We made it!  The last  day of Lent 2015 and the final challenge... which is in some measure a real challenge unless you are by nature very ungenerous!!  What can I think of?  Hmmmm.

There is also an invitation to recall the challenge that made you the most happy... I think for me it was the 'hug' challenge and the unexpected opportunity to give the lollipop man, called Joseph, a hug for his birthday!!  That and the smile on the face of the bucket-shaker to whom I gave a bar of chocolate.  I was also quite chuffed after I'd litter-picked at church!!

Anyway, here it is:

We're here! Today is Holy Saturday, and tomorrow Christians celebrate the most generous act in the world. So, with that in mind, the culmination of our 40 day journey ends with this: do something today that's more generous than anything you've done in the last seven weeks, and do it anonymously.

ONLY ONE OPTION TODAY: Only you'll know what over-the-top generosity looks like for you. This isn't about spending lots of money or doing something on a large scale (unless you'd like to, of course!); it's about stretching yourself– whatever that happens to look like. By now you'll know that it's the heart attitude that counts. Go ahead and push the boat out today, without your name attached.

No prizes for my photography skills, but it's a beautiful almost full moon (full tomorrow night)

... the mug of tea and a hot cross bun when all the work is finally done!

Writing off debts - one way of understanding the events of Good Friday is the cancellation of our debt to God.  Today we are invited to think of other debts - finanacial or emotional - and to write them off, or even consciously to bless the person we think is in our debt!!

Good Friday is good because we get something undeserved. Freedom; a clean slate; a fresh beginning. Maybe today is a good day to extend the favour? Cancel an IOU and write off a debt that's owed to you today. It might be a tenner you loaned someone, a promise as yet unfulfilled or something more significant that caused a rift in the past. In the words of Frozen's Elsa, 'Let it go.'

START SMALL:

Does someone owe you a few quid? Did they forget about it? Draw a line under it and forget about it too.

A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING:

Double it up. That thing you did/that money you lent/that extra time you put in and didn't see any return on? Bless that person again; double the blessing.

THE WHOLE HOG:

Once you've cancelled any physical debts, think about the emotional ones you might be holding onto. Have you got grudges or grievances against anyone? Forgive them today. It's not easy, but it's liberating.

Someone has a warped sense of humour - telling us to make ourselves more open, more vulnerable on a day where I really need my vicar head!  So, today as I collar up and head east to help conduct the funeral of a friend, I will be putting these challenges on hold...

Armour off, folks. Today is about vulnerability. Sometimes we need to let our guard down to allow others to do the same. Everyone has their own struggle, and sharing those stories can often open up a generous way for others to talk about theirs.

I'VE GOT 5 MINUTES

Be honest. Are you really 'fine, thanks'? Is everything 'good, yeah, really good!'? If it is, happy days! If not, don't just say the words. Think before you answer; try to give a really honest response where appropriate, and show others that you're genuinely interested in their answer too.

I’VE GOT 15 MINUTES:

Journals at the ready! Jesus experienced and reflected a full range of human emotions; so perhaps spend some time reading these short passages and writing down the things that speak to you: John 11:17-37, Matthew 26:36-46.

I'VE GOT 30 MINUTES

Got a testimony? Write it down or share it with someone today. Alternatively, tell a story about yourself to someone who's going through similar things in their life – your experience might provide help or reassurance that everything will be OK.