I'll make it a combo please

Our small group has helped each other kick it into high gear to encourage and hold each other accountable with our recent studies. Although important, we had become very social and we knew we needed to get back on track and I truly feel we're doing that. This past weeks studies were entitled "Life Beyond Regret" and I had no idea it would speak to me like it did. As you can probably guess it's been about confession and forgiveness which isn't a new topic for me but it just spoke to me differently this time. I have faithfully read Psalm 51 each day and I continue to be impressed with what I'm being shown. I haven't been very confident in knowing how to "meditate" on a particular scripture or even what that really means but I truly feel like I'm learning what that looks like for me and why it is so important.

Another member of our group visited a friends church and shared this with us: "Pastor Q, as he calls himself, talked about the Lent season and how it’s a great time to “remove and replace” things in your life that are distracting so God can fill the space. We were given a calendar of daily and often simple things to follow that will help us do just that."

This is the calendar:
February 28 – Read Psalm 62:5. Be confident that your hope should only rest in Christ, hope for all things in life…do you really believe that?
March 1 – Fast from your favorite treat or hobby.
March 2 – Have a conversation with a family member in which you share about one of the most difficult times in your life.
March 3 – Spend at least thirty minutes with someone under the age of 5 or over the age of 70.
March 4 – Fast from coffee, soda, or alcohol.
March 5 – Slow down today and do everything very deliberately. Drive slowly, walk slowly, talk slowly, and eat slowly.
March 6 – Read Matthew chapter 5 and do something you enjoy doing.
March 7 – Pray the Lord’s prayer today at 9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm, and 9 pm.
March 8 – Watch the 6 o’clock news today as a family and then pray together about what you saw.
March 9 – Pray before and after meals today.
March 10 - Fast from technology: TV, computer, internet, video games, and music.
March 11 - Make a meal together as a family and then eat and talk about your day.
March 12 – Choose one person and pray for them three times today.
March 13 - Read 1 Corinthians 13 and practice what you have just read.
March 14 – Find out about something your neighbor needs and make it happen.
March 15 – Go for a walk in your neighborhood and pray for everyone you see.
March 16 - Send a handwritten letter to a relative who could use some encouragement.
March 17 – Fast from the radio or music while in the car.
March 18 – Have a conversation today with someone you wouldn’t normally talk to.
March 19 – Cook a meal for someone and take it to them.
March 20 – Read Philippians 2:1-1.1 Reflect on the text and apply it to your life.
March 21 – Make it a point today to say positive things to people all day long.
March 22 – Put a list of things for which you’re grateful in your pocket. Take it out and read it three times throughout the day.
March 23- Have a conversation with or do something thoughtful for a neighbor or classmate.
March 24 – Tell stories as a family tonight by having each person share something that made them laugh this week.
March 25 – Give up online social networking for a day [Facebook, Twitter, etc.].
March 26 – Invite someone over for a meal.
March 27 – Talk to or call someone you love and tell them what you love about them.
March 28 – Place random Post-it notes with encouraging messages around the house for your family to find.
March 29 – Buy someone’s coffee or lunch anonymously.
March 30 – Eat only one meal today of rice and beans. During the other two meal times, pray for the hungry of the world.
March 31 - Read Luke 23 and reflect on what Christ did for us all.
April 1 – Don’t eat out today and give what you would normally spend anonymously to someone you know who needs it.
April 2 – Go to a Good Friday service with your family or a group of people. Spend 10 minutes in silence remembering Jesus’ death.
April 3 – Spend the evening with people you love.

Although I haven't followed this perfectly, I must say I have greatly enjoyed the challenges it brings and God is certainly using it to reveal things to me. I'm loving it. Which leads me to the title of my post......I like the combo of the two. I like the reading and study of one specific topic which has lead me beyond just the "assigned" reading and has spoken to my heart but I also really like the daily challenges and assignments that stretch my comfort zone and force me to move out of habits and complacency. I would love to find a way to keep this combo going.....forever.