LENT LENT IT'S TIME TO REPENT...

When I brought up Lent the other day, my son randomly starting singing this old favorite from "THE DOGMA DOGS". I had completely forgotten about it! You can listen to the whole song here.

http://www.thedogmadogs.com/listen--buy.html

My kids loved all these fun songs when they were little!! 

Looking for some inspiration, I asked a few friends for suggestions for the Lent. I'm sharing those plus a few others that have come across my path. 

#1 My friend, Colleen, recommended the book "Divine Intimacy". It has a hefty price tag, but seems like it will be well worth the price. I am not sure I can purchase it right this minute, but it is now on my list. I cannot believe that I have never heard of this book before. 

This is the description from the website: 

This Book of Meditations is a classic and is seeped in Carmelite spirituality. For every day it offers two meditations, in liturgical arrangement, that enable the soul to enter the conscious presence of God and to reflect on the theme of the day. These are followed by a ‘Colloquy’ that helps the person at prayer to start a friendly conversation with God where acts of praise and love, petition and thanksgiving are made, together with good resolutions for the future. Here we are at the very heart of prayer, which is a heart-to-heart encounter in faith with the living God.

https://www.baroniuspress.com/book.php?wid=56&bid=48#tab=tab-1

Doesn't that sound AWESOME?

#2 Another suggestion from Colleen is the "Put on Love" lenten journal by Elizabeth Foss. This one is a little more in my price range, so I am actually going to order it when I am done with this post! :) It is no longer available in hard copy but you can get the digital download. 

From the description of the journal: "This journal has daily scripture, daily essays written by Elizabeth Foss, daily calls-to-action, as well as journaling space to reflect on what you’ve read and prayed."

https://blessedisshe.net/product/put-on-love-lenten-journal-download/

#3 My friend, Char, suggested watching the movie "The Face of Mercy" narrated by Jim Cavielzel. It looks so good!!! And it will be perfect to watch during Lent and especially wonderful as we look toward Divine Mercy Sunday. 

https://faceofmercyfilm.com/about/

#4 I plan to subscribe to Dynamic Catholic's "Best Lent Ever". I was very excited when I saw this series (short videos emailed daily to your inbox during lent) is based on the book "Resisting Happiness". Several parishes in our area gave this book out as a Christmas gift to their parishioners, and I have one of those copies. I started reading it and loved it, so am looking forward to being inspired even further. 

http://dynamiccatholic.com/bestlentever/

#5 My friend, Sue, is watching The Speaker Room videos with her family and highly recommends them for Lent. 

http://thespeakroom.org/category/media/

#6 Some YouTube videos to help you prepare- 

"Fr. Mike explains how prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the three pillars of a spiritually fruitful Lent. He then challenges us to try new ways to exercise these Lenten practices, sharing several simple strategies for drawing closer to God during this holy season." (from YouTube description)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qDG51cl9gY (very short- good to watch with preteen/teen kids.)

Dr. Pitre on the biblical roots of Ash Wednesday. 

https://youtu.be/2vnGEJHg05E (a bit longer- recommended by my sister-in-law)

#8 I've enjoyed Bishop Robert Barron's Lent Reflections in the past and I am sure will this year too. 

http://www.lentreflections.com/

#9 If you have little ones you HAVE to do this!! Holy Heroes are super easy to use and free. I miss my kids being little (not mostly, but sometimes ;)). 

http://www.holyheroes.com/Holy-Heroes-Lenten-Adventure-s/37.htm

Whew. That's all I have for now. :) 

  

Advent Day 2

BE BORED.

1. While standing in line, sitting in the waiting room, waiting for kids, ... don't pick up the phone. No email, text, instagram, facebook!

2. Take a deep breath instead. Really deep.

3. Say the name of Jesus 3X (in your head unless you want people to think your crazy ;)).

4. Smile. At the cashier, assistant, the lady behind you in line. Just smile. From my favorite movie: "It improves face value".

Take a time away from the constant pull to interact with that handheld device! 

88 Weary

My father-in-law was a sergeant in the tank division under Patton in WWII. His tank was called 88 weary because those who were in those tanks were weary of the German 88 millimeter anti-tank artillery gun. My husband tells of his dad sharing that they had to keep on the move to keep from getting a hole blown right through the tank. 

Now this might seem like a stretch, but what keeps playing in mind is how weary I am. How weary so many moms I know are. They are constantly maneuvering to keep from having that hole blown through their tank.

Those moms I know are dealing with chronically ill children- they are weary from worrying about how to dodge the next bullet, find the right specialist, and about not missing that important piece of information that might be key. 

Or they are taking care of their elder parents in addition to parenting and homeschooling. What if they don’t call every day and their 95-year-old father decides he is going to something fullhardy like picking a water heater Home Depot just days after he had hernia surgery? How do you keep moving to avert disaster? Can you? When do you completely melt down under the pressure?

I find myself more and more feeling like one of those tanks with holes shot right through me. I am damaged. I am not able to continue. How God? How can I do this? I trust you, but I don’t TRUST you.

I don’t have all the answers, but I did get a bit of blessed relief today when talking a friend in our homeschool group. Like a sip of cool water on a hot day, her words lifted me up.

Sitting in our mom chairs while the kids all played, we talked. She reminded me of so many things: 

Start the day with prayer. 

It’s okay if you start a rosary only to get interrupted. 

Finish it later.  

Or not.  

Just starting is better than not. 

Turn to the Holy Spirit. 

Leave quiet for the Holy Spirit to talk to you. 

Pray each day for a docile and humble spirit.

She was not preaching. Just talking about her own struggles and concerns, but sprinkled with the hope of things that can be done to shore our battle weary selves up.

NOTE: I wrote this post months ago but for some reason never hit publish. Came across it today and needed to hear it myself!! So here goes... publish. 

Nun's Prayer

Heard this read on Catholic radio the other day. I think it's my new daily prayer! Amazing that all these years later that a prayer can be so univerally fitting. 

Seventeenth Century Nun's Prayer

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will some day be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of other's pains, but help me to endure them with patience. I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint-some of them are so hard to live with-but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the Devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Amen.

Anonymous

Perfect Love

Heard at Mass....

During his years at our parish, an elderly priest talked about his own father a few times during his homilies. Through this sharing, the impression was that his situation with his dad had been one of those truly awful situations. There was no love there.

One day, this same priest offered that he was healed of much of his hurt when he began to ask God to fill in the love that he needed from his earthly father, yet never received.

This was an "aha!" moment for me. As a mom of adult children, I realize how often my love fell short. Even when it did not fall short through any neglect on my part, I can see now that my love often fell short of what my child needed at the time.

This gave birth to a new prayer for me- "God, please fill in the love that my children needed but did not get from me".

It is okay that I failed my children at times. They are okay. There are no perfect earthly parents. Only God can offer that perfect love.

So, I pray that I give my children daily the love that they need, and that God's grace and love fill in what I am unable to provide.