Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
The Beginnings of Holy Week
On Sunday we were blessed with a "down-time" day. As my husband said, "Why is it that we yearn for days like this for weeks on end and then when we get one, we get irritated that we haven't done anything?" My answer: the devil. Dissatisfaction being stirred up in us for no reason. After that, we both chilled and put on some music and had a dance party with the kids. Turned out to be a very nice day. I'm always so grateful when we can spend a whole day with all of our children and have fun together.
Our school week will end with the close of the day on Wednesday when we will begin to truly enter into the holiest days of the year. Traditionally we go to the Holy Thursday Mass and then stop at a church or two afterwards for Adoration. This year, since our new parish is in a more populated area, we will have the opportunity to visit all seven churches that tradition dictates. Add to that our homemade pretzels to snack on between visits and it should shape up to be a nice evening.
On Friday our parish has it's Good Friday service at 3:00. This parish has a fish fry afterwards, complete with desserts, but we've decided that would be too much of a temptation for us so we'll just come home and have our own fish fry (well, maybe more likely boxed fish fillets thrown in the oven). Egg decorating will be the order of the evening.
Saturday has typically been a preparatory day for us. We have Easter bread to bake and a house to clean since we will be hosting Easter dinner.
As difficult as it may be sometimes, I love this week of the year. There's nothing to do except focus on what the Lord has done for us out of His great love. We turn off the electronics and focus on the silence until that great day, Easter, when we can shout for joy "Alle....". I love that part!
So as I transition my music from Maroon 5 (love that new song!) to Theodore Dubuois' "Seven Last Words of Christ" (although I have to warn against doing this too quickly as it is quite a shock to the system) and move into a more off-line mentality, I want to wish you all a very blessed Holy Week and a Joyous Easter!
God Bless!
Our school week will end with the close of the day on Wednesday when we will begin to truly enter into the holiest days of the year. Traditionally we go to the Holy Thursday Mass and then stop at a church or two afterwards for Adoration. This year, since our new parish is in a more populated area, we will have the opportunity to visit all seven churches that tradition dictates. Add to that our homemade pretzels to snack on between visits and it should shape up to be a nice evening.
On Friday our parish has it's Good Friday service at 3:00. This parish has a fish fry afterwards, complete with desserts, but we've decided that would be too much of a temptation for us so we'll just come home and have our own fish fry (well, maybe more likely boxed fish fillets thrown in the oven). Egg decorating will be the order of the evening.
Saturday has typically been a preparatory day for us. We have Easter bread to bake and a house to clean since we will be hosting Easter dinner.
As difficult as it may be sometimes, I love this week of the year. There's nothing to do except focus on what the Lord has done for us out of His great love. We turn off the electronics and focus on the silence until that great day, Easter, when we can shout for joy "Alle....". I love that part!
So as I transition my music from Maroon 5 (love that new song!) to Theodore Dubuois' "Seven Last Words of Christ" (although I have to warn against doing this too quickly as it is quite a shock to the system) and move into a more off-line mentality, I want to wish you all a very blessed Holy Week and a Joyous Easter!
God Bless!
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Don't Forget!
For those of you about to leave the internet for Lent, don't forget to sign up for the Catholic Conference for Moms that will be held March 6th thru the 9th. It is free to sign up and it will be a great weekend full of talks and inspiration. What a great thing to do for Lent!
Registration is free and by registering, you will receive reminders via email, as well as links to the talks. You can even win prizes!!
So, in case we won't see each other for awhile, I suggest you go over there right now and register!
God Bless!
Monday, February 9, 2015
Lent - Is it Sneeking Up on You, Too??
So many things going on right now. This past weekend we had our Father/Daughter Ball and I, being the photographer, took 791 pictures of the loveliest ladies and their dads. Of course, that now means that I have to sort through and edit those 791 pictures...and share them, of course!
