I'm just not very good at preparing for Lent. We have our Lenten rituals and practices, and I have pulled out my books and prayers for the season, but I never feel "ready" for it. Lent is, for me, a matter of drawing inward and trying to look at things from a more supernatural standpoint; in other words, trying to do what I ought to be doing all year 'round. We will each take a look at this worksheet I use every year to help us focus on what we hope to draw from this time of introspection and penance.
We will likely color some Stations of the Cross. We have used these here for the past few years, but the kids are probably ready for something different, so after looking online, I found these (really great site for Catholic coloring pages!), and I may reduce them in size and use them to put up around the house for our own Stations, which we pray on the Fridays of Lent in lieu of our evening Rosary.
I put out a dish of dried beans and a jar, and the kids use this to keep track of kind deeds and sacrifices during Lent. The number of beans becomes a dollar figure for a charity, and the beans "magically transform" into jelly beans on Easter morning.
There are mortifications, too: no desserts except on Sundays, and for me, no wine until Easter (I will miss the glass of wine I have most nights as I prepare dinner), and my coffee black (that really cuts back my consumption of coffee). If I can find the strength, I will close comments on this blog until Easter. That one really hurts! Trying to practice quiet and custody of the tongue at home and of the eyes when I am out and about.
I have pulled out Anne Catherine Emmerich's The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ to read again this Lent. I have also purchased the insanely popular, One Thousand Gifts for reading. I am wondering now whether I will be as enraptured with it as everyone else seems to be.
I never do as well as I hope to during Lent; then again, perhaps it is better so. 'Twouldn't do to finish Lent and enter into Easter with a big head, would it?
One Thousand Gifts is lovely. I think you'll like it. :-) My Lenten sacrifice shall be Not Putting Off Till Tomorrow What I Can Do Today. You know, making dentist appointments, calling the septic guy, taking Meggie to get her ears pierced, working out an immunization schedule with our doc...that sort of thing. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog.:) These are great activities for Lent, and I love the worksheet. Thanks for posting! I just made our Lenten calendar today so I am excited to start getting in the spirit of the upcoming liturgical season.:)
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I need to start thinking more about Lent this year. I love the beans in a jar that turned into jelly beans :)
ReplyDeleteI thought about checking 1000 Gifts out for Lent but if I can barely stand to read her blog, what in the world would I do with a book of hers? I guess maybe that would be a Lenten sacrifice, wouldn't it? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm in my van waiting for Abigail to finish her piano lesson. Marin is climbing all over me. Difficult to form a thought! Love you, Nadja... really. I will miss being able to comment just as I did last year but will be thinking of you and praying for you and your family this Lenten Season. I am ready. I have felt anxious and restless lately. I need and hope Lent will bring focus. Peace, friend. +JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI always find the need to keep things SIMPLE. I can get overwhelmed by SO many ideas out there ... I like the dried beans for sacrifices ... turning into jelly beans at Easter! I think I might do that one ... Do you trust their judgement on what is a good deed/sacrifice, or do you have to notice it for them to "get credit" for it? And I have been thinking about silencing the blog, too, but I also am hesitant. Perhaps that means I am meant to do it. Sigh.
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