But, yeah, I mean it. Our oldest is 15 years old, I mean 15 years "young". ;) So we have been doing this Lenting thing as a family for quite some time. That doesn't mean I'm getting old, does it? Nah - I'm forever young. We have many traditions that we have carried through many years. These traditions bond us and shape us as a family. They help form our faith and plans for different seasons of the Liturgical year. And for some reason, I'm always "longing for Lent". So ready to begin. Not that I'm 100% ready and set up and prepared to begin. But my heart and soul is ready to jump in. Same with my kids. They can't wait. Even with the giving up of things - tv time, electronics, sweets, coffee, pop, etc... and doing/giving more, they are ready to jump right in and surprise me with their sacrifices each year. These sweet kids have a heart to give. A heart to love. And a heart to sacrifice. The Holy Spirit dwells so beautifully and shines during Lent - in the love, sacrifice, and family bonding.
So, what do we do? Let me share a "few"...
CROWN OF THORNS
**pictures and tutorial found here of how to make a table top display and tool for keeping track of our Lenten sacrifices
REPENT CROSS WITH HANDPRINTS AND LENTEN CALENDAR
**We make the large cross out of brown constructions paper and tape it to a door or wall. Each family member traces their hand on construction paper, cuts it out, writes their Lenten promises on it, and tapes it to the cross. We also hang up some printable Lenten calendars, where the kids color a square each day of Lent, counting down the days to Easter.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
**Multiple times a week, we march around the house with flashlights and pray the Stations. The Stations we use are these posters and they are hung up throughout the house, so we can march from room to room as we pray them.
JESUS TREE
**You can buy a kit here to make this beautiful Jesus Tree felt tree and ornaments, which ends up being a Family Lenten Bible Study - starts at Genesis and leads up to the Death and Ressurection of Our Lord
Two days of Lent have came and have passed. Only 38 days left, eh? How are you doing? Holding strong to all those commitments you have made? Me? ....I'm already WAY behind. WAY behind our normal every year plans, anyways. But I'm right on schedule with what He wants us to be doing so far this year.
You see, we've been celebrating Lent in our domestic church here for many years and we've developed many traditions. We have kept almost all of them, and have added a new one every couple years. So it adds up to a lot of things that we do. A lot of things to get set up and started all at once. This year, I've just let things happen slower. Other years, I have had things all ready the weekend before Ash Wednesday, so when that day hits everything is good to go. I can't even tell you why I didn't do that this year, other than God has allowed a slower beginning. And, that's ok. I'm fine with that....
We have our Crown of Thorns on our table and many thorns have already been removed. We even had a sweet friend's daughters come over and we made one for their family. (my dear friend is on semi-bed rest because her babe-in-womb is attempting to make an early arrival, and while people sign up to bring meals to help, I"m better at providing on the "soul-food" end. Hence the Crown of Thorns for them to guide them in their Lenten path)
But here's where I am at with setting up our Lenten REPENT cross and printed calendars and handprints... (so touched though when the four big kids took the time on their own to create lists of their Lenten plan, since I didn't have the cross and hands ready to go)
Our devotions and books? Got it down and I'm two for two with the Pope Francis daily devotionaland writing our plans on our whiteboard. Haven't even started the Pope Francis Mercy bookyet though - doh! Cramming will be happening this weekend as our actual study group starts meeting next week....
Our Jesus Tree? Have it hung, but haven't even dug our beautiful felt ornaments out from the basement yet. Gosh, I sure hope I can find where I hid them from myself from last year's Lent... ++St. Anthony, please intercede!++
I am Skirting It Up for Lent again this year. Kinda last minute, might I add. I did this two years ago and really wasn't planning on it this year, but on Ash Wednesday morning a Sweet Whisper encouraged me to do so. So I gave my fiat and will act in obedience. Two of my girls also agreed to join me on this one. Here we are for our first two days...
(and just a warning, although I will be posting and sharing pics for accoutability on FB and IG, many of my outfits will be repeats, as my wardrobe is pretty limited and simple. I'm just not a fancy girl...)
