Fat Tuesday!! Have your cake and eat it too!

It's the last fling before Lent starts tomorrow on Ash Wednesday.  I cannot help but start thinking about changes and meditations for Lent... of course, I am having a little cake while mulling it over.

So... for now it is the last fling!  King cake, baking for the dessert contest tonight at church... not dieting... so obvious!  Well, there will be time for that!

My mild little life where cake is sin just begs for color and a little vicarious living today!

It is the color that draws me to the idea of Mardi Gras the most -- over-indulgence is not that glamorous-- well, okay, sometimes it is.  I do get that Mardi Gras symbolically is the last human bit of 'holding on to what is not working' before we enter into deeper prayer and reflection during Lent so we will be ready for the glory of Easter.  Tomorrow, I will be starting a study by Henri J. M. Nouwen. I thought I would share this prayer with you.  I just love it!

"Dear God,
I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!
Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to?
Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?
Please help me to gradually open my hands
and to discover that I am not what I own,
but what you want to give me.
And what you want to give me is love,
unconditional, everlasting love.
Amen."
— Henri J.M. Nouwen

This time of year, and especially as we near Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, I get overwhelmed with the life of Jesus.  I have to apologize for this to my non-religious friends and those friends of differing religions.  I just cannot help but take this path at this time.  As we are told not to judge and to have compassion for everyone's path to God, I head out in full belief that we are all the children of God.

Happy Mardi Gras, y'all!  Eat extra cake for me today!