I'm feeling a little like my mailbox here
Today is Ash Wednesday
I had big plans, big plans
(not really)
Well, they never got out of my head and onto a list
I'm out of scotch tape,
(because of our Valentine's)
so I can't hang up our Stations of the Cross or
our Countdown of days til Easter
And that countdown of days?
Our printer is out of ink,
so it can't be printed anyway.
These little things can make me feel like my mailbox
It seems everyone in Blog world had plans
Big plans
for Lent
Giving up things right and left
Writing meal plans for meatless Fridays
When trying to think inbetween kiddos
needing things constantly
(which is near impossible to get one complete thought out)
I decided that Lent is More
It's not less
It doesn't have to be "giving up"
It can be
MORE
More prayer
More exercise
More sacrifices
More patience
More Love
MORE of anything that brings us closer to God
These little things done every day
can add up to be a very fruitful Lent
SO
I might not have all my meals planned for 6 weeks,
or great lists and links of things to do
or even any great spiritual reads
and
my lent might already seem like it's going to be a long 6 weeks
and things might not have gone the way I planned for today,
That's OK
God knows my heart
He meets me right where I am
Even if I'm feeling like my mailbox right now.
(for Lent Inspiration from past years go HERE)
Well said! My Lent is looking a lot like a "more" Lent. Being pregnant and having specific dietary/rest needs... I'm just trying to do each little thing and live each little moment as well as I can. I got up late today and the kids were a bit rowdy (cabin fever) and it took about 3 hours too long to get Ash Wednesday rolling... but we did it. Less than perfect... but hopefully still pleasing to God. :) God bless your Lenten journey!!
ReplyDeleteOh, gosh, Melody--when I'm pregnant, I always think I'm sacrificing enough!! (I hate being pregnant, I'm miserable the whole time) SO I get that. That's what it is, it's Cabin fever around here!!! They kids get outside...it's just not summer. And there's Valentine flu in the air....(that's a joke--crazy kids)
DeleteJamie, I here you! Can you and your husband ever have a conversation while the kiddos are awake? We can't seem to. I can't even keep a train of thought without losing it. I too, have all the plans in the world and can't print them. Our printer is almost of out ink, so I am stingy right now.
ReplyDeleteOur family is focusing on MORE this year for sure, especially prayer. Come take a look. What day shall we pray for you? Is there a special day on the Lenten calendar that we can write you in for?
http://aretrocatholicfamily.blogspot.ca/2013/02/lenten-prayer.html You could "draw up" a little chart, easy peasy. Come Pray with us.
OH, Gosh Tina--I saw your post, beautiful! You can pray for us and Simeon, his next surgery might be in March....we'll find out the beginning of March. You are so sweet!
Deleteperfect post! It is exactly how I have been feeling.
ReplyDeleteGood. It's hard sometimes to put ourselves out there, like with this tiny non technical post...no fancy plans or super holy smoliness.....Just trying sometimes just to get through life. But trying a little harder during lent.
DeleteFun looking back at older "lent" posts. Seeing the kids so young.
ReplyDeleteLast night, Brian and I, were discussing what we were going to sacrifice. Talked about not eating between meals as we were munching down on the Cheetos. (I love Cheetos!) I was also packing lunches for the kids and it seems like I end up eating an extra meal when I do that.
Then I told him I was going to pray more. MORE! He said, that is not sacrificing! So that got me thinking.
Is it really a "sacrifice" if we do more?
I told Brian I thought it was because it took up more of my "TIME" to do those things. But I like to pray and I like to spend more time with my kids. I do NOT like giving up stuff. So I wonder if that is the difference.
Kissteen!! I SAID "More sacrifices" too. (so there Brian!) I think it is a sacrifice to try to fit in prayer time, to make time in the afternoon to pray Divine Mercy or pray a rosary sometime in the day, or to do Stations of the Cross. I agree, I enjoy doing them, but do I do them as much as I'd like? NO. So with 6 kids and constant interruptions, it becomes a sacrifice to make the time. I think Lent is really the things we should be doing already. Like when I give up Diet Coke...I shouldn't be drinking it anyway, not good for me, etc....
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DeleteA wonderful idea. We're joining you on a Mission for More. I love it!
ReplyDeleteYay Handful!! I like that "Mission for More"!
DeleteSo Beautiful
ReplyDeleteSo true- God knows our hearts, and when circumstances work against us, that's all that matters.
