Quiet about Lent

I know it seems that all I think about is knitting, but it isn't (completely) true.  I've been quiet about Lent this year.  I didn't mean to appear to ignore it. I've just been quiet about a lot of things this year. Yes, I've been writing about knitting a lot, but I have found a treasure trove of life lessons there- perserverance, generosity, etc. I found peace and prayer amidst all those stitches.

 I can't believe it's Good Friday already.  It has felt like both a long and short Lent. Does that even make sense?  Life moves pretty fast with 5 kids no matter how much I try to slow down life. I didn't do much of the reading I had planned, but I did something I've struggled with my whole life. I let myself off the hook. I didn't beat myself up for not accomplishing everything that I planned during this Lent.  This year, I didn't want to feel like I failed at Lent.  I just picked myself up, tried not to whine (too much) and acknowledged how I weak I am without Christ. I mean, that's the whole point, right? It's been successful in much smaller ways than I expected. As Lent draws to close this year, I take away, more than ever, my desperate need for Jesus in everything.

Blessed Good Friday to all my friends and family!

Ash Wednesday

May we all have a blessed and Holy Ash Wednesday. I hope that this Lenten season will bring me spiritual growth and draw me closer to Christ.

Gearing up for Lent

I'm up late again and I'm thinking about Lent. As each year passes, I appreciate the season of Lent more and more. There's something beautiful about turning away from one's self that I find more rewarding than I used to. Don't get me wrong. I think we should srtrive daily to not be self-centered, but Lent gently brings us away from our selves and helps us to focus on Christ. I always tell Luke that JOY is just an acronym for our priorities- Jesus, Others and You last. If we keep up that order, we will have JOY in our lives. The self is last. Lent also forces me to slow down and create the simplicity I desire. I really want to profit by this Lent. We've been talking about Lent over the past week and what we want to sacrifice during this time. I always thought that I should choose something different each year, but why re-invent the wheel? Last year's sacrifice was hard enough. I gave up Amazon and buying craft supplies. I know that sounds wimpy, but believe me, I check Amazon daily as part of my online ritual. I won' t be buying any new books and well, that's hard. I'm a quilter and now, a somewhat advanced beginner knitter and I love fabrics and yarns. How can I not buy any new yarn? It'll be tough especially since I have my last sock knitting class tomorrow night in a yarn shop! Oh, the temptation! Actually, I'll focus on finishing my first sock and I won't even glance at the yarn. See, my life is simpler already! I'll work on finishing the projects I've started and I won't think about any new ones until these are completed. I'm also working on a Lenten menu. I was going to post it tonight, but I keep changing some of the dishes. That will have to keep until tomorrow.

Well, I'm going to stay up a little later and work on weaving in the ends of my first knit sweater. I can't wait to post a picture of my little wallaby sweater!!! I better get to work and as I work, I'll listen to a book on my MP3 player and enjoy what's left of Shrove Tuesday.

Good Friday

"For God so loved the world, that he sent his only Son..."

See Catholicculture.org for more info about Good Friday.

Journey to the end of Winter

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I've posted anything. I've been thinking about it of course, but I just haven't found the time to sit down and post anything. Well, I probably could have found some time if Paul and I hadn't been catching up on Lost. We've only a couple more episodes to go and we'll be caught up and well that mysterious island is starting to make me crazy! Who are the Oceanic 6?

Anyway, it's been a tough Lent and it has felt longer than past Lents. You know that one book that I was going to read during Lent? I was trying so hard to simplify my Lenten journey, but I didn't even get to it. It's been on my nightstand and I only flipped through it a couple of times. The good thing is I don't feel guilty about it. Normally, I would berate myself for failing miserably during Lent, but I don't feel that way this year and that makes me happy. I'm growing! I don't have to do it all or even read the one book. We've been cooped up a lot this Winter, but the weather is slowly getting warmer, but I know not to get too excited yet. There is definitely more snow in our future, but still, it's lighter longer now and Easter is almost here!

Here's some pictures of the highlights from this winter. There's Sammy and Ella all snuggled up on the couch. I'm sure it was a pretty cold day. Aren't they so cute? Then there's the pictures of the boys in the kitchen. Sammy has asked me almost everyday if he can help cook. He says, "Mama, me cook egg." Hence, Sammy wearing the puppy chef's hat! Then there's the pics from that super warm day right before the big snow storm. Paul and Luke decided to fill the bird feeders because soon the birds will be back. Luke identified a chickadee in one of our bird feeders. After that extraordinarily warm day came the snow and here's the picture from my bedroom window.

