40 Days and 40 Nights challenge...

This challenged takes root in the end of the Declaration of Independence: ...with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

As I've mentioned previously, I decided to take on the first challenge. I wasn't perfect. Nowhere close to perfect. For the past year or more, I've been mulling over honesty in my life. I was finally able to admit that I not only lied, a lot, but I lied really, really well. I also accepted that it was the only way to survive. I knew it needed to stop, and I was working on it. Then the challenge was made. Faith, Hope, and Charity: Pray, on your knees, at least once a day. Stop lying, to everyone, especially yourself. Do something special for your family members. I felt that making honor a part of my life required that I stop lying. I'm learning, and to my own amazement find I'm succeeding.

The new challenge issued I thought was simply a repeat of the first, until I listened to it about four times, writing it down three of those four. It clearly takes me a little while to process. That being said, emphasis was placed on the Hope aspect. Hope is false if it is based on a lie, so the truth is essential. That's where the stop lying came in. Now, to take it a step further, the question is asked, "What do you believe?"

Thomas Jefferson: Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.

So, here I am questioning, and realizing that there is so much I do not know, but I also know more than I thought I did. Too often, I have hurried through difficult things. I wanted them done and over with, so I could move onto what's next. I mentioned that I had to listen to the challenge four times to GET IT. Too often, I barely touched the surface of so many things because I wanted to be done. This time, I will take the days given to pray, consider, evaluate, reflect, and remember.