The Laetare Sunday Edition
My Lent has been wonderfully fruitful so far. I am growing spiritually by leaps and bounds.
April Fool’s!
I wish I could say that it’s been easy. I wish I could say that I feel strong.
When I decided to set my blog aside for Lent, I meant just that—my blog. Unfortunately my 11-year-old son (surely the most literal of human creatures) assumed that I meant all blog-reading in general, and took to standing behind me as I sat at the computer. “You’re looking at Google Reader again!” he accused, and then smirked at me when I stammered out my defense.
Call me prideful (and I’d agree) but I greatly dislike being smirked at like that.
I set aside blog reading right then and there.
That proved to be the hard one.
It sounded like such a good plan at the time—this deliberate journey into the desert. It sounded lofty and Lenten and like I’d get my house cleaned. (Ha! Good luck with that.) The thing is, it’s very quiet in the desert. Sometimes I feel alone and very lonely. Sometimes I feel that, like Our Lord, I have no one but the devil to keep me company.
And yet, at other times, I don’t feel like Our Lord at all.
Like…
…when I yell at the kids for little offenses, such as leaving their cereal bowls on the table and/or drinking up all of George’s whole milk. “All right, who did this?! I’ve told you the red cap is for George, right? You know not to drink his milk! It’s just laziness to not go downstairs to get another gallon!” Really, Mom? You could have stopped the tirade after the first hundred words or so.
…or when I see a pretty young lady go to give my son a friendly hug and am caught—by them—giving her the stink eye. My husband got a great big kick out of this but I was mortified.
…or when I cheat on my penance…or don’t make time for morning prayer…or am too “busy” for my husband’s very real needs…or…
Yes, I am a work in progress—a womanly WIP, if you will.
And yet, while I cannot say that it’s been easy—my being still and knowing that God is God—I can honestly say that it has been good. I am not as distracted; I am praying more; and I am paying more attention to the world around me.
Have you noticed? The world is a beautiful place.
(the rants of Mr. Sheen excluded)
I am excited—quite excited—by what Our Lord might have to say to me, if only I quiet my heart and incline my ear. We are only halfway there! There is plenty of time for courage and renewal, plenty of time to be a better wife…and mom…and friend…and…
There is still time to be a better me.
Because this will be my last post until Easter, I will close with a couple of great Lenten resources. Here they are:
- In addition to checking in on this website, (recommended a couple of posts back), I am listening to Father Groeschel’s daily meditations over at EWTN. There is something about that Jersey persona of his—so down-to-earth and yet, so edifying—that brings me to tears and uplifts my spirits. Gosh, I love that Father Groeschel.
- This book,
recommended by Jen of Conversion Diary, is also very good spiritual reading. I’d been meaning to get it for a couple of years now and I am very glad I did.
- These blocks!
They may not be all that…liturgical, but they are keeping us happy and occupied, especially since we have all given up the computer for Lent. (Hello, my name is Misery, and I absolutely LOVE company. : )
Have a blessed rest-of-Lent, everyone! I am leaving the comments open on this post, and would love to hear how your Lent is going.
In Him,
What a beautifully honest and real account of how Lent is going! A great thing to do on this Laetare Sunday. (Did your priest wear rose? Ours did =) This has encouraged me to take some time today to think how I am doing …
BTW, it was so nice to see you yesterday! Even if it was for only a short time … Thank you for the delicious meal! Everyone ate everything, which is HUGE around here!! And we are enjoying those bars with some hot cocoa this morning, as Joseph didn't allow us to stay after Mass for donuts =)
A very blessed and grace-filled rest of Lent to you, Margaret!
He did NOT wear rose-colored vestments, Sarah, and we teased him about it after Mass, saying, "Real men wear rose, Father!"
Sigh. I love seeing those rose-colored vestments.
It was great seeing you too, Sarah, and I have to say…those girls of yours are the sweetest. "Now these bars are for your momma, okay?" I say, teasingly. "Okay!" they respond, agreeably.
Sweet sweet sweet!
While I haven't given up the computer this Lent, I have done it before and I know what you are saying. It is hard to do, but the fruits of it are wonderful. Love your pictures! Have a blessed rest of Lent!
I am so happy you posted that link to Fr. Groeschel! I had no idea EWTN was doing that. They have had the same meditations for a few years now, and was growing tired of them. I should have checked! Now I have to go back and listen to them all! : )
I am so inspired by your fortitude! You are missed but have a place in our heart always. We look forward to your return but applaud you in your honesty and spiritual growth.
My word verification: parson
A parson's a parson no matter the call.
(I'm feeling a little silly today, can you tell?)
P.S. The main celebrant today wore rose, the newly minted Fr. Ignatius. But apparently, the other Cistercians didn't have enough stoles for everyone to wear one so the concelebrants wore purple.
Word verification this time: promen
Weird day to not be a robot.
I have missed your blog posts with the pictures of your children. I gave up watching TV several years ago and do not miss the darn thing at all!!! Any thing worth watching I can usually rent it on DVD eventually or youtube it. EWTN is just the best!! As for Mr Sheen, I heard about it, but I donot care to watch it or look into it thank you very much (ick). I think the ONLY way I could give up the computer and blog reading is if I went to live with Father B G and the other fiars and sisters of the rewnewal in NYC. I am such a weak soul I need a constant feed of daily spiritual nourishment!!!
