Lent

We were at Confession last Saturday and the Priest gave my husband the Little Black Book.  This particular Little Black Book is not an address book, but a Lenten reflection book that walks the reader through the Passion of Mark.  Each day has 6 minute meditations that started last Sunday and will continue through Easter Sunday.  

On the second day, I learned something new about the fasting required during Lent.  (I suppose it didn't take long because I am not a great scholar on such matters...)  In the early Church, the number of days of fasting prior to Easter varied.  Some places has as little as a couple days, while other places had up to a week.  Over time, the period of fasting became longer and longer and by the mid-fourth century, Lent began 6 weeks before Easter on the first Sunday of Lent.  Because fasting was not allowed on Sundays, there were not a full 40 days of fasting.  To make the fast 40 days long, the Church added the days from Ash Wednesday through the Saturday before the first Sunday of Lent.  

So, in the early Church, people didn't give up things like candy or pop or video games.  Not to belittle those sacrifices (I know personally that they are quite challenging), but how much more difficult would it be to observe an actual 40 day Lenten fast?  I know I sometimes grumble (internally, and I am not proud to admit it, but it does, sometimes, occur) at the one day here and there we are required to do....  but really....  40 days?!?  

We were talking about Operation Rice Bowl with the children today and we all did a bit of thinking on the fact that 2/3 of the world's population lives on 1/2 bowl of rice a day.  They get 1/2 bowl of rice, and I complain (sometimes) about eating 1 full meal, no snacks between meals, and 2 little meals that put together still don't equal one full meal.    Really, when you put it that way, it seems ridiculous to complain about being hungry - ever....  How Blessed we are that we have the opportunity to fast and share the pangs of hunger with our brothers and sisters!  How lucky we are to this incredible spiritual tool!  (Some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting (see Mark 9:17-29) - how powerful an aid fasting is! ) 

So, to make a long story short (too late!) what did I learn?

I learned that I take many things for granted and need to remember to be thankful for all of my Blessings!

Happy Lent and God Bless You!

Parenthood

Taz was truly a terror at Mass this morning....  First of all, he was playing with the cute little blond-haired girl that sits 2 rows behind us.  She would look under the pew, so he'd lay down on the floor and look under the pew, then she'd look over the seat back of the pew, and he'd pop right up and look at her there.  This continued for some time...  The they started laughing, she had this cute little girl laugh, and Taz had this hearty 2 year old loud boy laugh...  Would have been darling anywhere else.  Anyway, when I tried to grab him to remind him to be quiet, he threw an absolute fit....    I had to take him to the back and "have a talk with him".

This child has known how to go down stairs by himself since he was 11 months old, could get around any childproofing you try to hinder him with for about 6 months now, can put all the shapes in the little Tupperware shape sorter within 60 seconds, and watches his big sibs do something once or twice and usually does it himself shortly thereafter...

Ever watch Parenthood?  The kid that put on the football helmet and rammed his head into the wall...  Yeah, that's our Taz - on a calm day....  Funny thing is the older 2 were singing in the choir today, so we just had Taz and Peanut with us, both of whom got loud at precisely different points (and when you sit in the front row so the kiddos can see what's going on, loudness is a bit distressing...).  The Priest was a wonderful retired Priest who came to our Parish to say Mass (we've been without a parish Priest for 4 months) and after Mass he approached me and told me how wonderful and beautiful my children are.  

Since I wasn't really feeling the "wonderfulness" at the moment, the comment made me realize that yes, my babies are pretty wonderful, and I am so Blessed and thankful for them...  I may not be able to control their actions or behavior, but I can certainly control how I react - and that isn't only true of responding to our babies, but to everyone we come into contact with...  Now I just need to figure out how to control how I react to my parents, and all will be copacetic....  I humble thanked the Priest for his comment, and then I thanked God for the gentle reminder.....

It's About Time

It is always about time....  Time to do the chores, time to go to bed (which was about two and a half hours ago...), time to wake up, time to cook, time to feed the troops, time for school....  Time is fleeting, and I have realized that there are so many ways to lose it.  I read once that good is the enemy of best, and I think the saying is a great fit when it comes to the use of our time.  What I am doing with my time might be good, there are virtually innumerable "good" things I can do with my time, but am I making BEST use of my time?.

It hit me tonight as I sat here that I keep waiting until the "perfect moment" to start my blog.  I have been waiting for that moment for months now.  I have stayed up a little (and sometimes a lot) too late watching tv, but I never quite found (or made) the "right time" for beginning my foray into the blogosphere.  Well, it's not much, but here it is.

I think that in waiting for the perfect moment, we may lose those things that are important enough to wait for.  How many have put off having children until they had enough money, or put off seeing family until... or put off doing something special with their own family until....  How many people put off apologizing or forgiving until... only to find out their chance had passed?  If we wait for the "right" moment, it may never come.  We are called to make good use of this time that God has given us, or rather the best use of it.  My new resolution is to find the 'best' use of my time and go from there.  (Who says resolutions can only be made on 1/1?)  I am going to have to define what my priorities are and find my best uses for my time from there...  I know the general priorities in my life are: my relationship with God, my relationship with my husband, the raising of my children to become first contributing members of society and foremost Saints.... but I have to go more in-depth to figure out this how-to-spend-my-time thing.   I suppose that one is going to require a little more thought and prayers....

Lord Jesus, Light of the world, 
give us Your light tonight,
Light to see the truth plainly;
Light to see ourselves as we are;
Light to see the way we should go.
Light to see You in Your majesty, 
Your humility and Your love.  Amen.