Time To Shed

In Anchorage the streets are finally getting clear of snow and so are the sidewalks and yards.  It won't be long until all the snow is gone if the warm weather keeps coming.   At our house another activity happens at this time of year:  shedding.   Scout has collected this very thick winter coat that has kept him warm and now it has to come off.  Unlike my coat that is neat and clean to remove - his coat comes off in clumps and lumps left everywhere.


This shedding got me to thinking about the seasons of our lives.   There are times when we must shed things that are no longer necessary.   Shedding isn't always a neat process.  There are those things that we just don't want to let go of.  Things that we prefer to continue to carry around with us.   It seems to me that at the end of the Lenten season it really is a good time for us to take stock of those things that need to be shed and work to remove them so we can move ahead without the burden of unnecessary weights.


When I think about our churches - there is some shedding that needs to happen as well.  We are being called to shed our old ways, our insider language, our inward focus, our shallow discipleship...   Once we truly shed our old ways we will be light and agile and able to respond to opportunities to be the church in the world.   We will have the scales from our eyes removed so we can truly see the world, notice where God is working and then join in.


I never look forward to the "shedding" season at our house.  For the dog or myself.  However, once the day arrives when all the old is shed - there is a sleek new look to our dog.  The dog is actually a lot thinner without the winter coat.  The same is true for us - when we remove the old ways that have been keeping us from going forward then we also have a sleek new look and outlook on the world and what it means to be a faithful disciple.


That is when we are truly ready to celebrate the resurrection.