The time of year that brings fear to my heart because I'm never quiet sure what methods God will use to get me to grow! I know I shouldn't view it that way, but I also know that I am not the only one out there who does! Lent is a time for simplifying your life so that you can spend more time praying and reflecting and repenting. It seems that our Lenten simplifying always revolves around food. A few years ago we decided try something different in the food area and we picked six meals that we would serve all throughout Lent (with Sunday being a free day). For example, this year we picked a baked chicken dish to eat every Monday, tacos to eat every Tuesday, etc. We found that this did a couple of things. One, it took away some of the focus and importance on what we were eating. Two, it made shopping and cooking much simpler, and three, by the end of six weeks we were pretty sick of those meals and had a new appreciation for variety in cooking! I have friends who have gone completely meatless for all of Lent. That wouldn't work in this house because I am not that friendly with beans and would end up cooking pasta for six weeks, thus causing my family to become addicted to carbohydrates.
I think the most important thing that I have learned about Lent is this: go ahead and make your plans, decide what you are going to give up and what you are going to do better, set aside more time for worthy projects, but in the end, don't be surprised when God throws in His idea of what your Lent should be like!
God Bless!
P.S. One of the things I like about Lent is the curious stares you get from people when your kids yell out "Mom, Grandma said the A word!"
...and when you shout out, "Mom, we CAN'T watch 'The Sound of Music!" they say the "A" word three times at the begining!"
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