Lent

[Jersey Girl]

A brief reflection: This is what I'm noticing as I continue to detox from toxic media by abstaining in observance of Lent. In the beginning it was easy to rebel against my inclination to watch politically related news. Then it got harder. I did see headlines and youtube video thumbnails but made an effort to look away before reading the whole caption or whatever. So politically speaking,I knew bits of things, but not the full story of anything. Ex: Clinton's testify. Yeah, I get what that was about but I didn't read or listen to the statements Hillary Clinton made afterwards or portions of recorded testimony if that's something that's been released. In other words, I have no idea what the details are and guess what? I don't care either. No matter what's being served up at the White House publicity buffet...it's only purpose is to draw attention or turn it away, if you get what I mean.

I think we might be in a war. I read a couple of photo captions on CNN and guess what? I don't care. It's just one bs bit of chaos making after another intended to do just that...create chaos. I dunno...we did something to Iran. Don't care.

I don't care to the point that I'm not even getting independent politically related videos in my youtube feed any more.

So has it been difficult to abstain? Yes. But the truth is as I see it right now, it's been more like an addiction than an effort to remain informed. Trump is so redundant it's basically SSDD and I don't think it'll change. He's only got so many tools in his little chaos making tool belt and now that they're on repeat 24/7 for a second term...there's nothing new under the sun. Could my attitude change? Sure it could. We'll see.

This exercise in observing Lent isn't about giving something up forever but (I think) working against temptation. Like Jesus in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan. I think that's the whole point of Christian believer's observing Lent. To kind of walk along side the Savior by trying to experience something that he experienced. Maybe trying to follow his example in the way he responded to the temptations. If I recall correctly, each time a temptation was issued, he went directly into the Word.

Well, I haven't really done much if at all actual research for Lent. It's kind of interesting to approach this in the exact reverse of what I'd normally do. I'd typically jump in with both feet as fast and hard and deep as I could so I could appreciate every nuance of the experience. With Lent, I'm really taking from the experience whatever I find in it.

So far, it's turning out to be an experience of strengthening my spiritual muscles and finding freedom.

If that's not what's supposed to happen for Lent, please don't tell me anything to the contrary. I'd really like to not be influenced by anything else besides what I perceive.

And if it seems like I'm making more out of this than needs be, all I can say is some weighty in real life has been happening all around me this whole time and that probably deepens my perspective...but not in a bad way at all.

[Jersey Girl]

I gotta do a sky report!

Did anyone observe the planetary parade this evening? I knew about it and had every intention of observing it but then stuff happened. I believe I've seen something similar to this alignment in our area in summer. It's very impressive to see over the mountains. Here I've got some information to show you:



Anyway that's over as of tonight. The good news is we've got a Blood Moon opportunity coming right up! Here's another nice meme type thing I saved for you:



Using pics that will catch the eye easily so if any of you guys want to check back for a reminder you can find it right away or go look up details to see if it's worth your time to observe. I can post details if you guys want. I've got them. I'll post them tomorrow for you.

And... the Waxing Gibbous (my one true friend) is really showing off it's stuff right now! Illumination is at 94% which means it looks like a full moon but with a tiny sliver of a shadow left. It goes full on Full in 3 days! Love it.

See this is one of the things I do in real life when I'm not on this board obsessively posting about political reports I've seen. I set a goal of abstaining from all that mess and see? I easily found something different to share that I actually attend to nearly every single day of my life but don't talk about because political threads take over the scene.

[Res Ipsa]

I gotta do a sky report!

Did anyone observe the planetary parade this evening? I knew about it and had every intention of observing it but then stuff happened. I believe I've seen something similar to this alignment in our area in summer. It's very impressive to see over the mountains. Here I've got some information to show you:



Anyway that's over as of tonight. The good news is we've got a Blood Moon opportunity coming right up! Here's another nice meme type thing I saved for you:



Using pics that will catch the eye easily so if any of you guys want to check back for a reminder you can find it right away or go look up details to see if it's worth your time to observe. I can post details if you guys want. I've got them. I'll post them tomorrow for you.