ReplyDeleteYes, and there's always a new day tomorrow!
DeleteGreat job doing 'more!' It's 'more' than you think to do that:) I don't have anything written down either but sometimes even those great conversations with the kids mean more than lists or calendars. At least that's what I tell myself. *wink* I don't have one of those Lenten calendars either and I feel so unorganized. Then again, we are all in our own place, just where God wants us to be. Just fasting today makes me realize that I sure do need to do that MORE. It sure helps me focus on Jesus and how much I need to hunger for HIM more! May your Lent be just what it's meant to be:) God bless!
ReplyDeleteAmen! While lent is about the sacrifice and the 'giving up', sometimes I get tired of hearing what others are doing and feeling like I don't measure up.
ReplyDeleteThis lent is more for me too. More prayer ( SO need it!), more exercise (good for my physical wellbeing but emotionally as well), more time spent taking care of forgotten household things, more sacrifice (less iternet/limited times for internet usage) and more time nurturing. Feeling like lent is a good time to pray, pray and work on more of me to give more to Him. And my family.Looking to get back on track with some things that got lost in the shuffle.
May your lent be fruitful and blessed!
Here! Here! First of all, I've had more (less than desirable) Lents over the past few years. So this year, all the stars were aligned and I was able to be organized. Did I mention it's been a few years??!! But I do know what you mean. I feel the pain. Today, our priest gave a beautiful homily on not just giving up "for the pain". He'd rather we eat our sweets if we do not grow spiritually. Where I was almost ready to give in on day one, hour 8, of Lent, I then heard him say...give up a vice and replace it with a virtue. Oh how beautiful! He mentioned the seven deadly sins and as he listed each off, he spoke of the virtue that you can replace it with. Where does the sweets fall in? Well, right when I thought I was off the hook, I realized that sometimes I can be a little gluttoness with those chocolates and this will help me grow spiritual. So I rambling...but, know, that we are all in different stages of life and as long as we are trying to grow with Him and not against Him, all is well with the world! May your Lenten journey be blessed and fruitful!!
ReplyDeleteI love this post, Jamie! You are so right!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I find that I need to keep things simple. The more simple I make things the more we get out of it. I don't mean not doing anything, of course, lol, but little things. Even if it is just our yearly Lent calendar and like you said MORE prayer.
ReplyDeleteOffering God our nothingness is the greatest gift we can give him! Great post Jamie, most of us can relate to this I think, at least I know I can. I have been at the hospital with Dominic lately (nothing serious, just consults for the next surgery)and so I have done very little in the way of preparing the family for Lent. I had a good friend do a wonderful project with the children yesterday. Humility, I remember the days when I used to be able to do things like that, it was a different time, a different season. Thank you for reminding us what it is all about!
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you. I had big plans for Lent this year as well, until Sean developed Shingles a few days ago and none of the kids have ever had chicken pox. Now my focus is on keeping then far away from Daddy for the next two or three weeks. Oh, and they all, including myself, have colds. We could end up with an epidemic for Lent this year. On the other hand, maybe its perfect for Lent. We could offer up our suffering to Jesus just as he did for us. Our Lord works in mysterious ways. Happy Lenten Season!
ReplyDeleteOh, gosh, I don't have time to answer everyone today(Valentine party today) but Arley, let the younger ones get exposed, (the 10 and unders) We had Chicken pox parties last year! Now, Simeon is the only one who has not had them! Once they get them, you are done! I've heard the immunization is not that good, they don't know how long it lasts, and then getting chicken pox when older can be really dangerous. It only takes about a week. I found that sharing drinks does not spread it, it's airborne, it's spending time together that spreads it....We had sucker sucking parties, and those kids did not catch it, but the ones that played together got it....So sorry about your husband. That's not fun at all...prayers for a mild case. My good friend had it last summer and she had a mild case of Shingles....said it was bad at first, but didn't last long.
DeleteSimple for me this year. Simple can be imbued with meaning if it's done in a spirit of prayer. And that's what were trying to teach our kids too. It's not just about giving up...it's about adding as well.
ReplyDeleteI feel like we have been in Lent for month now. Our home is now on the market but it is a bad market. Everything is very slow right now, taking about 11 months to sell a home. We are finally moving north, not sure where and too afraid to make plans because they all depend on our current home selling. I am not complaining just explaining. . .It is very hard to feel like doing anything extra when I feel like life has always been doing something extra. Wow I am whining. Anyway I appreciated your post! God Bless!
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