Lent is fast approaching!

Feast of Saint Theodore Stratelates

It seems hard to believe that Lent starts in just a few days. Wasn't it just Christmas? (Don't look, but my tree is still up - LOL) I am looking forward to Lent. Many look at me like I am from Mars when I say that (ok, so more so than usual), because why would anyone look forward to 40 days of doing penance? It is because penance is good! That's right folks, and I will say it again - PENANCE IS GOOD! It is like giving your soul a bath - sin is the nasty, grimy, sticky dirt; penance is the bath brush you use to scrub it all off. The saints are best at telling why penance & suffering is good for the soul, and will post some info on that later. Please feel free to post what you know.

Lent is also a time of preparation for Easter. A time to prepare our homes & more importantly our souls, for the coming of Christ. What are you going to do? It is not just about giving something up, but also about DOING something. Here is a great blog entry to get you started - Living the Loveliness of Lent. Another blog - dedicated to Lent - These Forty Days.

Other ideas-
***Read a book to your children - I think I am going to attempt Introduction to the Devout Life by Saint Francis DeSales. There is no way we can get through all of it during Lent, but at least we can get started. It is an easy book to read, but requires a lot of thinking to read it properly.
***Start a prayer that will be included in your daily prayers. For us, it would be to become regular at saying the whole Rosary. For others it may be saying the Divine Office.
***Our local homeschool group is helping with a shoebox drive for abuse victims.

Please share some ideas you may have!

And don't forget your penance - and I am not sure how much it counts if you give up something easy. One year I gave up soda pop, and was it ever so hard! I never wanted it so bad as when I could not have it! I haven't had soda in a few years now, so giving it up for Lent now does not count. One year my son gave up his Game Boy, and it was all his idea! Me? I think I will give up sweets this year - cookies, cakes, candies, even sugar in my coffee! I am not sure what my children have in mind. We will discuss it tomorrow. What are you giving up?

By the way. Queen Lucy's birthday is next week - yes, during Lent, and a Friday during Lent. So she had her party last night - her first slumber party. They were not up too late, and got up at a normal time this morning. But they sure did eat a lot! Gee whiz! LOL! Oh, and King Peter was gone - this was a "girls only" event. As my daughter says "Girls rule and boys drool!"