Half Way through Lent

"I like rice.  Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2000 of something." -Mitch Heberg, comedian

Bread

We are so nearly at the halfway point of Lent already!  I have been busy trying to keep up some goals and failing miserably at others- especially any goals that have to do with food.  While I haven't been eating MUCH bread that wasn't from my own two hands I have been eating some.  The kitchen is a war zone so it is hard to get back in there to tackle it.  

"It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up." -Eckhart Tolle, author

Pay it Forward

I have had so many wonderful moments to be grateful for this Lent.  My church has started up the Secret Sister program again and I could not be more excited to pray for and give gifts to my secret sister.  Here is a picture of the card and gift table set up for the occasion.  

"If you see something beautiful in someone, speak to it." -Ruthie Lindsey, interior designer

#Placestopray

Jesus has been especially present in this busy time.  When you live right across the street from the church and you have a key you can really catch up on the Lent photo challenge especially when you are struggling for ideas or the ideas you originally had aren't panning out.  It is wonderful and refreshing to see the beautiful in the ordinary every day things.  Which leads me right into the next quote...

"It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants.  The question is: What are we busy about?" -Henry David Thoreau

Motivation

Every day and always I need to remember what my real motivation is- not weight loss, not recognition, not even my family (though that does not discount my responsibilities of course), but my motivation is the cross of Christ.  His glory and His glory alone should be my motivation and I need to be constantly reminded because I am weak.  

"I will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves."-Diana, Wonder Woman

Path

The priveldge to find spiritual reads is one I treasure during Lent.  I have been able to read about the life of Saint Francis of Assisi.  I especially was challenged to focus on prayers and meditation and it inspired me to research the lives of the Poor Clares who are still working today.  I learn so much during Lent.  

"Love is never wasted, for its value does not rest on reciprocity." -C.S. Lewis

Pretzels

We finally did something during Lent I have wanted to do since I first started observing 4 years ago now.  We made pretzels!  They were so delicious!  I would have made at least 2 or 3 more batches but ran out of yeast and flour!  Below is the video of the recipe we used in case you need this deliciousness in your life and I am not able to gift it to you.  

"Learn to be quiet enough to hear the genuine within yourself so you can hear it in others." -Marian Wright Edelman, activist

Guidance

 For the little Sacred Heart prayer chapel in Sublimity, they play the Rosary and I have been slowly learning how it works.  Honestly, I use to think this was an idol prayer full of meaningless repetition and not even directed to Jesus but rather to Mary.  As I have come to understand it and still it is a tad awkward, but I absolutely see the beauty in it.  I see the contemplation in it.  We don't have much of that in our world today.  In any case, I haven't felt anything like praying the Rosary and I don't think there is anything inherently wrong about praying it even if I am not Catholic.  

"Lent is a time to renew wherever we are in that process that I call the divine therapy.  It's a time to look at what our instinctual needs are, look at what the dynamics of our unconscious are." -Father Thomas Keating, Trappist Monk

Meatless Meal?

My daughter had her friend spend the night and we had fun with our snack meal celebrating Dr. Seuss.  What does that have to do with Lent?  Um...I don't know...One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Friday?  I have an instinctual need to celebrate in this way and what fun to celebrate with a friend and well loved books even in the middle of a time when called to reflect.

"The greatest danger to our future is apathy." -Jane Goodall

Community

I wish I had been able to participate in this fun church community event but alas I wanted to make sure I had the house cleaned for Sunday youth group and I was uncertain about my availability for this day.  But again with the blessings of God I was I able to take a picture for my project to remind me that I am not alone and my church family will be there for me even when I can't participate as fully as I wish.  

WOW!  What a blessed Lententide this has been and we still have at least three more weeks to go!  I hope you are having a blessed time reflecting on Christ's suffering and are able to refocus on prayer, fasting and giving and if not you can always start NOW!  It is not too late (never too late) to have a Lenten experience.