Our Stations posters had to be replaced this year. And they... well... are still in the package, waiting to be hung. And prayed. (we try to pray this a couple times each week, marching around the house with flashlights in hand and with the lights off/dimmed - such a neat tradition!!)
And there are SO many awesome Lent videos out there to watch that I haven't even turned on yet for the kids, nor watched myself...
And, this is all okay! Why? Because we are not perfect. Nor expected to be perfect.
We "are dust and to dust" we "shall return"
We give our yes, our fiat, on Ash Wednesday to walk with Him throughout these forty days. With open hearts, we give to Him our imperfections, our failings, trusting He will shine forth His own Life within us even brighter and bring us to an even closer Life with Him. He can do amazing things just by our willing, obedient, and joyful openness of our heart, mind and will.
We sure had fun carrying on the tradition of celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas this year! What fun it is to live liturgically!! :)
Here's a peek at our Twelve Days...
First day
Second day
Third day
Fourth Day
Fifth Day
Sixth Day
Seventh Day
Eighth Day
Ninth Day
Tenth Day
Eleventh Day
Twelfth Day
We'll most likely keep celebrating by listening to Christmas music and keeping up our decorations (including our tree) until February 2nd, which is Candlemas.
++Thank you, Lord, for the joy and fun and memories made by living liturgically!++
People think that because I homeschool. Because I have a crew of kids. A crew of happy, sweet, good kids. Because I seem happy. And always seem to have a smile on my face. Because I am joyful. That I am some sort of super mom, super woman. Golly, I wish I could take that credit and award!! But, no such luck.
I have had to learn many things....
You must have limits!! You must say "no" to many things. Many good things. Many amazing educational opportunities. Many cool field trips. No. No. No. Because if I say "yes" to it all, then I am saying "no" to something else.
As a mom/homeschooler, my number one priority is to serve God and my family as a wife and a mother. I have been called to homeschool, so this is also added to my plate. These things must come first. Nowhere does it say that I must send my kids to every single education opportunity, go to every field trip, or even leave the house daily to go to daily Mass or adoration. You see, my biggest "secret" for getting it all done is to STAY HOME. That's right, if I'm gone every single day, or multiple times a day, who is going to teach my kids? Who is going to do the grading? Who is going to do my laundry? Who is going to do the cleaning? Who is going to keep things tidy? Who is going to cook the food? Who is going to do the dishes? ....no one!! It is my job to keep things running smoothly on the homefront. My job to keep up with the house and homeschooling and keep things running running peacefully and smoothly.
So when the world starts spinning and my house is starting to fall apart. Mountains of laundry. Bellies filled with too much fast food and junk food. Grading days and days behind. My head so much in a fog that I don't know up from down, left from right. Then I know it's time to scale back and STAY HOME more! My kids need me. My house needs order. (not perfection, I must add, but enough of an order where we can all focus clearly without the mess starting to sink into our souls and making our head and hearts spin, and taking away every ounce of peace that once was)
This fall has been the busiest we have ever had. I am so so so grateful that it is done and the busyness is over. It was a huge blessing to offer our kids so many great opportunities. But I quickly realized that this is the busiest I want things to be. I don't want to go beyond the number of activities we had. We not only ran almost every day, but we ran multiple directions in the evening. Barely had one or two family meals during the week. Laundry and the house, thankfully, didn't fall apart. But it was enough of a "split" feeling, that I know I want less of that and more simple from here on out. These kids will grow too fast. I don't want them to remember all the running and craziness and rushing. I want them to remember our home. That haven of peace. And joy. And love. The place where they spend most of their time. And have the best of memories there.
A very good and holy priest friend of ours encouraged us that staying home and living fully in our Domestic Church is what we need to be doing. We cannot miss these opportunities for holiness in the most simple of moments. Eating family dinners and being together is such a grace-filled time. He shared with us that staying home and being together is a lot more important than doing everything and being in every single sport and activity. Satan wants to rob us of these holy moments by constantly making us be on the run. Sometimes we just need to say no, and ground ourselves at home.
