Ash Wednesday

This is a favorite pic from Ash Wednesday Past.  I looked for another, but could not find it (my pics are filed by month & year only).

Marcus – Ash Wednesday 2013

Hope your Lent 2013 is off to a great beginning!

Lent 2014

Ash Wednesday is marked on the calendar, but I admit to being so engrossed in the day to day activities of this family, that I wouldn’t be prompted to think about Lent if I wasn’t reminded by Facebook statuses and my Feedly blog reader.  Thank goodness prepared friends and favorite bloggers have it together enough to keep us other (distracted) Catholics pointed toward Christ and the liturgical year.  In the last week, I’ve read two items that gave pause and interested me enough to share with friends and my own children.  Maybe you’ve already read/seen these, but if you haven’t, check out the links about Lenten preparation on Sarah’s great post or for your teen’s, check out this post from the LifeTeen.Com Blog.

So, here’s what I and my family are doing this year…

Just Suzie: 

(1)  Read ‘33 Days to Morning Glory’ by Fr. Michael Gaitley.  I’m trying not to worry about NOT starting on a recommended date. 

(2) Lenten Sunday Meditations …signed up at Bridegroom Press.

(3) The idea of ‘40 days and 40 bags’ to clean and de-clutter is on my heart, but since time is limited, I plan to do an act of cleaning/de-cluttering for 15 minutes in one of these three areas: upstairs laundry room, Marcus’ closet, or basement guest room.

As a Family: 

(1)  After talking about the suggestions, in the LifeTeen post, the kids really like the idea of giving up all electronics after supper. 

The kids will all do individual sacrifices and our family does at least one related to food or drink, as well.

6 months …gone in a flash!

The months truly do go way too fast.  Six months on February 12, 2013.

He really looks like a Lahlum in the above picture.  I can see Miller in him quite often, but that one is all Lahlum.

We went to Mass tonight, as Angelina had another commitment on Wednesday night.  Marcus was so wiggly that I had to hold his head steady for Father to make the sign of the cross!

So, our Lent has begun…

…and my baby is six months old.

Lenten Reading

Wednesday, the newest issue of Catholic Digest showed up in my home and the subscription is good for 2 years.  I’m not sure who purchased it, but it wasn’t me.  I’d subscribed years ago, but let it run out because of a few reasons that are most likely no longer valid.  I admit to not looking at it again until yesterday when I had a moment.  There were some great articles and suggestions on Lenten reading.

Since I’m on a cleaning out, purge the stuff, clean out the closets and drawers kind of kick this Lent, the following book fit right into the plan. 

Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit

I purchased it as an e-book on my kindle.  It asks that you do a very simple task to clean around your home, but also has a meditation for the day on how that task relates to life in a spiritual way.  The author wants the book to take you on retreat during the Lenten season.  Sounds perfect to me… I don’t have to leave the house and I get simplicity, too.

Ash Wednesday

 

 

I look forward to the ‘pruning’ we do during Lent.  Working on improving ourselves by focusing on Christ and cutting out those materialistic things or practices to which we are attached. 

A friend asked me (yesterday on facebook) to consider whether I was a GUS or a TOM.  Needed to look in her comments to figure out what that meant!  It means Give Up Something or Take On More.  There’s a little of both in my, and my family’s, Lenten practice. 

However, this is one of those years in which I’ve had a hard time deciding what to do during Lent.  Oh, it’s not that I don’t have anything to offer.  The problem is that the things I generally give up really aren’t that much of a sacrifice … imho.  For me, it’s easier to find something more meaningful in the Take On More category.  And, it’s not that there aren’t meaningful things I could give up, I just don’t find giving up ‘things’ to be that hard. 

Now, if we talk actions … that’s a different story.  Can I easily give up over-reacting to wrongs, yelling when I’m more than angry, and covering my ears when the volume in my house exceeds what can be handled??  Not quite so easy, which makes me reluctant to try.  I do try, though, to do better every day.  That’s part of my morning offering – each day.  Offering any of these up during Lent would make me work harder though, I think.  But, I feel in my heart that I’d be less successful. 

Does that make the more challenging offering or sacrifice more of a gift than something I can do more easily??  The answer might seem easy, but it’s not.

…walking the Lenten path in prayer, fasting & almsgiving.

