Black History Month & Lent

I have been craving a latte for days now.  Unfortunately, I am in the middle of Whole30 (day 15!) so dairy is a no no.  What to do?  I remembered that a friend of mine recently told me that the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery not only had amazing cow's milk lattes, but their almond milk lattes were also top notch.  Turns out, she was right.

As I was sipping my latte, I read a few chapters in a book I picked up yesterday called A Tangled Mercy.  The book follows two story lines set in Charleston: one in 1822, the year of the Denmark Vesey rebellion, and the other in 2015, the year of the Emanuel AME church shooting.

I picked up this book because it sounded interesting - I love historical fiction, and I want to expand my knowledge of the experiences of black Americans.  I decided to read it now because February is Black History Month, and being intentional about reading books that deal with these themes seems particularly timely.  I have a couple other books on hold at the library, and I'm hoping they come in before this month wraps up.

As I've been thinking about all this, my pastor sent the whole congregation an email about Lent which started on Wednesday.  Here is a excerpt of what he said:

I wanted to include a little bit of information about Lent, because its observance can be particularly helpful in guiding us through the Biblical practice of fasting and lamenting - in helping us see our need, bringing us to a place of humility, and deepening our hunger for Jesus's mercy and grace.  It is also a time when we specifically cry out to God on behalf of the world around us - a time to lament the sins of our culture, the obsession with comfort and safety over holiness, and the divisions that exist within the church at large.

I haven't ever given anything up for Lent.  It was never a part of my family's traditions or practices nor was it encouraged at any of the churches we attended.  So instead of giving up chocolate or Facebook or whatever it is, I want to spend time specifically lamenting and repenting of racial injustice in my own life and in my culture.  Tim (my pastor) also included in his email a link to a devotional compiled by a group of white and black Christians.  It is called The Repentance Project, and even though I'm only a few days into it, it has given me a lot to think about and grieve over.  I highly recommend it in this season as we look forward to Easter.


Additional Books to Read
- Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones
- American Wedding by Tayari Jones
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- Evicted by Matthew Desmond
- Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

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