On Sunday, I then went and did an engagement photo shoot and took another 240 pictures. It was a gray day, but the pictures turned out great. That means, however, that I have another 240 pictures to sort through and edit.
Then I remembered that I'm giving a talk tomorrow night to a local MOPS group...on the importance of schedules, no less. Aghhh! Thank goodness for Adoration and Divine Inspiration to help me get that into some semblance of order.
And then it hit me. Ash Wednesday is next week. That means Lent and penance and some kind of a plan. I try not to plan too much for Lent, but then on the other hand, if I don't plan at all, I waste this valuable time.
One thing I know that I will be doing is participating in the Catholic Conference for Moms. It is an online conference full of wonderful Catholic speakers who will rejuvenate your spirit. There are some great talks lined up and the best part is (well, really there are TWO best parts) that it is FREE and you can listen to the talks wherever and whenever you want to. All you have to do is sign up and they'll email you reminders and links to the talks. They're even giving away prizes. You can go here to register. Then go and mark it on your calendar so that you don't forget to make it part of your Lenten journey.
If you miss some of the talks or you want to listen to them again, you'll have the chance to purchase the conference package after the conference weekend. Rumor has it that I'll even have a discount code to give you, so stay tuned for that one.
The way that life speeds by, I hope you'll take some time to slow down, listen to some great talks, and really feed your soul during Lent. Now get going and register!
God Bless!
By the way, these are NOT affiliate links.
On Sunday, I then went and did an engagement photo shoot and took another 240 pictures. It was a gray day, but the pictures turned out great. That means, however, that I have another 240 pictures to sort through and edit.
Then I remembered that I'm giving a talk tomorrow night to a local MOPS group...on the importance of schedules, no less. Aghhh! Thank goodness for Adoration and Divine Inspiration to help me get that into some semblance of order.
And then it hit me. Ash Wednesday is next week. That means Lent and penance and some kind of a plan. I try not to plan too much for Lent, but then on the other hand, if I don't plan at all, I waste this valuable time.
One thing I know that I will be doing is participating in the Catholic Conference for Moms. It is an online conference full of wonderful Catholic speakers who will rejuvenate your spirit. There are some great talks lined up and the best part is (well, really there are TWO best parts) that it is FREE and you can listen to the talks wherever and whenever you want to. All you have to do is sign up and they'll email you reminders and links to the talks. They're even giving away prizes. You can go here to register. Then go and mark it on your calendar so that you don't forget to make it part of your Lenten journey.
If you miss some of the talks or you want to listen to them again, you'll have the chance to purchase the conference package after the conference weekend. Rumor has it that I'll even have a discount code to give you, so stay tuned for that one.
The way that life speeds by, I hope you'll take some time to slow down, listen to some great talks, and really feed your soul during Lent. Now get going and register!
God Bless!
By the way, these are NOT affiliate links.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
A Blessed Ash Wednesday To You
I pray that your Lent may be fruitful for you. We had our paczki's last night (can I just tell you that Ms 18 yo and I ordered a fudge ones and when we got them home and got all set to eat them, we realized they gave us PRUNE ones! The horror of it all!!) and then the kids remembered that they still had to color their ALL*L*I* pictures (it's Lent now, so I can't type the whole word out) and hide them. Then I remembered I hadn't printed out our favorite Lenten calendar from over at Catholic Icing so I did that. I think that now we are all ready to begin. Well, except for the fact that I'm still missing two meals for our meal plan. Oh well, it will come in time.
Have a blessed day and I'll be around here this Lent for those of you who haven't sworn off the internet for 40 days.
God Bless!
Have a blessed day and I'll be around here this Lent for those of you who haven't sworn off the internet for 40 days.
God Bless!
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Happy Fat Tuesday!
Here we are on the eve of Lent. Even though it is coming later this year, I still can't believe it is already here. We've been plotting and planning these past few days about what our Lent will look like. Thankfully the retreat helped me to clarify some things, so planning won't be as difficult as I thought.