Father’s homily on March 7, 2010

I meant to post this some time ago, but life has been a little crazy.  Real life was being lived.  Anyway, the simple, but powerful words of this homily keep entering my thoughts and pushing me toward something. 

We are always thrilled to be able to participate in the Mass at St. Mary’s.  I always learn something during the homily.  Father Wilhelm’s homily this particular Sunday – March 7, 2010 during Lent -- has really stuck with me.  The points he made kept popping into my head throughout the following week, and have kept at me.  (But do you think they could all pop into my head at one time to share with you???  NO!  So, this post has been written over a few days…and now months.)  Even though it’s the Easter season, his points are still relevant.  I should still be trying to accomplish these suggestions.

1. Pray.  If you aren’t at a different place in your spiritual life than you were two years ago, you need to do something different.  Yes, there are times of darkness … a week, a month, sometimes a year or more, but don’t give up on prayer.

2. Make an ACT.  At the time of his homily, Father meant an act of sacrifice or giving for Lent.  But, why not try to do this every day.  I can do a small sacrifice or give something of myself each day.  It doesn’t have to be much … maybe taking the time to read a book to Graham or making Zeke an egg-in-the-hole for breakfast when I’d rather make one for myself instead.

3. Attend Mass outside of Sunday at least once each week.  This one is particularly hard for me … with five kids … every week.  Part of it is the 20 min. drive to church, the other is the time (and sometimes location) of daily mass.  I know, excuses, excuses.  What are we here on earth for?? … yes, yes, I get that.  I’m praying for my answer/solution to be made clear.

Anyway, I don’t want to forget to try.

Unleavened Bread

I could tell you that I had this planned … that I wanted the kids to experience the taste of unleavened bread (what an appropriate day) … that I’m organized enough to THINK of this myself … that I didn’t forget to put the yeast in the bread machine cuz it was planned, but IT wasn’t.

 

I’ve forgotten before.  Distractions.  I’m so easily distracted.  I even double checked the ingredients – consciously, I thought!

  

I just wanted to kick myself when I opened the bread machine cover expecting a nicely risen lump of dough, but what I got was this small ball in the bottom corner.  ‘Uggghh!’ I thought to myself, ‘Not again!  I’m not going to waste it like last time.’

So, Angelina and I flattened out little dough balls, sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar and popped them into the oven.  They were baked about 15 minutes total.

They’re edible.  We all ate unleavened bread.  I was happy that at least I didn’t waste the ingredients, and in fact Zeke & Graham enjoyed eating this ‘bread’ throughout the day.

 

All things considered, it turned out okay, but I’d rather not aim for a repeat.  Here’s hoping I have my wits about me next time I put the ingredients for a loaf together!

 

NOTE:  After I realized my mistake, I did a quick google search for a solution.  It turns out that you can dissolve yeast and knead it into the dough with results that may or may not turn out.  I didn’t have the extra time to try out this ‘possible’ solution.  Unleavened bread was easier!

Palm Sunday – Baby’s First

All kids enjoy Palm Sunday … even the babies!

I was looking forward to the longer reading – with three readers – this morning, but the shorter version was used instead.  I have never attended a Palm Sunday Mass where the short version was read; I was disappointed.  If we had known, we’d probably have made plans to attend Mass last night.  I, and my hubby, believe it’s important for the kids to experience ‘all’.  Why is there a shortened version anyway??  The palms were blessed during the final blessing, too … just not what we are ‘used to’.  It didn’t feel as celebrated or as ‘special’ as past Palm Sundays.  I miss St. Mary’s incredibly on days like today.  The bright spot is that we are meeting a few families that are such a joy and have a visible love for their faith.  I cling to that when I am disappointed.  I also pray.

Fallacies observed

 

On Sunday, a college friend voiced that ‘I must be so patient’ to be able to homeschool.  I have to admit this wasn’t the first time I’ve been told such a thing.

Then, yesterday Dash commented about how easy it is for me to ‘give up’ Dr. Pepper during Lent and he thought I ‘always’ gave it up because it was easy for me. 

But, what neither of them see is the inward struggle that is hidden from the outside.  I am NOT patient – at least I don’t view myself as patient.  I may have been patient before I had kids, but I wonder if I was tested then!!  At any rate, I have never claimed to be patient and never will.

