I can’t believe Lent starts next week. It always sneaks up on me after Christmas and for those who don’t know what Lent is, well it’s the 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. For me it always starts on Shrove Tuesday when we make (and enjoy pancakes). This year I thought I’d write a few posts on Lent as it’s a wonderful time for mums to start family traditions that you keep each year. And the kids love and look forward to them. I love that I can take my big kids to stations of the cross these days because I remember a time when one of us would go or when I’d sit outside for most of the 3pm Good Friday service which was so solemn and I had 3 monkeys under the age of 3 who were not so solemn.
My advice when it comes to traditions though is to just incorporate one or two new things each year. And it’s ok to let some things go too if they aren’t working for you.
Each Lent and for as long as I can remember I have given something up. This year it won’t be chocolate but will be my personal facebook habits. Edited to add that I lasted one week off my personal facebook page and totally fell off the wagon around my birthday. Trying from today to give it up again.
A few things we have incorporated into our family traditions the last few years are
Going to mass/church during the week (you might not believe this but my littlest ones are so much better at weekday mass and have some lovely ladies to smile at)
Confession even if it’s been way too long (I’m going to write a post on this)
Say the rosary (I love this app on my iPhone and it’s great for the car)
Join a lenten group at your church or a group that you’ve been meaning to join but just haven’t got around to
Do some volunteering
40 bags of stuff out of your house in 40 days
Read your bible each day
Instead of buying food out and takeaway putting the money in our Project Compassion box (or give to charity)
Not eating meat on Fridays and not just Good Friday (it’s lovely to continue the traditions that we grew up with)
Fill up your social media with positive and Christian messages
So why not go beyond giving up chocolate and think of what you are going to do this Lent to make it more special than last year. Love to hear what you are thinking about……………….
That is a lovely post = well done = so no personal Facebook at all? Tough! But it can be done and you will no doubt find amazing time/energy release happening! I was thinking – “thinking” still – of no mindless iPhone screen for me on weekends, other than necessary jobs , and weekdays when my kids are home i.e. before and after school week days no phone screen – spend more time with them, or alongside them reading a book or games or just interacting. To do that I will log out of the Facebook app on phone too so there is no automatic grab and look which is too easy to do!
Pope Francis apparently wrote a rousing post on Confession recently – our sacramental team leader shared it with all the parents but I forget het link no doubt google what he had to say and it will be good! Thanks for the reminder post = sure does rock up quickly! Oh and for sharing Caritas box idea.
I’m going to follow the lent study book made by she reads truth. I love their resources and how it helps me to take time to reflect on the real meaning of Easter rather than the crazy!
No FB will be a tough one. My kids are really dedicated with what they give up. My son has a special relationship with mayonnaise. Yes, you read that right. He LOVES it a lot, even spreads it on his toast. He managed to give it up for the whole of lent last year. So proud of him and his commitment.
I’m going to try the 40 bags for 40 days this year.
Gosh Lent already. You’ve got me thinking now. I will plan to attend prayer group every week at school. Its a lovely little group of parents who get together to read through the little prayers the kids have placed into the class prayer box each week. We then say a prayer for each class and mention some of the common themes that come up. As for giving something up, your Facebook one is a good one. My little addictions are chocolate and wine. I will have to try and pick one to give up. So hard.
I think giving up on FB might be a good idea. I find I can spend far too much time on it, and I always wonder what else I might have been doing with my time if I never logged on. I probably wouldn’t have that pile of ironing…
Good on you Corrie. I deleted the app off my phone at the beginning of the year thinking it would solve my fb addiction but I found myself just logging in anyway through my browser. Bad me
Good on you Corrie. I deleted the app off my phone at the beginning of the year thinking it would solve my fb addiction but I found myself just logging in anyway through my browser. Bad me
Now we are starting our homeschool year I have deactivated my account to keep myself focused on my kids.
You are so right about what else you can do with that time!! Studying my bible more, reading the bible to my children more, knitting, crafting, and it feels so good to know I’m being more productive and not zoning out on FB
Great post!!
Cassandra xx
I spend wayyyy too much time on FB too, but I don’t observe lent. Just a suggestion, but I think if you want your blog to be more inclusive, you might want to consider asking people not: what are you giving up for lent but if they observe lent or something similar to lent.
Beautiful post Retromummy !!! x
Love this post Corrie. I am giving up FB and sugar. I could with the extra enrgy and more time i will gain from not wasting time on both. Love the 40 bags in 40 days, have started this last weekend without realising it – there are 8 bags at the front door ready for vinnies! x
Of all the posts for my first comment I probably shouldn’t start with this one, but… 40 bags! I must be naive as I am kind of shocked people have that much stuff to begin with.
I love the idea of 40 bags of stuff in 40 days! We accumulate so much and it crowds our lives. Much better to give it away