Lenten Decisions

I LOVE Lent. It is such a beautiful season of renewal -- the process of being made new again. It is like a death, but more like a birth. A death of our sinful habits and the birth of virtue in our lives. But birth, even without death, is hard...painful...angonizing...beautiful!

There are parts of me, I'd like to find again.

• I've become a "great planner" - out of necessisty. I miss being able to live in the moment like a child. Maybe I can find some of that again.
• I've become very proficient in doing (blogs, presentations, spreadsheets, researching), but I've lost an ability to listen. The noise my children make are like an untuned rock band to my ears. I'd like to be able to listen to them without wishing I was doing something else.

I have pressing prayer requests I'd like to present before God with all solemnness and a pure heart

• Divine revelation for Dave and an indwelling of the Holy Spirit as he guides our family.
• The pain my cousin has been in.
• Increased virtue for myself and my children
• Some of my family and friends reversion and conversion to Christ in His fullness.

Dave has become an inspiration to me. The sacrifices he's making this lent are extreemely difficult for him. In honoring his sacrifice and participating in his pain with him, I have some habits (are they sins? probably.) that I've been holding back from God.

Some of the sacrifices I'm offering to Christ this Lent are small. Some are extreemely difficult. The fact that it's so painful to give them up shows me how much I need Lent. Thank you, Father for Lent. Thank you, Father, for Easter.

This process of allowing my heart to look forward to Christ's Resurrection at Easter (and my own) is good for me. It's a gift God has given to me.

***Lenten Sacrifices ***

1. I'm giving up blogging for Lent -- no writing, no pictures. There are some of you that this is the only way we keep up with each other and I do feel a little guilty for denying you my children, my time. But Easter and resurrection is coming!
2. I'm giving up blogs for Lent. Goodbye Elizabeth Foss. Goodbye friends. I'm aching for the loss of you, already.
3. I'm giving up message boards for Lent. ohhh...this will be difficult.
4. I'm giving up facebook for Lent. One less thing to complain about, one less thing to join, one more loss of connection to other people while I'm hoping to connect with my creator.
5. I'm giving up sweets for Lent (I can have pancakes, but no syrup - I can have bagels, but no muffins.)
6. I'm giving up in between meal snacks for Lent

those sacrifices are the hardest ones

***Lenten Acts of Charity***

1. I will exercise (oh *blech* I think this one belongs up in the hard category) at least once a day. I'd love to commit to 30 minutes, but just committing is big enough -- I don't want to set myself up to fail or quit. Not everyone would consider this charity for others, but preserving my physical body will enable me to care for my family -- I'm not doing this for ME.
2. I will still myself to listen to my children the way I still myself to listen to God. (uh...that one's a SUPER hard one - a doozy.)
3. I will check my e-mail only once a day, at the end of the day when the kids are in bed to be more present in the moment to my family. (man, these are all tough.)
4. I will invite people over at least once a week. As I close myself to easier, quicker forms of communication, I'll open myself to more intimate communication so God can work through me for others and I can be nurtured from Him by others.
5. Fix-It Fridays - Last year, as a family, we gave up meat for all Fridays to try and remember what Christ sacrificed for us. So giving up meat on the Fridays of Lent is no big deal. I think I'll try and do something in addition - find something that's been neglected and make it right : clean a room or closet that's been needing it / visit a nursing home or relative that we haven't done lately, etc.

*** Lenten Prayer****

1. Stations of the cross each Friday either at home or church. I'm really going to accomplish this one this year. Really (with God's help.)
2. Believe you me, the above stuff will keep me in enough struggle, I'll already be in constant prayer.

***Lenten Almsgiving***

1. As a family, we've already decided that we aren't going to go out to eat for all of Lent. Again, this may not sound like a big deal to another family, but it's one of our sources for entertainment to do as a family and it's something we'll all miss.

I'll see you on the other side of Easter and we'll have an Easter blog and facebook party! In the meantime I'll be waiting for Resurrection!