Blessings upon you and yours 🙂
Oh yes,,,
P.S. when you are back to reading blogs check out this one
http://littlecatholicbubble.blogspot.com/
Very interesting and enlighting.
Love.Love.Love the book. I read it a few years ago and it changed my life.
I love this post, and deeply admire your fortitude at giving up the computer for so long. Sometimes I wonder if I'm avoiding conversion to Catholicism simply because I'm scared of Lent 😉
Enjoy the rest of your blessed time, see you again at Easter.
I've missed you, dear Margaret, hooray for your perseverance!
It's been a very long, rough Lent so far here…
I very much feel that I, too, am out in the desert, but the hope and promise of Easter is where I keep my focus. 🙂
Blessings to you all~
So good to find you here today, my friend. I've missed your voice. My Lent is going…just going. I'm taking what He gives and offering what I can. It's never as deep and soul-changing as I hope it will be, and yet I am always changed. Somehow He takes the measly sacrifices we surrender and transforms them into so much more. That's my hope and prayer anyway.
Love you! Truly.
In the spirit of Charlotte/Matilda, word verification: lating
Something I practice every single day, being the undisciplined, disorganized, overly optimistic person that I am
praise God for your humility and sense of humor, just what i needed.
i created myself a "gradual" lenten program this year. i've been exercising spiritually. part of my program includes nightly retreats with sermons from sensus traditionis & audio sancto.
i pray that i’m ready for the next step.
pax Christi – lena
p.s. we had a solemn high mass with 2 priests in rose and and 1 in purple/rose.
Miss you!
I just blogged last night about Lent, how we live it as busy parents, etc. So I loved your post. Nothing like those around us calling us out re Lenten disciplines, eh? Giving up Face.book has led me to realize how much it was bugging my husband that I could spend so much time on there in the evenings instead of being present to our time together. Gulp. So I'm thankful for that grace of the season. As for more time for prayer, I'm still struggling with that one – but you inspire me! Thanks!
miss you! miss blogging too! but what a refreshing. wonderful.honest. post.
womanly WIP. i love that!
your heart is echoing a lot of my very same feelings. it is lonely here in this desert…and while i've had days where i felt rather "lenten" there is this swirling busyness that i can't seem to escape from. (and then there is the whole drama of the 3 teens) but i won't go into that. so….lent is going…life is going. and i don't know how holy any of us will be at the end. but you are right..life is beautiful! (and our priest did wear the most beautiful rose colored vestments yesterday).
peace and HIS love to you, dear, dear margaret!
and i am really trying not to be jealous that you and sarah get to "see" one another…that wouldn't be very lenten, now would it?
Hi Margaret, I so admire your honesty in the struggles of keeping your Lenten promises. And thank you for the website and book tip! May God bless you in your Lenten journey.
Hello! For Lent I vowed I would tell you about a book you've gotta read (if you haven't already). Have you heard of the book "Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back " It's by Todd Burpo, the father of the boy who actually went to heaven. The little boy did not know that he had an older sister that was lost through miscarriage, but he met her in heaven. It's so awesome! I have been spending Lent thinking about the reality of my children in heaven from miscarriage. A few years ago you were exceedingly kind to me when I wrote to you about a miscarriage and asked for resources. You provided resources and your readers offered so many prayers. I am still so grateful for that. If you could find time to read this book (it's a super quick read), I think it would do your heart good. And if Lent is about getting closer to God, this is a pain-free way of accomplishing that! Your children ARE in heaven waiting for you. Smile! Happy Lent,
Laura
I need to do a Lenten midpoint recap – I think I should call mine "Eating Humble Pie"….this Lent thing is hard!
great post
Margaret, I am late to the comment party, but just wanted to say that what I really want to know is if you've gotten your house cleaned? 🙂
Hang in there … it sounds to me like you're doing great.
Dear Margaret,
I was hoping to find a way to email you via the blog. I work for a Catholic communications firm called The Maximus Group, and I'd like to speak to you about an event in the Minneapolis area (Eden Prairie) on April 28th that you might be interested in. You can email me at tlilley@maximusmg.com. I hope to hear from you. Thank you and God Bless, Tim Lilley, Director of Communications, The Maximus Group.
I love your blogging – you are my favorite Catholic Mom Blog. But….but…but….I was delighted to see that you have made such a real sacrifice for Lent and was pulling for you. It's a much bigger sacrifice than I made – giving up Dr. Phil and all talk shows. Well, at least I can read something nice here again. Maybe try again next year?
Oh Margaret, I miss you! Unfortunately I did not give up blog reading for lent…your lack of posting leaves a huge whole in my blog reading heart. Read you soon! Nikki
wow very nice this post and beautiful all pics . amazing your idea i love it .
Hi Margaret!
We read He Leadeth Me for book club a couple of years ago. That priest also wrote another book that we also read (the name escapes me now). Anyways, it seemed that one of the books was more about his experience there, and the second follow-up book was more about what he experienced spiritually. Try to read both in succession if you can. God bless you! -Mary
Yay, you've found a use for the quaich!