Sharpen

“I’m giving up ice cream!” (says the one who gets ice cream only once a week, on Sundays.)

“I’m giving up video games.”  (Maybe just the new one.)

“Well I’m giving up all technology.”  (And that’s harder, so I win.)

“Why do we have to give something up during Lent, Mom?”

“Well…” I begin.  “Look at this pencil.  It’s nice and new, but it can’t do what it is designed to do.  
It hasn’t been sharpened yet.  And this older pencil… It’s getting a bit dull, so it doesn’t work very well.  We have to take something away so it works better.  

It needs to be sharpened.

Lent is like sharpening pencils, except for your soul.  We need to take something away so that we can do what we were designed to do.  See?  The blade is strong, it won’t be easy.  But if you sharpen your soul, you will be better able to do your job.  The one you were designed to do.

So what are you going to take away from yourself during Lent?”

They looked at me seriously for a minute, thinking.  I wonder.  Did they understand?  Do they know how important this is?  Was my Mommy Sermon good enough?  

“Mom?  Can I have my pencils back now?”  

Oh, dear.  Clearly, I am the one who needs sharpening.