by Lilly Lewin
This week we started our Lenten practice at thinplaceNASHVILLE, with a Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner at a local cafe. Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Tuesday is the day before Lent actually begins. It’s a day to clean out all the fat, and sugar, etc from the pantry and prepare for the Lenten fast.
At the cafe, I created a centerpiece on the table that included all the ingredients for making pancakes from scratch, and included a box of instant mix too. I had the prayer printed out so everyone could follow along. Our group is pretty introverted, so we didn’t pray, or even read it aloud together as we would do if we were at our usual spot. Instead, I allowed everyone to read it on their own while we waited for our orders. We spent some time catching up on our days and talked about what some our Lenten practices might be and closed our meal with a communal blueberry pancake.
If you have never celebrated Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Tuesday. It’s not too late to start. Why not make pancakes for breakfast or dinner this weekend and use the Pancake Prayer Reflection below to help you start your Lenten practice. You can go out to eat if you don’t want to cook! Take time to consider the questions and ponder the ingredients. You might even take time to journal the questions. If you are doing this with a group of friends, or with your family, take time to share your thoughts and learn from one another.
I pray that we all will grow closer to Jesus, and experience more and more of his great love as we begin our Lenten journey. I’m posting more ideas for Lent on my Facebook page and on instagram @lillylewin so follow along!
PANCAKE PRAYER:
On this Shrove Tuesday, as we prepare for Lent, Consider the things that make up pancakes…Consider these Ingredients
Pick one that resonates with you.
What is God speaking to you about through the ingredients? What is God’s recipe for you this year for Lent? Ask Jesus to show you!
Flour
Sugar
Eggs
Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
Butter or Oil
OR Pancake Mix
FLOUR… the staff of life
It its the main ingredient
It makes pancakes, breads, and cookies!
Add Baking Powder or Yeast and it Rises!
Flour comes in lots of forms:
Bleached
Whole Wheat
Gluten Free
Almond and Rice Flours
It also comes pre-sifted…
CONSIDER:
What does God want to mix up in your life this Lent?
What does Jesus want to make new?
What does God want to create, make, bake?
What does God want to sift into your life? Does your life need sifting? Or reheated?
SUGAR… the sweetness of life
adds sweetness
too much makes us fat
too much causes inflammation
there is real sugar and there is artificial sugar
things can be exchanged for it, like applesauce, honey, molasses CONSIDER:
What areas of your life need sweetening in a good way?
How can you bring sweetness to the world?
Pinch of Salt:
Are you felling salty or in need of salt today?
Are you bringing flavor to your world or just leaving a bitter taste in people’s lives?
EGGS:
they provide the protein
might cause an allergy attack
multiple ways to cook them outside of a recipe for pancakes
CONSIDER:
Are you feeling scrambled ? too busy? need focus?
Are you feeling allergic to life, to God, to people?
Are you feeling dried out and over cooked?
Talk to God about this!
BUTTER, OIL, FAT…
Gives life it’s richness, and makes Julia Child smile!
Butter makes everything taste better
CONSIDER:
How is God mixing you together this Lent?
What new ingredients does Jesus want to add?
Any substitutions need to be made?
Do you need to change out artificial for real ingredients?
What new dish or new menu does God want to show you between now and Easter?
What special meal does God want to create with you and for you?
RECEIVE THE LOVE
Imagine the Pancakes cooking on the griddle.
Perfect pancakes, light and airy, browned just right.
Picture them stacked on a plate,
Rich butter on the top.
Perhaps with blueberries or strawberries added in or on the top.
Perhaps filled with chocolate chips and topped with whipped cream!
The butter melts.
The syrup flows.
Imagine this to be a gift from Jesus to you!
Allow this image to represent the
The Richness and Abundance of God’s Love you…
The Richness and Abundance of Jesus’s Love for us today and always!
Let’s taste and receive this Love today and each day between now and Easter.
AMEN
©lillylewin freerangeworship.com 2019
NOTE: my original inspiration came from the AD for the Iona community shrove tuesday service. You can purchase the service here. If you don’t know the Iona community, they have great resources for prayer and liturgies too! I’ve had the amazing opportunity to stay with the community on the island of Iona, it’s one of my favorite places on the planet!