We usually do a meal thing where we eat the same meals for all of Lent. We're still working on the details, but so far we have quiche on Monday, baked chicken on Tuesday and soup/salad/bread on Wednesday. We're still looking for a good meal for Fridays; Pintrest should come in handy for that. It is very difficult to plan good, wholesome, meals that don't cost a fortune, that you want to eat 6 times in a row. I guess some people do this all the time, but we tend to like variety in our food, so this is definitely penance for us.
Before Lent begins, however, we will be fulfilling our Fat Tuesday requirement of eating our paczkis! Mine this year is fudge filled! There is a touch of sadness in our paczki eating this year, however, because dh's dad is the one who would get them for us and this year dh had to pick them up without him. Here's to you Dad D., hope you're enjoying heavenly paczkis this year!
May each and everyone of you have a good start to your Lent this year.
God Bless!
We usually do a meal thing where we eat the same meals for all of Lent. We're still working on the details, but so far we have quiche on Monday, baked chicken on Tuesday and soup/salad/bread on Wednesday. We're still looking for a good meal for Fridays; Pintrest should come in handy for that. It is very difficult to plan good, wholesome, meals that don't cost a fortune, that you want to eat 6 times in a row. I guess some people do this all the time, but we tend to like variety in our food, so this is definitely penance for us.
Before Lent begins, however, we will be fulfilling our Fat Tuesday requirement of eating our paczkis! Mine this year is fudge filled! There is a touch of sadness in our paczki eating this year, however, because dh's dad is the one who would get them for us and this year dh had to pick them up without him. Here's to you Dad D., hope you're enjoying heavenly paczkis this year!
May each and everyone of you have a good start to your Lent this year.
God Bless!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Keep Love In Lent
"I’m participating in the Keeping LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013, hosted by
Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints, Truly Rich Mom and Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families.
We'll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life
experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices, prayer and
good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE.
Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of link-up
entries.”
By mid-day on Ash Wednesday, I was curled up on the couch in terrible pain; not quite the start to Lent I had planned.
Planned...it's always good to have a plan for Lent, but I know from experience that when God has another plan it is always better for His plan to override mine. So for the next three days I tried to be patient and ride out the worst of the stomach flu that hit me. I was not able to do one of the things that I had set out to do thus far, and up to that point I was okay with it. I mean, really, it was only the first three days of Lent and there were still 37 more to go; more than enough time to make up ground.
What hit me out of the blue, however, was the wave of despair that got me the other night. The kind that snaps the rug right out from under you. The kind that makes doing anything feel like it will take a Herculean effort. One of the books on the reading list I had planned was "Drinking From the Dry Well" by Thomas H Green, so in a way I've been preparing for this, but it never is easy when it hits.
So how does one even think of beginning 36 more days of prayer and sacrifice and penance when the ground underneath is so dry that the cracks are big enough to swallow up small children? Well, one way is to drag oneself to that great Sacrament of Reconciliation; the font of God's mercy. The vessel of grace that allows us a small enough drop of consolation that we can begin to feel like loving instead of grumbling. Oh, it's still hard, sometimes almost impossible, to continue to love and not grumble, but God's mercy is endless and HIS Love is great, and so each day allows us another opportunity to begin again.
I've heard numerous times over the past week that Lent isn't about what we give up or what we do but about how it all brings us closer to God. That's what I'm trying to focus on right now. That, and living in the present moment, which is really all that we have.
How about you? Has your Lent started off on the right foot or are you finding it difficult and dry? If that's the case, how do you deal with it?
Check out the Lent reflections participating in
the Keep LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013! We'll be sharing different ways, tips,
stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices,
prayer and good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a
GRUMBLE.
Discover new Catholic Blogs to follow!
God Bless!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Are You Ready for Extreme Holiness?
"To change the world, we must change ourselves." St. Frances de Sales.
