Deny Yourself

All of this Lenten season I've been listening to Matthew Kelly's series Best Lent Ever....today's posting hit me like a ton of bricks....it was about denying yourself, even the secret little things you do in private to deny yourself!  It is worth listening to!  Best Lent Ever Deny Yourself.  I book marked it so I can go back and listen to in the future. I wish I could post the video here but I can't figure out how to do it! LOL!  Not so techie these days!

Half Way Through Lent

 I can't believe Lent is almost over....it seems like it went so fast.  This year I gave up 2 things....I gave up complaining and I've done a pretty  good job of it.  I also gave up my favorite ice cream bar. That is going well since I can't buy them until Easter!! My hubby gave up swearing.....not going so well, but at least he tried!

We are looking forward to Easter because of two things, Chris will become Catholic and receive his sacraments and I will be distributing communion for the first time! Lots of firsts. I will be glad when his classes are over we only have 2 more of them. It will be nice to get back to "normal" and go to 5:00 pm Mass on Saturday.  I miss my friends!!

What Lent Means To Me

Lent is a time of preparation, and reflection.  It's my favorite time of the year. It's a bigger deal than Christmas at least in my home when I was growing up.  Although I didn't really like having to give up candy for 40 days, the older I got the more I appreciated just what Lent was for.  We went to Stations of The Cross every Friday, not so much when we were older.  This year we have gone to two of the SOTC. They don't do it like I remember as a kid but that is OK....change is good (or so they say).

I feel sorry for all of those people who are not Catholic, we have so many rituals and traditions that are so beautiful and so many opportunities to connect with Jesus. I have talked to others who are not Catholic and they don't do much for Lent, of course they go to Easter services but the 40 days that lead up to Easter for a Catholic is chalked full of things to do.  This is the way it should be...more opportunities to praise and worship Jesus.  How lucky I am to be Catholic and belong to a wonderful church!

Stations of The Cross

My husband signed us up for the Stations of the Cross at church tonight.  He will be carrying the cross and I will be carrying one of two candles.  I think this statement is true....converts make the best Catholics!  He is so excited about becoming Catholic, he has four more weeks until he makes is first communion and gets confirmed.  I think I am just as excited for him.  I have to say I do love my religion and I can't imagine being anything but Catholic!

Lent.....Not Doing So Well

Well we are three weeks into Lent and I have totally blown it on 2 consecutive Fridays!  I completely forgot and ate meat on Friday, how can this happen?  I must be brain dead.  Hopefully I will be able to get it together and be on my best behavior until Easter.

This year I didn't give up anything instead I decided to read a book on the Passion, well, that is going about as well as my not eating meat on Fridays!  I did good the first 2 days then.....nothing.  I really don't know what the deal is with me this year.  I'm just not "in to it" this year! This is so not like me, I am usually so scrupulous when it comes to my religion! Apparently not this year.

In my defense though, I have been pretty busy at work and all hell has broken out, we have had staff changes and our "office manager" and I use that term very loosely has just been awful to me.  She is not a nice person and she has no brains when it comes to running an office.  She spends more time on the phone to her grown kids that she does running the office!  Yes she is a thorn in my side and I'm not the only one that doesn't like her!  I wish the powers that be would crack down on her, but you can wish in one hand and....well you the rest!

I know I shouldn't let her ruin my day, week, month or year and I know I should forgive her for being a b***h but for whatever reason I feel the need to carry it around for a while.  I know better but I have such a bad temper and I do hold grudges for quite sometime another thing I need to work on!   Wow, I really need to get my stuff straight and quit letting her dictate my moods.  Just one more thing to work on.