I am writing this post mainly for myself, but at the same time I wanted to share. However, while we are on the topic of sharing, I must state upfront that I have changed my Creative Commons License from “Attribution-Share Alike” to “Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.” Most of the content on this blog I would gladly consider sharing openly, but my dreams are uniquely my own and for the time being I would like to keep them that way. You never know when I will get bit by the novel or screenplay writing bug (especially with this particular dream).

Dreams have always fascinated me. Sometimes my dreams jump around from one subject to another; sometimes they stay on course and unfold like an epic adventure. A few of them have recurring themes (e.g., tornadoes). Then there are the déjà vu dreams in which I later feel like I must have dreamt this before (i.e., premonition dreams). While they are often vivid, my dreams are also soon forgotten as the sleepyness wears off and I have had my morning coffee. While I have recounted dreams before, I have never before taken the time to write one down (though in retrospect I wish I had).

I am starting a new series on Transformatum by titling this Dream Diary #1. However, unlike my other weekly standards (Monday Meditation and Friday Vespers) it will be hit or miss and not based on any type of schedule.

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As the Lenten season is upon us once again, I am reminded of last year’s post and what one commenter said about dying to sin daily and out of season. It is a good reminder, especially when the word Lent instantly conjures up all sorts of negative images (like drunken Mardi Gras revelers who will attempt to give up their alcoholic beverages the next day). There is good reason for Christians to approach Lent carefully when the culture at-large treats it so casually.

This evening I came across an article by Reverend Dr. Craig R. Higgins of Trinity Presbyterian Church, On Keeping Holy Lent, in which he attempts to de-mystify, explain and redeem the observance of Lent.

Lent…is a time for focusing on the heart, a time for asking questions about our spiritual health:

• What are my characteristic sins, and how can I work and pray for change?
• What idols have captured my imagination so that my love for the living God has grown cold?
• In what ways is my devotion to Christ and his church less than wholehearted?

The Lenten season is the spiritual equivalent of an annual physical exam; it’s a time to take stock of our lives, our hearts.

Keeping Lent, however, is potentially dangerous, precisely because of this focus on the heart. After all, it is much easier to read a book on prayer than to spend time leisurely speaking with our heavenly Father. It is much easier to fast from certain foods than it is to turn from idols of the heart. It is much easier to write a check than to spend time in ministries of mercy. Consequently, Lent is easily trivialized. The point of Lent is not to give up chocolate; it’s to give up sin!

Even with this warning, however, we need to beware of going from one extreme to the other. Yes, it is possible so completely to externalize your Lenten observance that you end up trivializing it. Yet we need to remember that we are not purely spiritual beings. God created humans as physical beings; we are psychosomatic creatures, a “nexus of body and soul.” What we do physically has an effect on us spiritually—and we neglect this principle to our peril.

Do you not find it odd that in Evangelical circles we celebrate Advent for many of the same reasons as Lent, but cringe at the thought of seasonal fasting or services leading up to Easter? Of course, it will not seem strange at all to some of my readers, especially those who do not hold to any form of an ecclesiastical calendar. While I agree that Lent is not a Biblical mandate, I do see it as a permissable means of grace if it is properly understood and applied. We must, however, be careful to avoid the “bestowing of power or grace to the object itself, so that by mere participation you benefit from the experience. The experience always has been, and always will be, a matter of the heart—a spiritual engaging” #. Along these lines, be sure to check out the questions for self-examination at the end of Higgins’ article.

HT: Batch

I received a beta invite to VIRB° from Shawn, so now I have invitations of my own to hand out. I have never been one for social networking sites. I created a MySpace account just to see what the fuss was about, but then deleted it a few days later. Shawn had similar feelings until he checked out Virb.

I have never been into social networking sights [sic] but this one is different. It has clean content and is very user friendly, with lots of sweet features.

One thing I love most about Virb is that it has an incredible site design and layout. It’s very easy to work with, very clean and customizable.

Sound interesting? If so, here is the deal (this idea is from Shawn, too).

To get your Virb on all you have to do is:

1. Subscribe to Transformatum (if you have not already).
2. Tell me what is your favorite blog (any type) and why.
3. List anything you think I can do to make this blog better.

I currently have fifteen invitations to give to the folks who complete these tasks. If you would prefer to post an entry on your own blog versus leaving a comment, then be sure to send a trackback link to this post.

I thought you might enjoy this quote passed on by a friend of a friend. I especially like the last line: “If he does not go, let two stout monks, in the name of God, explain the matter to him.” It gives the word “explain” a whole new feel, does it not?

If any pilgrim monk come from distant parts with wish as a guest to dwell in our monastery and will be content with the customs which he finds in this place, and do not perchance by his lavishness disturb the monastery, but is simply content with what he finds; he shall be received for as long a time as he wishes. If indeed he find fault with anything or expose it reasonably and with humility and charity, the Abbot shall discuss it prudently, lest perchance God has sent him for this very purpose. But if he has been found gossipy or divisive in the time of his sojourn as the guest, not only ought he not be joined in the body of the monastery, but also it shall be said to him honestly that he must depart. If he does not go, let two stout monks, in the name of God, explain the matter to him.

— Rule of St. Benedict, Benedictine Monastery, 6th Century

For reasons similar to Ben’s, I have nixed FeedBurner and gone back to using my site’s native feed (http://www.transformatum.com/feed/). I will delete the FeedBurner feed (http://feeds.feedburner.com/Transformatum) in one month. If you were one of people using the FeedBurner feed, then please subscribe to the new/old one.