This post is sponsored by Holy Heroes. Is it just me, or is Lent painfully early this year? I feel like I'm still recovering from Christmastide. On the other hand, I'm a big Lent fan. I love that the Christian Year offers us a time set aside to clean house. And no, I'm not talking about my dusty baseboards, although that would be a good thing to tackle during Lent, too. I'm talking about our … [Read more...]
Search Results for: lent
Bury the Alleluia and Other Last Minute Lent Resources
It's here. Lent. Ash Wednesday. After a rip-roaring Mardi Gras, Baby Gwen made it her special task to mortify my flesh by getting up at 4:45am...Pretty typical wake time. But it hurt a little more after eating too many cookies and staying up too late. So here I am gulping coffee while she chomps on banana and we wait in the dark for the rest of the family to wake up so we can go to Mass. Lent … [Read more...]
Flannery O’Connor’s Violent Grace
I know it's been Flannery central over here lately, but Kendra's post sparked lots of conversations between Daniel and I about why O'Connor is so amazing. Sorry if we're beating a dead horse here, Kendra! I promise to stop with the "please, love Flannery!" posts. But sometimes Daniel writes things that are just too good not to share. So, I hope y'all enjoy a few thoughts on Flannery O'Connor from … [Read more...]
Holy Time: Lent and Cleaning Up My Whiny Soul
(Please join us in the Little HolyDays Lenten Link-Up by sharing your posts about this liturgical season. Linky below!) “I CAN’T do it! It’s TOO HARD!” whined my then 3-year-old son as he sat in the middle of his messy room and cried at the idea of having to clean up the toys, books, and stuffed animals scattered everywhere. Maybe I’m asking too much, I thought. He’s clearly overwhelmed. … [Read more...]
Preparing for Lent
Lent is almost upon us! It’s very early this year beginning a week from today, Ash Wednesday. This season of the liturgical year is represented by the color purple: the color of the bruised heart. This is the uncomfortable time preceding Easter when we remove distractions, focus on spiritual formation, and take an honest look at ourselves in order that we might prepare our hearts. Here’s a few … [Read more...]
Mardi Gras, Lent, and Easter
Liturgical Living at a Glance: February Liturgical Living at a Glance: March Preparing for Lent: Planning and Resources Lent and Cleaning Up My Whiny Soul Mardi Gras and Lent Holy Week: Good Friday Easter: Easter … [Read more...]
Mardi Gras and Lent
We had some of our new friends over on Fat Tuesday for a New Orleans Feast made by this guy: On the menu was Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Shrimp Dip and Homemade Bread, King Cake, and old timey New Orleans cocktails. I'll post the recipes on Feast! when Daniel has a minute to write them down. Then Ash Wednesday came and we transitioned into Lent. Last year I was battling some … [Read more...]
Lenten Sacrifices and a New Swing
This year during Lent, Daniel and I are reading Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots by Scott Hahn. It’s divided into 40 small chapters, (Baptism, the Mass, Marriage, Confession, Pilgrimage, etc) and so fits perfectly in the 40 days of Lent if we read one chapter a day. Hahn explains that in our Lenten sacrifice, be it food or otherwise, “We return it all to God for … [Read more...]
Polenta for Candlemas!
February 2nd is the Feast of Candlemas. It celebrates the presentation of Christ at the Temple and the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary forty days after Christmas. This is the event described in the Gospel of Luke when the Virgin and St. Joseph present Jesus at the Temple and the faithful Simeon and Anna behold and recognize Jesus as the Messiah they have been waiting for. After seeing the … [Read more...]
Join me in supporting Haitian women!
For the past several Novembers I’ve created a small business gift guide here at Carrots for Michaelmas. I think this is a worthwhile endeavor, but this year, I’m not creating one. I’d like to do something different and I’m going to need your help. As we look toward the challenges of supply chain issues and the madness of holiday gift purchasing--what if we set all that aside to give a … [Read more...]