I read this quote the other night and it caught my attention. Little did I know that I would be waking up the next morning to news of the Pope's resignation. Everyone speculating why and what would come next. Is there scandal? Is he sick? Who will the next Pope be? Will this be the last Pope? Is the anti-Christ coming?
So many questions. So few answers.
But, is there a connection between the questions and the worry and the fretting, and the quote at the top? I believe there is. It is so easy to get caught up in all of the worry about where we are headed, when in reality all we are called to be is holy. If we focus on that, especially with Lent right upon us, maybe we can change the world, no matter who the next Pope is or what he does, or doesn't do?
God is calling us, right now, on the threshold of 40 days of prayer, penance and almsgiving to change ourselves so that we can begin to change the world. St. Frances also said, "To be dissatisfied and fret about the world, when we must of necessity be in it, is a great temptation." I figure I can spend the next 6 weeks fretting about the world and what is to become of it, or I can pull up my bootstraps and work on making myself into a holier person.
Maybe it is good that Pope Benedict announced this right before Lent. We can use this time, with its prayers and penances, to pray that the Holy Spirit will prevail and we will be blessed with another good and holy man that will lead us into the new springtime!
So what say you? Are you ready for Lent? Are you ready to transform yourself over the next 40 days into a person that can help transform the world? Hey, we can even give it a name and call it H40X - 40 days to Extreme Holiness! Come on, our challenge awaits!
God Bless!
I read this quote the other night and it caught my attention. Little did I know that I would be waking up the next morning to news of the Pope's resignation. Everyone speculating why and what would come next. Is there scandal? Is he sick? Who will the next Pope be? Will this be the last Pope? Is the anti-Christ coming?
So many questions. So few answers.
But, is there a connection between the questions and the worry and the fretting, and the quote at the top? I believe there is. It is so easy to get caught up in all of the worry about where we are headed, when in reality all we are called to be is holy. If we focus on that, especially with Lent right upon us, maybe we can change the world, no matter who the next Pope is or what he does, or doesn't do?
God is calling us, right now, on the threshold of 40 days of prayer, penance and almsgiving to change ourselves so that we can begin to change the world. St. Frances also said, "To be dissatisfied and fret about the world, when we must of necessity be in it, is a great temptation." I figure I can spend the next 6 weeks fretting about the world and what is to become of it, or I can pull up my bootstraps and work on making myself into a holier person.
Maybe it is good that Pope Benedict announced this right before Lent. We can use this time, with its prayers and penances, to pray that the Holy Spirit will prevail and we will be blessed with another good and holy man that will lead us into the new springtime!
So what say you? Are you ready for Lent? Are you ready to transform yourself over the next 40 days into a person that can help transform the world? Hey, we can even give it a name and call it H40X - 40 days to Extreme Holiness! Come on, our challenge awaits!
God Bless!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The First Station
Jesus is Condemned to Death
It is after ten in the morning. The trial is moving to its close. There has been no conclusive evidence.
The judge knows that his enemies have handed Jesus over to him out of envy and he tries an absurd move: a choice between Barabbas, a criminal accused of robbery and murder, and Jesus, who says he is Christ.
The people choose Barabbas, and Pilate exclaims, "What am I to do, then, with Jesus?"
They all reply, "Crucify him!"
The judge insists, "Why what evil has he done?"
Once again they respond shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate is frightened by the growing uproar.
So he sends for water and washes his hands in the sight of the people, saying as he does so, "I am innocent of the blood of this just man; it is your affair."
And having had Jesus scourged, he hands him over to them to be crucified. Their frenzied and possessed throats fall silent, as if God had already been vanquished.
Jesus is all alone. Far off now are the days when the words of the Man-God brought light and hope to men's hearts, those long processions of sick people whom He healed, the triumphant acclaim of Jerusalem when the Lord arrived, riding on a gentle donkey. If only men had wanted to give a different outlet for God's love! If only you and I had recognized the day of the Lord!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Happy Shrove Tuesday
or Happy Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday or Paczki Day!!!!!! One day, numerous names to choose from!
