Ash Wednesday, Lent & Preparing for Easter

   It's Ash Wednesday, which signals thee beginning of Lent and the process of preparing ourselves for Easter where we will celebrate Christ's sacrifice for us by submitting to die on our behalf and his subsequent resurrection three days later! 

   Growing up my family attended Methodist churches until I was in high school. We participated in fasting for forty days over Lent in imitation of Christ's forty days of fasting in the desert in preparation for his ministry. I have one distinct memory from when I was in second grade and gave up chocolate milk for Lent (my drink of choice at school).

   I don't have any other strong recollections until I was in college. In my junior year I recommitted myself to Jesus (I was baptized at the end of my junior year of high school but I spent the first few years of college floundering). That spring I was leading a women's small group and suggested that we all participate in Lent by fasting from something and helping each other stay accountable.


   I think most years since then I have either fasted from something or added a practice to draw me closer to God even though I have attended non-denominational churches (which generally don't talk about fasting during Lent).


   In the last couple of years I have really begin to miss the traditions of Advent at Christmas and Lent at Easter that I grew up with. My husband also grew up Methodist so we have continued to practice them at home together.


   Some years it has been a real challenge, especially the years I have fasted from dessert (I haven't done that in a while because my daughter's birthday always falls during Lent and that seems cruel). I love chocolate and sweets! But it has really helped me to be reminded regularly of Jesus and what he did for me.


   This year I struggled a bit to figure out what to fast from. I have been feeling a little pudgy but Lent is not about losing weight so I didn't want to stray from its purpose in remembering my need for Jesus. I ended up choosing both a fast and an added practice. I am fasting from all beverages except water. My added practice is to meditate on (and hopefully memorize) a Bible verse each day. 

   I also found a local Methodist church where I could receive ashes as I begin this season of Lent. It felt a little foreign as it's been so long but I am glad I did it.

   Do you fast from something at Lent? If so, what has been your most challenging fast? Do you fast from the same thing every year? If not, do you have a different way you like to prepare for Easter?

Third Month Goal Review

March has come to a close and I am back here checking up on my goals for the year. The first month I was pretty strong. February was also fairly solid. Could I keep steady three months in a row? Let's dive right in!

1. One arts and crafts time per month with the kiddos

With St. Patrick's Day, Easter and the beginning of spring all occurring in March, it seemed pretty easy to find something crafty to do with the kids. I gathered materials to make Easter wreaths and fingerpaint crosses. I really want to make sure the kids understand the spiritual aspects of major holidays, that it's not just candy and gifts but has a deeper, richer meaning for our lives.

And then the kids had no interest in doing either craft. My daughter received art supplies for her birthday and wanted to make a St. Patrick's Day picture to give to her teacher.

Here's the finished product.

My son wanted to draw with crayons and cut. So he did.

I worked on an Easter banner while supervising.

We have talked throughout the month about Jesus, his death and resurrection so the craft was not to be the only Easter-associated thing we did. Funnily enough, my son did the cross project in his preschool classroom at church on Easter.

And I ended up making the wreath craft one day while my son played with (homemade) playdough.

And, of course, egg dying!

2. Blog at least twice per month

This month was much more challenging than previous months. I managed to get my two written for the month but I was sweating the second one, writing it four days before the month ended. It was the accountability of reporting my success or failure on here that helped me push through my writer's block. If I hadn't publicized my goal I probably would have let it slide.

3. Grow in gratitude, contentment and generosity

There is a young woman in our church who has babysat for us off and on the past three years. She spent a year in Laos that ended last spring. She has decided to return again this fall for a two year commitment to teach English and share Jesus with her students. When she left the first time we gave her a one-time donation. We decided this time that we want to sponsor her monthly and began that process this month. We will miss her but we know she will do wonderful things abroad!

I also purchased items to help with various ministries' needs this month. I have been reminded of Jesus' words about not publicizing your giving and feel like this section kind of contradicts that. I do want to grow in generosity but I also don't want to brag about it. So I am not sure how to balance that. Perhaps being more vague in my give, such as noting that I did use resources for others' sake.

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."  Matthew 6:2-4

What do you think, dear reader? Is sharing progress on this site the same as announcing it with trumpets?

Here are my two verses memorized for this month:

Deuteronomy 6:5-9: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

1 Peter 5:8-10: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, stand firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 


How are you progressing on your own goals (yearly, monthly, just decided on, whatever)? Can I encourage you in any way? Please let me know!