And... the Waxing Gibbous (my one true friend) is really showing off it's stuff right now! Illumination is at 94% which means it looks like a full moon but with a tiny sliver of a shadow left. It goes full on Full in 3 days! Love it.

See this is one of the things I do in real life when I'm not on this board obsessively posting about political reports I've seen. I set a goal of abstaining from all that mess and see? I easily found something different to share that I actually attend to nearly every single day of my life but don't talk about because political threads take over the scene.

I saw the visible ones other than Mercury.

[Jersey Girl]

information on the upcoming Blood Moon. I don't think I've used this website before. No matter...it's all over the internet anyway.

Key viewing times

Here are some key viewing times for the March 3 total lunar eclipse across different time zones, according to Time and Date:

Eastern time: 6:04-7:02 a.m. EST on March 3, 2026 (the moon will set during totality in the Eastern time zone)
Central time: 5:04-6:02 a.m. CST on March 3, 2026
Mountain time: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST on March 3, 2026
Pacific time: 3:04-4:02 a.m PST on March 3, 2026
Alaska time: 2:04-3:02 a.m. AKST on March 3, 2026
Hawaii time: 1:04-2:02 a.m. HST on March 3, 2026
New Zealand: 12:04-1:02 a.m. NZDT on March 4, 2026
Sydney: 10:04-11:02 p.m. AEDT on March 3, 2026
Brisbane, Australia: 9:04-10:02 p.m. AEST on March 3, 2026
Adelaide, Australia: 9:34-10:32 p.m. ACDT on March 3, 2026
Darwin, Australia: 8:34-9:32 p.m. on March 3, 2026
Perth, Australia: 7:04-8:02 p.m. on March 3, 2026
Tokyo: 8:04-9:02 p.m. JST on March 3, 2026
Seoul: 8:04-9:02 p.m. KST on March 3, 2026
Beijing: 7:04-8:02 p.m. CST on March 3, 2026
Hong Kong: 7:04-8:02 p.m. HKT on March 3, 2026
sequence of a total lunar eclipse showing the moon get progressively more blood red and then move back to it's usual gray.

https://www.space.com/stargazing/lunar- ... on-march-3

This is going to be so stinking cool if you can see it. In my neck of the woods best viewing is 4-5 ish a.m. And this, boys and girls, is why we can never have anything nice in our woods. Nah. I'll stay up to view it. I feel like there was one last year that I viewed but I wouldn't swear to it.

[Jersey Girl]

Reminder: Blood Moon in the wee hours today. Gibbous sure looked full last night but apparently one day left until Full on Full. I'm not exactly sure how to read that...is it one day from right now or one day as in...when the clock strikes Tuesday? No, idea. I use a phone app for this unless something special is happening up there I want to know more about then I'll look at our local astronomical society. Because it's local.

Anyway...heads up early, early, early morning for Blood Moon if you're interested and if you aren't interested are you even a real person?

[Jersey Girl]

with regard to abstaining from toxic news. It's not hard once you get into the groove. But...what I would really like to see is Dr. Razz's 2 new videos that came up in my notifications. I'm not sure if he counts as toxic or therapeutic. I'm erring on the side of caution and skipping them for now.

I think the lesson for believers here is...working at resisting temptation, leaning deeper into faith, and drawing on reminders in the Word. I think...well, I'm making up my own program so to speak, with no objective other than to try abstinence and see what comes of it spiritually.

And if in real life would just stop popping off in every direction possible, I might actually be able to discern something from the experience OR...maybe an important lesson is to be had on that very count alone. Maybe that's where the lesson I never saw coming will be. Okay I'll stop babbling now.

