For those of us who are Roman Catholic, the season of Lent begins next Wednesday which are the forty days preceeding Easter. Traditionally, we "give up" something or "do something good" for Jesus during these days. I believe some other Protestant churches also observe Lent, though the church we attend does not.... (We attend two churches, a Catholic and a Protestant.)
So my question is to those of you who do observe Lent...............what are you giving up or adding this year?
Some of you may remember I gave up computer last year! NOT this year!! That was hard, but then, that's the whole idea!
This year I am giving up meat for forty days and adding a Mon thru Friday Mass and rosary!
If anyone else wants to, maybe this could be a place we could encourage one another!
For Lent I try to do something proactive rather than giving up...one year I gave up Wal Mart and that was the time we saved money!
There are some obvious things that would help me be more disciplined and be able to hear God working in my life, things like charting with WW, or praying more consistently, do a rosary each day.
One year I determined to not be snappy to my DH, that was cool!
But this year, don't know yet!
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Ellen in PA
"God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of love, power, and a sound mind."
I know it is pretty bad to be the day of Ash Wednesday and still not given up anything. But reading my "Little Black Book" it does encourage doing more things than simply giving things up. It state lent is more a down-to-earth time and is about ashes and the cross. So I am going to read my book each day and reflect on it (at least six minutes per the book). As it also talks about food, money and the poor we will eat some basic meals and put the savings in the Rice Bowl. I am also going to get rid of extra things.
I used to give up sweets but it is hard, though I will be watching those, as three of our birthdays always fall in Lent.
We went to mass tonight. DD actually went twice as she went with school in the morning. I wanted to go in the evening so my ds could go, then dh decided he would go too. I got the times mixed up and we were there 40 minutes early but that gave us more time to say prayers, reflect and listen to the choir practice.
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Post Card Angel
Children have never been very good at listening to their parents, but they have never failed to imitate them. Baldwin ~
DD and DH didn't get to church so I rubbed some of my ashes onto their heads and said the words (remember man that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return). They said, Mom, That is sacrilegious! What do you all think? I thought it was better than nothing.
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Ellen in PA
"God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of love, power, and a sound mind."
Ellen, I don't think it was sacreligious. It's a "sacramental" not a "sacrament." I think what you did was fine.
I am going to try to sacrifice candy, and also try to be kinder & less impatient. I have a book about St. Francis that I also want to get a good start on reading during Lent. 5 pages a day should get me through the whole book by Easter.
I wish I could get to daily Mass but that means I'd have to bring Luke, and it is just tough. I could read the readings at home, though. Maybe I will try that.
Ellen, I think it was fine too. You just wanted them to experience it.
My ds did not want to take a bath that night as he did not want to wash them off. For some reason he wanted to have them for school the next morning. He forgot about it the next morning but I was prepared to burn one of our old palms and put the sign of cross back on his head.
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Post Card Angel
Children have never been very good at listening to their parents, but they have never failed to imitate them. Baldwin ~
Ellen in PA 
