Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Ash Wednesday

"Mom, I guess you could have given up coffee for Lent. But that wouldn't be a very happy Lent for us."

Thanks Jacob! But it is so true. So true.

And so Lent begins. The children have chosen the things they will give up. So have Brian and I. Today we will hang up our Stations of the Cross pictures around the house and start reading Amon's Adventure. We will eat simply. We will celebrate Mass tonight. And it is Lent.

The one thing I really wanted to do this Lent, aside from giving something up, was to begin getting up earlier again, as I used to many moons ago. It is a sacrifice. Bed is so much nicer in the morning than it ever used to be. I am older. I am more tired. But I am also daily frustrated with the way my days begin. So I did it this morning. It is only one morning, but I did it. March on.

My little brain is having trouble with switching from Ash Wednesday to St. Valentine's Day the next day. I still want to keep our Lenten observances, but I do not think that because it is Lent, that we say to "no" to any celebration whatsoever. It is a saint day so we do plan to celebrate a little, kind of like on St. Patrick's Day or St. Joseph's feast day. Nothing big, but the children did not give up sweets this year, so they may still have a small treat. I have had to think about this many years since two of my children often have birthdays during Lent. I imagine as they get older, they will be able to embrace less celebration on their Lenten birthdays, but it IS a day to celebrate them! Where are our hearts?

Most recently, I have been quilting a lot! I had three quilts going at once. A baby quilt that someone special ordered, a copy of that quilt since I had enough fabric (for the most part), and my scrappy trip around the world quilt. I finished binding all three last night. I did a little wall rearranging this morning so I could hang my scrappy trip in the den.



Scrappy Trip Around the World



One of the two matching quilts - one special order, one to sell in my shop

And here is a cute little picture of my Braden holding his football cards. The boys spend so much time with their binders of football cards - trading them, reorganizing them, talking about them. So fun to watch them enjoy these together.




I pray your Ash Wednesday, your entire Lent, for that matter, is blessed and a great time of growth in holiness.

Much love!

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