Seven Quick Takes on Friday--volume 70

One.

This stuff is the miracle that has cleared up Gemma's diaper rash and is conquering the eczema as well.  I love it.  It smells a little like Valerian root (I wonder if my barn cats would try to lick her to death--Valerian is like catnip to most cats!), but I am seeing pink skin where it was an angry red a few days ago!

Two.
Daytime temperatures are up into the 40's and low 50's!  I am throwing open the windows today and airing the place out!  The three youngest boys ventured out into the mud and sunshine yesterday.  They must have felt as though they were crawling out of a cave, as we've had foul weather and colds for so long...the scent of moist earth is making me dream of springtime...

Three.
Here are the Holy Father's meditations on the Stations of the Cross.  If you click on the images, they will take you to the meditations.

Four.
Constant seriousness and solemnity do not come easily to me.  Humor is often the way in which I fight my own negativity, and it is a stress release, too.  And I like to get goofy with the kids--it makes me feel younger than my 46 years.  But I am trying to be a bit more somber this Lent.  I am trying to meditate on my own sins, both past and present, and those of the world, in order to impress upon myself the seriousness of it.  It is not that I do not know it, but that like so many, I don't usually focus on it.  We need, a Father of Mercy recently wrote, to develop compunction for sin.  Without compunction, we cannot bear worthy fruits of penance. 

Five.
Good reading for Lent:  St. Francis de Sales, Anne Catherine Emmerich, Venerable Louis of Grenada, Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, Fr. Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure, S.J., Fr. Garrigou-Legrange.

Six.
Other things I am considering during Lent:  cleaning house.  I like Jessica's "40 Bags in 40 Days" thing...I think we can come up with 40 bags of stuff to eliminate in no time at all.  Also, as a family with six kids and a tight budget, I need to continue my search for decent clothes for Easter.  Una needs shoes--again--and I think I am going to try to fill out our gaps so that all the boys have beige pants, white shirts and nice sweater-vests for Easter. And I need to think about little things I can make for the Easter baskets as well (this is a bit of a strain, as I have birthdays in April and May in my family, and a new niece due next month!)

Seven.
I still need to make may Meatless Menu Plan for Lent.  I will be stopping by Mama Says to look at her Carnival of Meatless Meals for some ideas...

Visit Jennifer's Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes, and have a great day!