the inside. For me, this is taking a single word and praying it, or letting it pray in me.

If words, phrases, or feelings come to me while I’m drawing, I write them down—on the same page as before or on a new page (or even on the calendar). When I finish drawing, I might sit with the word/drawing or look at the brainstorm page again. Sometimes insights come; sometimes silence and quiet are enough. Time spent with the chosen word and with God helps to frame my whole day. I love this simple, day-by-day process of staying in touch with God and orienting my outlook on life.

Baby was my word for Day 2.

It’s not too late to download a template. See the March 4 or February 15 post.