Tonight we're going to Stations of the Cross and I'm looking forward to some time focusing on the Cross and ironically that will bring me joy.

Life's Little Joys: Friday Edition

Okay, I know I updated my blog in anticipation of Spring a little early. Oh, I know we're not out of the woods yet, but I can't help it! We had such a beautiful day today. It was absolutely gorgeous. Even though we're only half way through Lent, it feels like forever already and well today was a gift giving me the strength for the journey. It was a tiny glimpse of the good things to come. We didn't even need jackets today! I know there is much more snow in our future, but I got another tiny taste of Spring and I'm going to cherish the joy of sunshine! Father in Heaven we thank thee!

A Glimpse of Spring

Although we're expecting some snow this evening and it will return our landscape to it's Wintery white, I saw my first glimpse of Spring today. It's coming!! There was just something different about today, something hopeful and joyful. It's no wonder that Lent begins in Winter and ends in the Spring with Christ rising from the dead.

Anyway, we're enjoying our current read-aloud, Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge. It's really too bad that most of her books are out of print. I've got a handful of her adult novels and I'm looking forward to savoring each one. Now, I'm enjoying the adventures of the Linnet children living with their Uncle Ambrose. Uncle Ambrose professes to dislike children, but we know that the opposite is true. As a home educator, I'm intrigued by Uncle Ambrose's declaration that the children must be educated! There's a beautiful narrative of their first day as Uncle Ambrose proclaims that, "Education is a mosaic of beauty." I haven't stopped thinking about that phrase. I like it!

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. Wow, it's really early this year. I still have a few Christmas items to put away. Luke and I didn't even finish reading A Christmas Carol until the middle of January. Now, the Dickens novel sits on my nightstand awaiting me to put it in the Christmas books box. We finally found that missing ornament behind some cookbooks. Take a wild guess who could have done that. It drove me crazy that the cute little carved wooden squirrel ornament that Sammy had received for St. Nicholas day had vanished. So, it seems that there are still some Christmas items that need my attention.

Although I knew that Lent would be starting early this year, It still snuck up on me and I found myself unprepared. A few days ago, I started thinking about what I would be giving up this year. As we began the new year, we went on what we call super-saver mode and I promised my hubby that I would not buy any books during the month of January while we made some financial goals. That was tough. So, I thought I would continue on that path for Lent, but this time I would stay away from Amazon and other booksites altogether. I use Amazon extensively to research new books, new topics, new hobbies, etc. Right now, my current obsession is knitting and I've been looking at many knitting books. I will have to stay away from real bookstores as well! So, I thought a little harder and thought I might extend this book fast to include knitting supplies and beautiful yarns. I am a beginner anyway. How can I possibly use up that much yarn in 40 days?? After thinking this through last night, I made one last little purchase (it wasn't all for me!). After thinking about this, I saw this post in a couple of different places and it made me think...a lot. I started pondering how relevant this is to my thoughts on de-cluttering and not adding anything more for a while. I felt that this post came at the right time. I've felt overwhelmed lately, but somehow I kept adding more things (to read, to think about, to do, to study, etc). I want and need to de-clutter my brain as well as my home. Lent is the perfect time for that. It's a time to cast out all the bad and keep only what is good and beautiful. I read these following words over and over trying to absorb them so I could apply them to my life. I want to profit by this Lenten season and in these words I believe I've found the key!

"Almost all of my successes in life have come because I do less than other people not more. I realized this the other day. I am not one of those whirling women impressing the luncheon guests. If I have less of a garden and less of a house and less curricula, fewer hobbies, fewer errands, smaller expectations I accomplish more. "

I figured that during these forty days of Lent, I could slow down, turn inward and have well, way more room for God because I've cleaned out and de-cluttered the space. Isn't it ironic that by slowing down and simplifying, I might just accomplish more? So, as I enter Lent, I find myself happier that I will be taking a break from so many of the wonderful things out there, but truly making room for the King of kings in my heart. Those wonderful things will still be there to be discovered, but now is a time for reflection and prayer.

By the way, this is the one book I chose for daily prayer and meditation during Lent.

Have a blessed Lent!