By 1:30 pm I wanted to kill all of my students. By 4:30 I wanted to kill the world. It was Ash Wednesday, 2002 and I had decided to give up caffeine for Lent. I remember snarling at people as I slogged my way into the Alhambra Target, desperately searching for a drink that would silence my headache without violating my discipline. I finally settled on a diet root beer which I’m still not 100% certain qualified. I sat in my car as I chugged and thought “I’m never going to make it.”
I was thinking about that Lent the other day as Alipio and I drove home from a birthday party. We were listening to a Ted Talk by a man named Matt Cutts who began by admitting his talk was inspired by Morgan Spurlock. Morgan Spulock became famous with his movie Super Size Me in which he almost died after eating only MacDonald’s for 30 days. Spurlock then went on to create T.V. show in which he spent 30 days doing things like living in a prison, being in a wheelchair and as part of a same sex parenting couple. The show was very eye -opening and helped show some of the struggles as well as surprising joys other people experience. Cutts decided he wanted to try this but on a much smaller scale. He started with things like taking a picture every day for 30 days, eating mindfully or writing a note to wife every day. He said he was surprised to find that when he was doing these challenges he remembered things more. Times passed with a purpose and he could remember individual days more than when he wasn’t doing a challenge. I smiled when he said this because there are things from that caffeine free Lent that I probably wouldn’t have remembered otherwise. It was during that time that I had “In n Out” for the first time and again, wondered what I could drink. It was also my first-time having chai outside of India. I was so excited until I tasted it and was relieved to toss it out when I remembered it had caffeine. Cutts also mentioned was that the challenges made him more confident. He trusted himself more and found himself doing things he never would have done otherwise.
I found it interesting this Ted Talk was aired a week before the beginning of Lent, a time when people engaged in a spiritual 40 day challenge. As I listened to Cutts talk about time and the confidence he gained from these challenges I wondered about Jesus in the desert, battling temptations and preparing for ministry. There had to have been moments that forever stood out to him, things that took on meaning only because they happened during that time. Like Cutts, did he also find that those 40 days made him stronger? Did he feel more confident and able to take on things he wouldn’t have previously? This Lent I encourage you to think about the things your discipline brings up in your life. Is there anything you notice, other than the struggle? Does your discipline highlight anything and if so, do you think Jesus experienced something similar during his time in the desert?
~ Upcoming Events ~
Sunday, March 10
Daylight Savings Begins
Team 2 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
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Tuesday, March 12
PARTNERSHIP FOR AWARENESS
Like: A Documentary About The Impact Of Social Media On Our Lives
9 am & 7 pm
Huntington Middle School Auditorium
LIKE is an IndieFlix Original documentary that explores the impact of social media on our lives. Technology is a tool, its here to stay and social platforms are a place to connect, share and care, but what’s really happening? Are we addicted? How do we stop? Where do we start? What do we need to know? By understanding the effects of technology and social media on the brain, on our loves and one our civilization we can learn how to navigate it more safely together. 9 am screening will be followed by a Q&A with Larry Wong, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Pasadena. 7 PM screening will be followed by a Q&A with Dr. Joe Dilley, local physiologist and author of The Game is Playing Your Kid: How to Unplug and Reconnect in the Digit Age.
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Sunday, March 17
Team 3 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
SPRING BREAK EVENTS
If you’re not in school this week, join us for tons of fun!
Please RSVP to Heather as soon as possible.
Monday, March 18
Hike to Eaton Canyon Falls
Tuesday, March 19
Dogs! A Science Tail Exhibit and Imax
1 pm | California Science Center
Imax tickets for 3:30 pm
This sells out quickly so please RSVP soon.
They’re cuddly. They’re smart. We treat them like part of the family. From lovable companions to loyal protectors, dogs live and work alongside us. They can rescue us from peril, sniff out danger, or provide help to people in need. Through engaging and fun hands-on exhibits, explore the science behind the bond between humans and dogs. Find out how humans and dogs are both wired for social connection, which made it possible for dogs to nuzzle their way into human society and into our hearts. Discover dogs’ amazing senses and grab the chance to see, hear, smell, and act like a dog. And don’t miss the live demonstrations of work and rescue dogs in action!
Join an immersive IMAX adventure to experience the life-saving superpowers and extraordinary bravery of some of the world’s most amazing dogs.
In this inspiring true story, our best friends are also real-life superheroes. Journey around the globe to meet remarkable dogs who save lives and discover the powerful bond they share with their human partners. Follow ‘Halo’, a rookie puppy training to join one of the most elite disaster response teams in America. Meet ‘Henry’, an avalanche rescue expert in the Canadian Rockies, ‘Reef’, a Newfoundland lifeguard with the Italian coastguard, ‘Ricochet’, a Californian surf legend helping people with special needs, and the Bloodhound brothers, ‘Tipper and Tony’, who are leading the fight to save endangered species in Africa. As we discover the incredible abilities of dogs and the astonishing science behind their superpowers, we’ll never look at our best friends the same way again!
Wednesday, March 20
Matinee of Wonderpark
Thursday, March 21
Adventureplex
11 am
Rock wall and general admission: $20 (ages 5+)
Ropes course only: $20 (ages 8+)
Ropes course and general admission: $32 (ages 8+)
Rock wall, ropes course and general admission: $40 (ages 8+)
Groupons are available
Includes two hours of rock wall use, equipment rental and trained staff supervision. All climbers need to have a liability waiver signed by a parent or guardian. Reservations required at least 24 hours in advance to guarantee space. Drop-ins will be accommodated when space is available.
Friday, March 22
Dave & Busters
Saturday, March 23
Disney’s Alice in Wonderland
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at Rothenberg Hall Huntington Gardens
$15 per person
Celebrate your “very merry un-birthday” at a special screening of the 1951 Disney animated classic, Alice in Wonderland. Come dressed in your Mad Hatter best; learn about Mary Blair, the Disney concept artist who designed Alice’s colorful world; and make your own Alice-inspired art before the movie. Suitable for all ages. Children 5 and under are free. Movie screening begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Sunday, March 24
Team 4 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
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Sunday, March 31
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
Please feel free to contact Heather if you have questions.
