Lenten Season Preparation

Crown of thorns our 4 kids made. Each day of Lent, they will remove one thorn/toothpick.

Fat Tuesday is here, and it is time to prepare my family and myself for the glory that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Today we rejoice and reflect in what it means to be ready to partake in the celebration of the resurrection. We have always known the Lenten Season to be a time of sacrifice, but do we truly understand what that means? How do we make sure that we are aware of what it means to sacrifice and prepare?

Reconciliation
Going to reconciliation is scary. I even stopped going for several years as an adult because I was worried about what the priest would think of me. How could I face him on Sunday morning after he has heard the things that I have done, said, or thought about doing? Thankfully, we have had wonderful priests that have reminded me that everyone sins and everyone can be cleansed of their sins if they are truly sorry. What a powerful thing! To know that God loves us all so much that he knows we will sin and yet continues to love us. All we have to do is say that we are sorry and truly feel that way and we will be forgiven! How amazing is that! Our priest we have now has also told me that it is humbling for him to listen to the confessions of the parishioners. He has also felt like a failure for sinning and listening to confessions reminds him that he is not alone in this journey to follow the Lord. We, too, must realize that we are not alone in this adventure and that we are not the only ones that step off the path on the journey. Please remember that going to reconciliation helps free you from the guilt and weight of carrying your sins with you forever...even our older kids have commented on how they feel better about themselves after going to reconciliation. The personal reflection that is done to prepare for reconciliation helps us to become more aware of changes we need to make to better follow the Word of God.

Discuss Sacrifice
Too often we think of sacrifice in the terms of giving up candy, soda pop, sweets, or other junk food. We need to realize that sacrifice is also in giving up nontangible things such as gossiping, yelling, lying, pouting, and just being negative, etc... Think about that. Which is harder to do: go 40 days without candy or go 40 days without gossiping?  Which of these is more of a sacrifice for you? This year we decided to do a family activity that involved each of us to pick something to give up and something to take up. The give up fell within the parameters that one would assume we would all pick: pop, candy, ice cream, playing on electronic video games. The take up had to be something that was a behavior in which we would become a more positive person: no fighting with siblings, no yelling (that one is mine), making the bed every morning without being asked, and no whining when asked to help with chores. I'm really excited to see where this will take us!

Take Up & Give Up craft made by our 8 year old.

Inside of her Take Up and Give Up craft

Do For Others
We have really strived to our kids how important it is to be a good family member, friend, neighbor, and nothing makes me happier than seeing the kids do those random acts of kindness. During the Lenten season, we have made it our mission to do at least one act of kindness for others...something extra that we aren't already doing. The kids have already started making a list of things: walk the elderly neighbor's dog on cold days, help clean up the neighbors' yards once the snow melts, spend an hour one afternoon helping people carry their groceries to their cars, their lists go on and on in this fashion. Our 12 year old just added help Miss Mary (our 84 year old widowed neighbor) take care of Carver (her dog that has gotten sick and needs daily meds which Mary isn't able to administer on her own).

Forgive
Far too often we carry not only our own sins with us as baggage, but we also refuse to let go of any sin that has been done to us. Remember when praying the Our Father we ask God to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us. Think about that. We want God to forgive us, and we must also be willing to forgive others. This is hard. It is easier to say that we are sorry for something we have done than it is for us to give forgiveness to those that have wronged us. The act of forgiveness not only benefits the person that we are forgiving, but it also helps us to let go of any feelings of injustice or hatred that we may be harboring because of the wrong that was done. Remember that we are all sinners, and we must be willing offer the forgiveness to others that we seek for our own sins. I have found that sometimes it is hard for me to call someone and let them know that I forgive them or ask for their forgiveness, so I have started writing letters. I am able to get all of my thoughts out without the worry of something coming out wrong. Usually I will receive a phone call from whomever I sent the letter to, and others times I will receive a letter back. It is wonderful to get something besides a bill in the mail, and it is wonderful to know that I have given forgiveness to someone or been able to apologize for something that I have done.

In the end, the one thing we want is to get ourselves to the point where we realize that we aren't worthy of the love that God and Jesus have shown for us yet we know that we have done our best to acknowledge our unworthiness and appreciation for it all. Remember God giving us his son, Jesus, and Jesus being willing to give of himself, is the reason that we celebrate this season. And if God and Jesus could give so much of themselves, it is only fitting that we should also give of ourselves more than what we may feel comfortable giving.

What are some of the ways that your family prepares during the Lenten season?

God bless all of you and your family!