Dash’s observation may have been closer to truth because once I set my mind to it, I can be pretty steadfast.  Some would call it a gift and some a character trait.  It is easy for me to give up ‘things’.  It’s harder to change how I feel about  or treat people and it’s harder to add to my day (especially when I’m not fully committed or it’s not my idea).  However, I wondered if that meant he thought I have never failed.  It’s dangerous to believe that our parents never fail … because they (we) do fail.  EVERY DAY I fail and sin.

Dr. Pepper isn’t the only sacrifice during my Lent, but I don’t choose to share everything I’m doing – particularly with my kids.  It’s not that I don’t want my kids to see my failures, it’s just that some ‘things’ are better left to be an interior struggle. 

So, should I let my kids see me fail in ‘my sacrifice’, let them believe I purposely chose an easy ‘sacrifice’, or choose a different visible sacrifice.  That is my question to ponder for today.

Monday DayLook – March 1, 2010

For Today: March 1, 2010


I am thankful for... Graham asking to play with tractors, which lead to Zeke finding our ‘Uncle Josh’s Outline Maps CD-ROM’ under a stack of 3 large Rubbermaid tubs - unbroken.  The little stinker who put it there should be thankful I didn’t catch ‘the little stinker’ in the act!


I am reading… ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’ … barely … at least I’m caught up on my one page a day commitment.


I am hoping... the head cold I woke up with this morn goes away just as quickly.


I am hearing... sounds of sword play from Zeke & Graham, pencil scratching and then erasing across the pages from Dash who is taking his time doing MATH.

I am wearing… comfy worn jeans and a bright orange sweat-shirt.


From the sewing/craft room (aka. laundry room!)… while checking out another resource on CurrClick – Curriculum on a Click, I found a FREE quilting magazine.  If you’re a member (and membership is free), search for ‘Cotton Spice Quilting Magazine’.  It’s absolutely cute, filled with adorable patterns, and also features quilting stories.


From the school room... Zeke finished up the dictation exercises in Sound Beginnings – he was thrilled!  He started Writing Can Help: Level A and is excited to be working toward cursive writing.  That he is excited is exciting for ME!




From the kitchen... we’ve all been enjoying home-made bread this week.  The bread machine usage has definitely increased the past couple months!


State of the house… it’s in a state and let’s leave it at that.



A successful moment… I am once again caught up on personal finance and filing!


Lenten Musings & Observations…  One of our family sacrifices is to eat from our pantry and NOT purchase any cold cereals (think Quaker Scooters, Crispy Rice, Special K, Raisin Bran, etc.) during Lent.  This might not seem like a big deal to most, but our kids get up VERY early and cereal is the easiest breakfast for the kids to prepare themselves, thus letting parents sleep until a reasonable waking hour … that’s 6:30/7:00am around here.  They’ve been very good about spreading out our pre-Lenten supply, but this past Saturday I opened the remaining box of cold cereal. 


A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: The Valley City Winter Show is this week; hubby will be attending for work.  The boys and I will head to the library while Angelina is at dance tonight.

Thursday:  I have a mtg. in Fargo this evening, so Louis and I will make the trek there and back.  Thank goodness he’s been a good traveler.

Friday/: Dash & Angelina will compete in the State 4-H crop judging contest at the Winter Show.  The youngest boys and I may go into town for the award ceremony. 

Saturday/Sunday:  If plans hold, Eric will take the oldest three skiing on Saturday.  Eric leaves Sunday afternoon for a week-long meeting … AGAIN!


A picture memory...

Wordless Wednesday - Baby's First Ash Wednesday

Craft Basket Wednesday

  Stations of the Cross: Part I

This Stations of the Cross kit from Illuminated Ink is a craft I have wanted to complete since I first saw it … and we are finally getting it done … just in time for Lent 2010!  The kids and I made it about half-way through the kit today; we hope to finish up tomorrow after the grottos are completely dried.  Zeke and Graham have done the bulk of the work up until this point (with me distributing glue where needed).  Dash and Angelina helped towards the end of the popsicle stick gluing.  Baby Louis was entertained by all the commotion throughout the project!

 

To see more Craft Baskets, check out Knit Together