We celebrate this day by coloring our "Alleluias" so that we can hide them away until Easter Sunday.
There is something very solemn about putting away the Alleluia for Lent then bringing it back out, both on paper and vocally, when Our Lord has Risen from the dead!
Another thing we do is put up our Lenten path so that we can trace our progress as Lent progresses. It is a nice way to keep track of how long we have left to go.
This wonderful path is courtesy of Catholic Icing. Go check out her blog for more great Lenten ideas.
Then, of course, we devour our Paczki's. This year fresh strawberry and strawberry and cheese are the order of the day. We definitely look forward to this every year!
I have a few ongoing posts planned for Lent so I'll be getting those going very soon.
May your Lent prove to be fruitful for you and your family.
We celebrate this day by coloring our "Alleluias" so that we can hide them away until Easter Sunday.
There is something very solemn about putting away the Alleluia for Lent then bringing it back out, both on paper and vocally, when Our Lord has Risen from the dead!
Another thing we do is put up our Lenten path so that we can trace our progress as Lent progresses. It is a nice way to keep track of how long we have left to go.
This wonderful path is courtesy of Catholic Icing. Go check out her blog for more great Lenten ideas.
Then, of course, we devour our Paczki's. This year fresh strawberry and strawberry and cheese are the order of the day. We definitely look forward to this every year!
I have a few ongoing posts planned for Lent so I'll be getting those going very soon.
May your Lent prove to be fruitful for you and your family.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Sabbath
Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their purpose and deed and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud,
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid.
It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid; then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment. Luke 23:50-56
Friday, April 22, 2011
The Crucifixion
So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. John 19:17
And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene who was coming in from the country and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus. Luke 23:26
And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God his Chosen One!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself:" There was also an inscription over him "This is the King of the Jews." Luke 23:33-38
And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene who was coming in from the country and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus. Luke 23:26And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God his Chosen One!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself:" There was also an inscription over him "This is the King of the Jews." Luke 23:33-38
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit:" And having said this he breathed his last. Luke 23:44-46
And he was taken down from the cross and placed in the arms of his sorrowing mother.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Flashback to the Last Supper
When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples;
and as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I Lord?" He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Is it I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said so." Matthew 26:20-25
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."
And he took a chalice, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:26-28
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Judas, Pilate and the Crowning with Thorns
While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the Twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him." And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Hail, Master!" And he kissed him. Matthew 26:47-49
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "You have said so." But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" But he gave him no answer not even to a single charge; so that the governor wondered greatly. Matthew 27:11-14
And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, "No more of this!" And he touched his ear and healed him. Luke 22:49-51
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "You have said so." But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" But he gave him no answer not even to a single charge; so that the governor wondered greatly. Matthew 27:11-14
So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this righteous man's blood; see to it yourselves." Matthew 27:24-25
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe upon him, and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him. Matthew 27:27-31
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Like Mary
Right now we are in the third part of the St. Louis de Montfort Preparation for Total Consecration. When I was reading the introduction to it yesterday, I paused at the part where St. Louis lists the 10 principal virtues of the Blessed Virgin. This being Lent and all, I thought it might be helpful to me and maybe others to post them here. If we picked one a week to focus on, at least we could become familiar with over half of them before Lent is over:
1. her profound humility
2. her lively faith
3. her blind obedience
4. her continual mental prayer
5. her mortification in all things
6. her ardent charity
7. her heroic patience
8. her divine purity
9. her angelic sweetness
10. her divine wisdom
It is hard not to be intimidated by this list. Remember, however, that Mary is the most perfect human being created so try as we might, we will never come close; but also know that she is there to help and that all God asks is that we try.