[Res Ipsa]

Reminder: Blood Moon in the wee hours today. Gibbous sure looked full last night but apparently one day left until Full on Full. I'm not exactly sure how to read that...is it one day from right now or one day as in...when the clock strikes Tuesday? No, idea. I use a phone app for this unless something special is happening up there I want to know more about then I'll look at our local astronomical society. Because it's local.

Anyway...heads up early, early, early morning for Blood Moon if you're interested and if you aren't interested are you even a real person?

I got up to take a peek, but clouds had moved in.

[Jersey Girl]

Reminder: Blood Moon in the wee hours today. Gibbous sure looked full last night but apparently one day left until Full on Full. I'm not exactly sure how to read that...is it one day from right now or one day as in...when the clock strikes Tuesday? No, idea. I use a phone app for this unless something special is happening up there I want to know more about then I'll look at our local astronomical society. Because it's local.

Anyway...heads up early, early, early morning for Blood Moon if you're interested and if you aren't interested are you even a real person?

I got up to take a peek, but clouds had moved in.

Darn! That has happened to me too many times here during winter. How frustrating! I fell asleep early. I never fall asleep early.

And yet it happened just that way.

[Jersey Girl]

Okay this isn't funny any more. Dr. Razz has a video titled something about how MAGA is purposely trying to bring on Armageddon. This is the strongest bit of tempation I've had since Lent observance began. I mean like this is enough to put me over the edge.

I will not go over the edge.

1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I will find the way to escape it and I don't mean the log off way either. Jesus didn't log out of the wilderness. I need to face it when it's right in my face so to speak.

[ajax18]

A brief reflection: This is what I'm noticing as I continue to detox from toxic media by abstaining in observance of Lent. In the beginning it was easy to rebel against my inclination to watch politically related news. Then it got harder. I did see headlines and youtube video thumbnails but made an effort to look away before reading the whole caption or whatever. So politically speaking,I knew bits of things, but not the full story of anything. Ex: Clinton's testify. Yeah, I get what that was about but I didn't read or listen to the statements Hillary Clinton made afterwards or portions of recorded testimony if that's something that's been released. In other words, I have no idea what the details are and guess what? I don't care either. No matter what's being served up at the White House publicity buffet...it's only purpose is to draw attention or turn it away, if you get what I mean.

I think we might be in a war. I read a couple of photo captions on CNN and guess what? I don't care. It's just one bs bit of chaos making after another intended to do just that...create chaos. I dunno...we did something to Iran. Don't care.

I don't care to the point that I'm not even getting independent politically related videos in my youtube feed any more.

So has it been difficult to abstain? Yes. But the truth is as I see it right now, it's been more like an addiction than an effort to remain informed. Trump is so redundant it's basically SSDD and I don't think it'll change. He's only got so many tools in his little chaos making tool belt and now that they're on repeat 24/7 for a second term...there's nothing new under the sun. Could my attitude change? Sure it could. We'll see.

This exercise in observing Lent isn't about giving something up forever but (I think) working against temptation. Like Jesus in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan. I think that's the whole point of Christian believer's observing Lent. To kind of walk along side the Savior by trying to experience something that he experienced. Maybe trying to follow his example in the way he responded to the temptations. If I recall correctly, each time a temptation was issued, he went directly into the Word.

Well, I haven't really done much if at all actual research for Lent. It's kind of interesting to approach this in the exact reverse of what I'd normally do. I'd typically jump in with both feet as fast and hard and deep as I could so I could appreciate every nuance of the experience. With Lent, I'm really taking from the experience whatever I find in it.

So far, it's turning out to be an experience of strengthening my spiritual muscles and finding freedom.

If that's not what's supposed to happen for Lent, please don't tell me anything to the contrary. I'd really like to not be influenced by anything else besides what I perceive.

And if it seems like I'm making more out of this than needs be, all I can say is some weighty in real life has been happening all around me this whole time and that probably deepens my perspective...but not in a bad way at all.

I think what you're doing is a great idea Jersey Girl. I'm going to try a social media fast as President Nelson invited us to do when he first became the prophet.