Here it is, Lent again. For several years now I have done a separate blog through Lent, focusing on the daily readings. But I've decided to take this year off from that. I was finding that with each passing year, it was less of a spiritual exercise and more of an exercise in endurance . That was certainly not the point, so I think I'm better off pursuing a different Lenten discipline this time.

I had already committed to some quiet prayer time each day, but I wanted to do some reading, too. So I went to the web to search for suggestions. I found many, but not many that appealed to me. Then I suppose the Spirit must have spoken to me -- because I realized I have some very good books on my own bookshelf that I have either never read or haven't read in a long time. I pulled out the following five books (most of them small) and hope to read some or all of them this Lent.

• Honest to God by John A.T. Robinson
• Finding Grace at the Center -- The Beginning of Centering Prayer by M. Basil Pennington, Thomas Keating and Thomas E. Clarke
• Practicing the Prayer of Presence by Susan Muto and Adrian van Kaam
• The Other Side of Silence - A Guide to Christian Meditation by Morton T. Kelsey
• The World According to Mister Rogers -- Important Things to Remember by Fred Rogers

OK, I notice that the fifth entry seems a little different. But somehow, it spoke to me just like the first four did.

Perhaps reading these will provide me with some fodder for blog posts, as well. But even if they don't, I figure they should provide some nourishment for both my brain and my soul. I really want to use this time well this year!