While we haven't come close to "angelic sweetness" yet, the amount of complaining has been cut down dramatically by our Lenten bracelet campaign (okay, so it's only been 3 days, but I'll take it :). Heroic patience seems to me to be the hardest of the list! Well, let's face it, they all seem pretty hard but that shouldn't stop us from picking something here to strive for! Which one will you pick first???
1. her profound humility
2. her lively faith
3. her blind obedience
4. her continual mental prayer
5. her mortification in all things
6. her ardent charity
7. her heroic patience
8. her divine purity
9. her angelic sweetness
10. her divine wisdom
It is hard not to be intimidated by this list. Remember, however, that Mary is the most perfect human being created so try as we might, we will never come close; but also know that she is there to help and that all God asks is that we try.
While we haven't come close to "angelic sweetness" yet, the amount of complaining has been cut down dramatically by our Lenten bracelet campaign (okay, so it's only been 3 days, but I'll take it :). Heroic patience seems to me to be the hardest of the list! Well, let's face it, they all seem pretty hard but that shouldn't stop us from picking something here to strive for! Which one will you pick first???
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Our Lenten Undertaking
I had read about this idea on a few blogs last week and decided that it would be a good project for our family to take on. Little did I know that it was part of some larger, international movement!
I'm talking about not complaining for the duration of Lent. We've all picked out our own "bracelets" to wear and the idea is that every time you complain, you have to switch the bracelet to the other wrist. Of course we had to set down some rules like:
~ What exactly is a complaint? Any negative response to a request or command, any whining, any going on about something you don't like...
~ Do facial expressions count? yes
~ Do thoughts count? Sure, but let's work on outward complaints first
~ Can I point out someone else's complaint? Well, this was a tough one...if you complain about someone else complaining, then both parties have to switch their bracelets. If you catch someone complaining, you can kindly point to your wrist to let them know they were just complaining and they have to switch their bracelet.
I have to say that at least for the two days we've done it, everyone is cooperating very cheerfully. It's a good, competitive thing, too. Everyone is trying to see how long into the day they can go before they find themselves complaining.
The bigger movement of this is for people to wear their bracelets and keep this up until they've gone 21 days without complaining. We'll see how successful we are at the end of six weeks!
Last February, I banned complaining in our house and it went very well. It was so nice to have such a pleasant atmosphere in the house for that month. However, once March came, everyone fell back into their old ways. Maybe by the end of six weeks it will be more ingrained in our minds not to complain so it will last longer. Maybe we could shoot for no complaining through the entire Easter Season! Well, I'd better not get so far ahead of myself.
I read somewhere that the season of Lent offers us extra graces. I think we will all need them in order to keep this up as cheerfully as we've begun.
~ What exactly is a complaint? Any negative response to a request or command, any whining, any going on about something you don't like...
~ Do facial expressions count? yes
~ Do thoughts count? Sure, but let's work on outward complaints first
~ Can I point out someone else's complaint? Well, this was a tough one...if you complain about someone else complaining, then both parties have to switch their bracelets. If you catch someone complaining, you can kindly point to your wrist to let them know they were just complaining and they have to switch their bracelet.
I have to say that at least for the two days we've done it, everyone is cooperating very cheerfully. It's a good, competitive thing, too. Everyone is trying to see how long into the day they can go before they find themselves complaining.
The bigger movement of this is for people to wear their bracelets and keep this up until they've gone 21 days without complaining. We'll see how successful we are at the end of six weeks!
Last February, I banned complaining in our house and it went very well. It was so nice to have such a pleasant atmosphere in the house for that month. However, once March came, everyone fell back into their old ways. Maybe by the end of six weeks it will be more ingrained in our minds not to complain so it will last longer. Maybe we could shoot for no complaining through the entire Easter Season! Well, I'd better not get so far ahead of myself.
I read somewhere that the season of Lent offers us extra graces. I think we will all need them in order to keep this up as cheerfully as we've begun.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
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