I will read my Bible daily.  I will pray alone.  I will pray with my family.   I will go to Confession and take my family.

Sacrifice

I’ve been thinking about what I need to sacrifice for Lent this year.  Traditionally I give up sweets, but it has become a mini-diet not a focus on God.  This year I’ve decided I need to give up internet surfing.  I find myself procrastinating on-line, a lot.  I will only give myself 30 minutes a day to check e-mail and write in my blogs.  I am just realizing how much time I do spend on this.  Of course the sweets are gone and I will really watch my language when frustrated.

Almsgiving

The money I save on not buying sweets and my favorite expensive drink at the grocery store will buy food for the local pantry.  I will go through my home and give away items we no longer use.  I will volunteer to help at upcoming events at my church.

Pray for me, I’ll pray for you.

I’ve been looking up ideas for the season and I’ve also asked friends what they do as families.  I thought I’d share some of these ideas.

Fat Tuesday:  eat up all the sweets in the house, have King Cake, have a party, make and eat paczkies (a polish donut), each member of the family writes down something they’d like to work on during Lent and places in a special container to look again at when Easter arrives, create a Lenten paper chain with things to do to prepare for Easter

Ash Wednesday:  attend Mass, receive ashes, day of fasting and abstain from meat, start lenten sacrifice, start work on relationship with God and start improving relationship with others, plant seeds that will bloom by Easter

Throughout Lent:  Pray, try to get rid of things and actions that distract us from God, clear out house, sacrifice favorites such as foods and entertainments, give alms, give more time to others, focus more on God, pray the Stations of the Cross, attend Adoration, attend 1-2 more weekly masses, celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, keep home plain, make and eat pretzels or hot cross buns for dessert, add Works of Mercy to your daily life

Fridays: abstain from meat

Maundy Thursday:  attend Mass, share a Passover meal

Good Friday:  pray the Stations of the Cross, attend services, my husbands’ family makes homemade Polish sausage and colors Easter eggs

Holy Saturday:  attend the Easter Vigil, get Easter baskets filled with food for Easter and colored eggs blessed

Easter Sunday:  attend Mass, decorate home with flowers and signs of spring, hide Easter eggs, hide Easter eggs, prepare and eat a full beautiful Easter morning brunch or dinner using food blessed on Saturday, Lamb cake, Lamb butter

These are just a couple of things I have come across or we already do.  I think the whole point is to clear our lives of distractions from God.  Does anyone else have ideas on how to make the Reason for the Lenten Season Jesus?   Please share.

Feed the Hungry – boys are always hungry, so I have that one covered

Give drink to the Thirsty – see above

Clothe the Naked – I have lots of laundry to do

Visit the Captive – If we have any time-outs today, I’ll make certain to go give the child a hug at the end

Shelter the Homeless – I will clean my home

Admonish the Sinners – I’ll correct bad behaviour quickly and with patience

Instruct the Ignorant – We’re homeschooling today, so this is easy to fit in

Counsel the Doubtful – I’ll pay attention to when my children may need and want some advice on how to deal with something in their lives

Comfort the Sorrowful – Hugs are always available

To Bear Wrongs Patiently – If no one is listening to me (trust me it happens a lot), I’ll patiently remind them what I said.  This one will be hard.

To Forgive all Injuries – Mostly I’ll try to not take the above personally.

To Pray for the Living and the Dead – in my morning prayers, evening prayers and throughout the day

I do many of these every day but sometimes I resent having to.  I need mostly to change my attitude.  Today, I will live my normal life happily for my family and for God.

“At this time of serious national challenges, Americans should unite to serve the good of all, born and unborn.  The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress, would create a ‘fundamental right’ to abortion that government could not limit but would have to support.  FOCA would overturn many existing widely-supported policies, including laws protecting parental involvement and conscience rights and those preventing partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion.

Please oppose FOCA or any similar measure, and retain laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion.  As your constituent, I would appreciate a written response telling me how you would vote on these matter.”

I understand there are people who aren’t Pro-Life.  I urge these people to look at FOCA yourself.  Look into the laws it will override.  These laws it will negate, directly effect the emotional and physical health of the mother as well.  Laws set in place to protect her will be abolished.  The bill is too broad and sweeping to protect anyone.

Please send your representative and senators a note voicing your concern today.

We must stop the passage of this bill now.

“Prayer is in all things, in all gestures.” Mother Terersa

“Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Jesus, Matthew 25:40

These quotes came from Mother Teresa, No Greater Love. I think they are perfect reminders for any mother. I spend my day caring for others. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and resentful of my lack of ‘me time’ as the world says. Since I’ve started the day with prayer, my days do seem easier. Daily, I have to remind myself that all I do, can be offered to God. Every meal I cook, bathroom I clean, question I answer, argument I resolve, bored child I occupy, hug I give. I will keep these quotes in my thoughts as we go through our day.

Today I will try to remember I am lucky to be able to:

Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Clothe the Naked, Instruct the Ignorant, Council the Doubtful, Admonish the Sinners, Bear Wrongs Patiently, Forgive Offenses Willingly, Comfort the Afflicted, Pray for the Living and the Dead

St Theresa of Lisieux                        Mother Theresa