Lent - Corporal and Spiritual Fasts

It's a week before Lent, I'm ready, I'm excited, I'm weird like that :-)

In an earlier post, I mentioned how quitting anything cold turkey is hard for me, even if it's just for 40 days.  When I decided to give up social networking (Facebook) for Lent I knew I can't just quit right at 11:59 pm on Shrove Tuesday.  By 12:01 am on Ash Wednesday I would be convulsing from Facebook withdrawal and by Thursday morning I would have fallen flat on my face and finding something else to give up. So this past week was a trial run of disengaging myself from Facebook. It went better than expected,  I didn't die.  The people who need to reach me know how to find me, everyone else will continue to live without my posts.  In fact, some might actually be happy about that ;-)

To make up for all the "extra" time now that I'm no longer updating my status, posting links or having an online argument with robots (just kidding, I know you people out there are real!) I have started studying/reading the Old Testament. I'm slowly soaking everything in and prayerfully pondering it, except for the genealogies and how long those people lived, I don't know how to ponder living up to 777 years old like Lamech!

But you know what, I am falling in love with God the Father.  Before this week I sort of understood Him but not in the same way I understood Christ or the Holy Spirit. Reading the Old Testament, however, wow, I'm knocked over, crying, laughing and recognizing this Father who was familiarly distant (by my own self-projection, of course!)  He really is "Abba" and not just "Master".  Before I drench my laptop with tears (of joy) let us move on...

During this social media fast experiment I have not once thought about anything else but myself and my relationship with God. Selfish, right? What I mean by that is I am not allowing myself to think of what "good" I'm missing out on, what prayer requests I am not hearing about, what conversations I'm not engaged in that need a dose of my "infinite wisdom".  But I am praying for all your intentions, it is all known to God even if it's not known to me.

One thing we give up every year that I won't miss is the praise music.  My children will probably go through withdrawal symptoms but chant should cure what ails them.  I have no problem with (most) praise music as long as they are outside of Mass.  I am thankful that there are good music out there that my children can safely listen to.  Those that border on the heretical is always an opportunity for catechesis. 

We are all still throwing ideas about what to do for a spiritual fast.  No promises of a blog entry about that.

A new thing that we are hoping to do this year is baking fasting bread for Fridays.  This is an idea we got from the book Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church.  Baking bread is enjoyable but the long process is a deterrent for me. However, in the spirit of Lent and a girl who loves to bake, we will do our very best.

We're also seriously pondering intentional almsgiving.  That requires a blog post in itself but let me just say we are re-thinking what/who we are giving alms to.

How is your Lent planning coming along?  One more week! are you ready?!