Does anyone else feel like Lent snuck up super friggen fast this year?! I’ve been a spectacularly crappy Catholic of late, so I’m thrilled it is Lent so to begin a journey to get my soul in order. So I went to Confession today to start things off right, and now, I can focus on growing in spirituality.
My prayer life has been severely lacking of late. I skim through the Blessed is She devotions, but I don’t read the bible verses just the reflection, and that is about it. I was really good about nightly prayers throughout January but the last week and a bit I’ve not been doing as good.
So, for Lent:
- I ordered the Blessed is She Journal for Lent. I’m just waiting for it to show up! I’m so excited to work through it and I often journal when I pray in the evenings anyway so, match made in Heaven. Hopefully. (Also, I’m thankful I ordered it as soon as I heard about it because they sold out. They still have a digital one though!
- For the mornings, I really want to get into the habit of praying through the Lorica of St. Patrick as well as just a general morning prayer. I fail at praying in the morning.
- Daily Mass! The Church near my work offers daily Mass on Thursdays and Fridays conveniently at lunch time. I plan to adjust my lunch hour to make it possible to go to Mass on those days.
Ah Lent, the time where people suddenly decide to give things up. And occasionally partake on Sundays. Or not. Whatever floats your fancy. (As an aside, I really liked what Mr. Bearman Stewart wrote on that topic the other day).
I’m giving up Netflix (and streaming) for the entirety of Lent. Even on Sundays. Anyone who knows me, knows this is kind of a big deal. I have Netflix on ALL the time. But, as of Wednesday, deactivated. Until Easter. It will suuuuuck, but I think it’s important. And I’ll probably be able to polish off one or two more books.
Oh boy. I have decided to complete a Whole30 (Whole47?) for Lent. No Sundays off (not allowed) and no breaks until Easter (or Holy Week, I’ll be travelling home for Easter and I am truly terrible at eating healthy while flying/travelling). I even joined up with Kelly as part of her Lenten Whole30.
Between this and giving up Netflix, I may be thoroughly miserable for the first week until I figure out a new normal.
Phew, no more Lent talk. I FINALLY got new gym shoes. I was doing so well at the whole gym thing and then, my old shoes started to show their wear. It was hurting more to run with them than without them. So I stopped running (just as I was starting to find my groove again) and I strictly did my bootcamp classes at least once a week but I did them in sock feet. Super good for my feet I’m sure.
But I got new babies to wear out, so excited to get back at the whole runnin’ thing.
http://instagram.com/p/zEAGUJm5Zi/?modal=true
I re-read Pope Awesome by the always entertaining Cari Donaldson. I even convinced my Books and Breakfast group to read it. Although, I’m thinking most of us just show up for the mimosas because only a 1/4 of us ever actually finish the books we choose.
I have to say though, re-reading the book gave me an opportunity to highlight some of the things I like (and notice that Kindle tracks how many people also track the same passages you do. And then tells you. Which is….weird).
I love this quote, because when you honestly and openly start searching through the Church’s teachings they are beautiful and some of it is really hard to grasp but it’s all so good.
Some links I loved this week:
On the importance of Sacristans.
Oh my gosh. Jenny knocked it out of the park with her post “Such a Time as This“. Home freakin’ run. So good. I just, I love it.
On why the Church needs a leader and the problems with Sola Scriptura.
On Celibacy and Valentine’s Day
Links unrelated to Catholicism:
Snape is my favourite character (aside from Hermione) from Harry Potter and this video. The feelings!
On why pro-lifers need to focus more on being pro-life and not just anti-abortion & euthanasia. Building a culture of life is more than just legislation.
I love this. I like Mean Girls and art and I found this so entertaining.
Head over to Kelly‘s for more Quick Takes!
Catholic Ginger 