“And He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Micah 6:8 (NKJV )

We come to You, Father, aware that we need Your help. Teach us how to be fair and merciful and show us how to always live humbly before You. Amen.

My grandmother made the best rhubarb pie in the world. Other people might have judged it not sweet enough, but to me, it was perfect. The life she lived might have appeared bitter to some folks I suppose. Looking back, I realize now just how many things seemed to be stacked against her. By the time I knew her, she was already well-acquainted with loss and pain. In some lives that combination would have produced mostly resentment and anger, but not for Grandma. I knew her as a warm, caring, hard-working, wonderful woman who doted on me. I was the first grandchild and I knew I was loved. Even when my mischief escalated to levels that meant I was in real trouble with my parents, I could always count on Grandma to welcome me to her kitchen. I loved it when she told me stories of family members I never knew. It didn't matter to me if she'd told me the same story before. She was a woman of faith and courage and I learned a lot from her.

The Lenten season brings us to a place of renewal. We have heard the stories of Christ's life and sacrifice over and over, but somehow, in this season, we listen again. When the pressures of overloaded schedules and too many decisions threaten to rob us of our peace, this season comes to whisper, “Slow down.” God doesn't expect us to quit our jobs or live like hermits. He asks us simply to remember what really matters – qualities like justice, mercy and humility.

One way to keep our focus is to keep short accounts. That term, borrowed from the financial world, is useful spiritually when we stay current with God. Waiting until the end of the Lenten season or the end of the week or even the end of the day is too long. When the Holy Spirit pricks us about a lack of justice or mercy or humility, that's the time to confess it and accept His cleansing. It's also the time to work on doing better in all those areas.

DICK LEONARD