Lent begins tomorrow on Ash Wednesday. I’m looking forward to this season of reflection and repentance. I thought ahead for once and ordered my daily devotional book for Lent and I’m having some difficulty not just sitting down and reading the entire book now. It is titled “Be Holy” and I’ve read the ‘note to readers’ several times. I like this: “Lent is a sacred journey that has been set apart–a holy journey that we are invited to take with our holy God.”(B. Coulter)

We are always on a journey, in fact today my students are presenting their poetry journey.

A sanctuary in Ireland courtesy of Alex Goerner.

They’ve been working on the poetry project I assigned a couple of weeks ago, using the poetry they’ve written in class. I’m excited to see how they’ve combined art to showcase the words they’ve written and how they’ve decided to present their anthologies. I know some are doing a Google Slides presentation, some poster boards, some slick zines, and I hope to see other options as well.

Everyone is supposed to bring treats so we can indulge our taste buds and our hearts and minds as we listen to each other read our own work. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I hope that these amazing writers will reflect on this journey of expression they’ve been on and find the power in it. I hope that they go home and share a little piece with their families. I hope the words they’ve written are also chiseled onto their souls to see them through the hard times. I hope that I convey how much what they’ve written has touched me. And of course, I hope they all turn it in!