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. 

Dryness, Writing, and Thankfulness

"Recognize yourself in he and she who are not like you and me."  -Carlos Fuemtes

I don't know about the rest of you, but winter is harsh on my skin.  My skin is horrible in the best of times but winter has brought out the dryness and itching and strange growths like you wouldn't believe.  My skin is not unlike my soul right now- full of dryness.  It is itching to get to the water and bread of life.  It is needing to soak up prayer and the Word.  It is like the dry bones of Ezekiel, like the desert in the wilderness, like dry land before God filled it with water- you can see the cracks, feel the crumble.  Both my skin and my soul need moisture to be healthy.  If I didn't need more reasons to love Lent.  It reminds me to soak in the Bible and in the presents of Christ especially in the Eucharist.  

"This is not yours to fix alone.  You act like you're all alone out there in the world, but you're not.  You're not alone." -Joyce Byers, "Stranger Things"

When I look at the schedule I wrote for the day it snowed I think about all the things I like to do alone, but it also reminds me that I am absolutely not alone.  My tasks seem overwhelming.  I easily lose motivation.  It feels lonely in the moment.  But I am not alone.  The interruptions remind me constantly that I am not alone.  God helps me in these little things when I feel like I don't want to be flexible.  

 "A candle loses nothing when it lights another another candle." -Fr. James Keller

Simple as this- I was thankful for a warm house with tea on a cold snowy winter day.  Lent always reminds me that it is still winter but ALMOST spring.  It is right on the cusp when I don't know what to expect.  

Angels and Friendship

"We are not converted only once in our lives but many times, and this endless series of large and small conversions, inner revolutions, leads to our transformation in Christ." Thomas Merton

I am so tired even with a day a of sleeping in.  I think it takes more energy on days off from school even with more sleep some days.  I felt so drained listening to "I'm hungry" and "I'm bored" from a the littlest one and a no less than 3 tantrums.  It was a hard day trying to keep her occupied.  Prayers were not quiet.  But Christ was there.  Christ is always there.  

"We're going to win this war, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love." -Rose Tico, "The Last Jedi"

Sometimes I feel like I am fighting a war and fighting all the anger between the girls and the sin of selfishness.  Sometimes I can't believe I even made it through another day.  Let me save my family and in the end heaven is where we win.  Lent sacrifices remind me more and more of the eventual winning.  

 

Journey

"People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for." -Harper Lee

God of the Journey- I love that.  Lententide is a journey.  I always wish it was more sustainable but am also glad it is only 40 days.  This is my 4th year fully and intentionally observing Lent and I still love it.  I hope to continue this journey for the rest of my years on this earth.  How many "journeys" I get to take is up to the Creator.  I will also be grateful for every single one.  This has been a tiring week already so prayers to slow down and focus would be amazing.  

Taking this journey with my girls is wonderful as well even if they don't fully understand or are able to embrace the season.  Here are some of kids from SPARKS on a cardboard car "journey".

#FishFriday

"Charity begins at home, but it should not end there." -Thomas Fuller

I love fish.  I actually really do love eating fish.  I know so many people don't, but I like fish.  The fish sticks will be the most processed thing we will eat during Lent this year because my youngest two have still not learned to appreciate fish, but aren't we so blessed to have choices?  I love #FishFriday.  Think about all the symbols in the Bible and the verses about fish.  It would be a fun study.  It may not bring me closer to God but it certainly reminds me of His Son and His followers during the early days of the church and for that I will praise and take and eat.  Amen!

Cats like fishsticks too!

If you are curious about Catholic positions here are a couple of articles: Here and Here

*We aren't Catholic but we love the traditions....well at least I do.  

Ashes and Sacrifice

"Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. -Pope Francis

Ashes

Lent kinda snuck up on me this year- especially with Valentine's Day being the same day as Ash Wednesday.  I mentally knew it was coming but spiritual and organizationally I am still not ready.  I usually like to clear a small area for prayer- haven't done that yet.  I like to set up a prayer and givings box- haven't done that yet.  In the past I like the children to be some what involved and aware and I haven't really prepared them- this year has been especially hard because of the VaLENTine crossover.  I knew they would rather be in school then come with me to Ash Wednesday service.  But as prepared or NOT prepared as the case may be I love this time of year.  I love the intentional thoughts and practices.  I love the traditions and the words "Repent and believe in the Gospel".  These are the words of life for me as I am in the presence of the body and blood of Christ Jesus our Lord son of the blessed virgin Mary.

"Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine." -Kathleen Norris

My plans for Lent this year: pray, pray, pray- and of course fasting and giving but mostly prayer.  I spent a lot of time last year juggling many Lenten activities so I thought I should scale back a bit.  My prayer life has left me feeling very dry and hallow recently so I have been using the Magnificat to help me pray the morning and evening prayers.  I also use it to read for the Daily TV Mass because I can't usually attend daily mass near my home.  I am limiting my computer time to 2 one hour sessions- once in the morning and once in the afternoon/evening depending on which will work better for me on a particular day.

Sacrifice

For fasting, I decided to fast as best to my ability, time, and budget from convenience or processed food- I am predicting a lot of whining from certain little people in my house so pray for me.  I want to try to eat only bread I make and use whole wheat as often as possible.  I want to try to eat clean and as best I can a balanced pesco-vegetarian lifestyle.  I tried this once just for short time and ended up eating a LOT of bread I made but it was mostly white flour bread with a lot of butter.  I am going to try to keep a better balance of fruit and vegetables.


For giving, we will use the CRS Rice Bowl and not try to give a set amount (I usually give $40) but to give what a can and to read the stories and prompts to the girls on Wednesdays.  I will use their recipes on Fridays, but add fish sticks for the girls.

So that is what Lent will look like this year.  I have much to thank the LORD for and renewed every year through this tradition- big or small, prepared or not. 

Advent Day 17- Belonging and Peace

"One thing done in peace will most likely be better than 10 things done in panic...I am not a hero if I deny rest; I am only tired." -Susan McHenry, author

I am piggy backing off yesterday because I spent nearly all afternoon and evening at the laundry mat or shopping.  The quote is great for the laundry mat though because of the need for peace.  This picture if from Grandpa and Kori's Christmas party.  This is their 2 year old daughter Callie.  She barely keeps still and is so adorable.  I am reminded of family and where we belong in this world.  During the holidays I don't get to see my mom and dad since starting my own family.  I do think about them and pray for them.  I reminisce often during the holidays and I am sure if your memories are happy that you do as well.  We all want to belong especially to a family that loves us.