Day: February 17, 2026

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From Fat Tuesday to Lent: Preparing Our Hearts for Renewal

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDeb

From Fat Tuesday to Lent: Preparing Our Hearts for Renewal

Fat Tuesday, often filled with celebration, food, and joy, is more than a cultural tradition—it is the final pause before we enter the sacred season of Lent. As Christians, this day gently reminds us that life is a balance of feasting and fasting, rejoicing and reflecting. Tomorrow begins a 40-day journey that leads us to the cross and ultimately to the hope of resurrection.

Lent is not meant to be a burden, but an invitation. It calls us to slow down, examine our hearts, and draw closer to Christ through prayer, repentance, sacrifice, and acts of love. We may give up something we enjoy, but in doing so we make room for something greater—God’s voice, God’s presence, and God’s purpose in our lives.

Fat Tuesday is a reminder that earthly joys are temporary, but God’s grace is eternal. We celebrate today with gratitude, knowing that tomorrow we begin a season of spiritual renewal. Whether our sacrifices are big or small, seen or unseen, God honors every step we take toward Him.

For those carrying heavy burdens, chronic pain, grief, loneliness, or uncertainty, Lent can become a deeply personal offering. Each difficult moment can be placed at the foot of the cross, trusting that Jesus understands suffering and walks with us through it.

Let this Fat Tuesday not just be about indulgence, but about intention. Let it be the day we prepare our hearts, clear the distractions, and step into Lent ready to grow, heal, and be renewed in Christ.

Prayer for Fat Tuesday

Lord, on this Fat Tuesday, we thank You for the blessings of joy, provision, and the simple gifts that bring delight to our lives. As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, soften our hearts and draw us closer to You. Help us to release anything that distracts us from Your love and to embrace the spiritual renewal You desire for us.

Bless everyone reading this today—those who are celebrating, those who are struggling, and those who are quietly carrying heavy burdens. Strengthen the weary, comfort the grieving, heal the hurting, and remind each person that they are never alone.

Guide us into Lent with humble hearts, willing spirits, and a deep desire to grow in faith. May this season transform us, refine us, and renew us in Your everlasting grace.

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The Rev. Jessie Jackson

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDeb

The world may not have always agreed with everything he said or did, but we must admit we have lost a great man—a godly man who stood up for people and their rights. He used his voice to fight for justice, dignity, and unity, and that kind of courage leaves a lasting legacy.

Let us honor him not just with words, but with action. Take something good that he stood for—kindness, fairness, compassion—and put it to work in our daily lives.

So many of us may carry certain prejudices for different reasons. Maybe something painful happened to you. Maybe it was bred into you by those who raised you. Whatever the reason, we can still choose to grow. We can still choose to take something good from what he stood for and let it shape how we treat others.

We are all the same in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. We all bleed red. We are brothers and sisters, no matter our color, religion, or faith. There is good and evil in this world, and it is up to each of us to bring out the good and stand firmly against the evil.

May we choose love, choose unity, and choose to treat one another with the respect and dignity every child of God deserves.

I grew up in Youngstown Ohio and got the privilege to meet Jessie Jackson in 1984 thanks to a family friend The Rev Lonnie Simon. He was funny , kind and loved all people.