I made it! Day 7! :) Here is my final blog for this link up, but it's not the end of me! This has been a great boost to me to get back to blogging regularly. I really enjoy writing and sharing and hopefully inspiring one or two of you.
So in just a few days, Catholics, and many other Christians, will begin a 40 day period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. (A little fun fact...do you know that Lent is actually 46 days long?? Do you know why?? Sundays don't count. The Sabbath typically is not a day of fasting.) Anyways, Lent happens to be one of my favorite times of the Church calendar. It always falls just as spring is beginning (that sentence is laughable this year) and just as spring is a time of renewal and regrowth, so too is Lent. Lent is so much more than fish fries and giving up sweets. Lent is a time to look at yourself and see just where you need to grow as a Christian and as a person. There have been years that I have been really successful during this six week period, but there have been more years when I have failed at my Lenten promises. So this year as I was praying about what I was going to do to grow closer to the Lord, I also was examining how can I be successful?
A few years ago I lost 50lbs at Weight Watchers. I was very successful with weight loss for the first time in my life. I realized that the reason I was successful was because Weight Watchers requires you to come weigh in each week. I also was going with a group of friends. So the scale and the friends meant one thing for me. ACCOUNTABILITY. I felt accountable to those people to show up each week and my pride said show up and don't fail. I realized for me that's what makes me successful, being accountable to someone. And not just anyone, someone who is going to make me stay the path. So I've asked my husband to help with that, but I've decided to throw it out there to all of you too.
Some people feel their Lenten promises are private, which I totally understand. But as you know, I'm kind of a put it all out there girl, so here it is. I am laying it out there and I'm asking all of you to help me. There is nothing better than going to mass on Easter and celebrating that you've made it! You've survived the past 6 weeks. What joy that must bring our Lord!
So here we go:
* FASTING:
This year I will be fasting from Target. Yes, the store. I'm a little obsessed with it. The thing is, I believe they have the best prices on a lot of things, but the temptation to buy things we don't need is great for me and I always get lured in by those illustrious clearance racks. So I will be making one more trip to Target for any of our essentials to last us through the 6 weeks and then it's bye-bye for 6 weeks. I also plan to only buy essentials for our house and not make any frivolous purchases for that 6 weeks too. This is help my family save some much needed money that we can use for much more important things than that cute top or Easter bunny decoration.
* PRAYER:
Ever since becoming a mom I have really struggled with any regular form of prayer time. So this Lent I've got to start simply and easily. I have started receiving the Magnificat daily prayer devotional and my plan is simply to pray that each day and commit to my Women's Fellowship at church. I also have struggled with having a joyful spirit about going to mass each week. So I am going to focus on praying the mass joyfully and not seeing it as just an obligation.
* ALMSGIVING:
Almsgiving doesn't always mean giving to the poor, though I hope to find a way to give something this Lent, I am instead focusing on how I can give to my family. One way I shared in an earlier blog was that I am going to make sure the dishes, something I hate, are done every night before I go to bed. And each morning I am going to start my day by putting them all away. The second way I am giving is really to myself and my health. I am committing to exercise 3 times a week. Taking a walk (around the museum or our neighborhood if the weather ever breaks), using our Wii during Noah's naps, or attending a local zumba class with some of my friends. My son and my husband need a happier and healthier wife so I need to sacrifice time doing other things to make myself better. I hope this will also lead to better eating habits. I hope I can lose 6 pounds (a pound a week) during Lent. I will be updating all of you with my weight loss each week during my quick takes.
So there you have it! Keep me honest! Keep me on track! Oh, and let me know if you want to exercise or get healthy with me! Bathing suit season is just around the corner! Yikes! Does having someone else out there make you more successful? Is accountability the key for you too? Find a friend or get crazy like me and tell the world, but take these next 6 weeks to be successful in your Lenten promises! Ash Wednesday is just 3 days, there is no time like the present to ask the Lord what He is calling you to this Lent. I will be praying for all of you.
Happy Sunday to you all! I will be enjoying Mass later this evening with my family then enjoying a corned beef dinner too!
No comments:
Post a Comment