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Sarah M
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What are you giving up for Lent this year? It's only about 10 days away!
This year, I'm following Kim's lead. I'm going to fast from 4Real and blog-reading. I'm hoping that stepping out of the information super-highway for a time will help me recollect- spend less time gazing at the computer screen and more time gazing into little faces (and one not-so-little-and-yet-very-handsome face  !). I have a hard time with self-discipline when it comes to reading blogs and being here on 4Real- I don't want to miss anything! But I really feel led to unplug for awhile.
With the extra time I'll have since I won't be online, I plan to read more to the kids, read more myself, start an Illustrated Discovery Journal, and spend more time daily in prayer.
What are you planning for Lent?
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dawn2006
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I think you will find yourself feeling very free and refreshed with your blog/forum fast. I did this last year during Lent and then picked up again shortly after for many months.
My plans are to keep doing my afternoon devotion and to add in morning mass on Wednesdays. I wasn't planning on giving anything up, just instituting the morning Mass and not giving up on devotion time. Hmm...I'll have to think about it.
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Dawn Farias | wife to Ariel | mom to Gabriel 9, Daniel 7, Elizabeth 5, and Michael 3 | blogger at Be Absorbed | native Texan but currently living near Seattle
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VeronicaB
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Last time I picked up this forum was just before Lent and it's taken me years to get back to it! And now I'm back and it's that time again.
Last year I resolved to give up looking for new craft projects and finish the works in progress first. I didn't finish, but it did help. I still tend to spend more time reading patterns than knitting.
I'm thinking of trying to keep computer time to a premeditated list. Before going online I'll write down the things to be done and set a time to be off.
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Mackfam
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Sarah - the Illustrated Discovery Journal sounds delicious with possibility!!!! Praying your fasting this Lent yields wonderful fruit for you!!! Missing you around the block already!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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Tami
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Sarah, I fasted from 4Real and blog-reading last year, and it was really good for me. For one thing, I noticed that I became a lot calmer. Maybe more peaceful is a better way to describe it, I'm not sure. And because I thought of the board so often,  , I prayed even harder for everyone here, and their intentions. I really missed this place.
I'm planning on giving it all up again this year, too.
I hesitated at logging on right after Easter, because I wasn't sure how I'd handle reading a million pages since my last log-on.  So I kept putting it off, and didn't come back until almost Pentecost! Then it was a gazillion pages. 
I'm hoping to spend more time reading and in prayer, maybe working on some sewing projects - basically turning more of my heart and mind toward home, and Him. Our parish will offer an additional daily mass at noon, which I'm hoping we'll make, plus the pastor is leading a weekly 'retreat' with a video series. I'm hoping to make that too.
Oh, and then there's the fasting..... . I've been reading about the Orthodox fasting rules. Maybe that should be a separate thread?
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God bless,
Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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missionfamily
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I'm planning to make sure my afternoon Rosary and evening Examination of COnscience get back on track.
Then we usually decide on a fast or project for each day of the week for our family. One day is usually screen time, one day is usually a water only day, one day we try to avoid impatience with one another. We'll work hard to keep a Friday Mass and Stations commitment and then one day a week we'll eat lunch at the soup kitchen where dh is currently working.
I am still mulling over Lenten reading selections for me and the boys. We will also switch to only pretzels and water at tea time in the afternoons.
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Colleen
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sewcrazy
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As a family we are unplugging for Lent. We called the cable company and put a vacation hold on our cable and internet for Lent. I sadly lack discipline and decided that the cable and internet needed to be unavailable. I go to the library on Sat mornings so will check my email then so I don't have 1000 messages after Lent.
Also we are taking the video game controllers to grandma's when we go over for our Fat Tuesday party so that is one more temptation remove for us.
I am a little nervous about this. I am definitely an internet addict  Also, I rely on the internet for much of my kids schooling, so that is going to have to change gears this season also. But I think that will be good as we rely on google much too much!
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LeeAnn
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Mackfam
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missionfamily wrote:
We will also switch to only pretzels and water at tea time in the afternoons.
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This is a great idea for teatime in Lent, Colleen! Thank you.
Prayer
We are re-focusing on our family prayer routine for Lent.As a family, we are beginning a concentrated effort to "keep holy the Sabbath" inspired by the writings of Maria von Trapp in A Land Without Sunday. This includes prayerfully discerning with daddy, seeking spiritual advice from our priest, and then making the necessary changes to our routine and start to set the habit in place.Continue to keep our Monday Mass time, and hopefully begin another attempt to make the nine First Fridays.
Fasting
I completed a Lenten menu plan this weekend which I am very pleased with. It reflects our needs for nutrition saturation while taking into account some austerity in our menu offerings.1 - 2 meat meals a week - fill in the rest with beans and other sources of protein.Water only during Lent, except at tea-time. Tea - unsweetened
Almsgiving
We collect monetary offerings (in a glass jar on our family altar) by curbing spending in various ways and at the end of Lent we make a large donation to Food for the Poor.
Spiritual Reading and Gifts of Sacrifice
Family read aloud basket put together of read alouds that reflect the season's toneEach week we focus on a virtue we can practice by making good word/deed/thought/imagination choices with that virtue. I help the children with concrete suggestions.Work on the habit of using our sacrifice beads during the day...consider setting up a large family set of sacrifice beads somewhere in the main area of the home to slide a bead (transform/rededicate an abacus??? still working on this idea!)
I'm personally working to freshen my prayer routine during the day.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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CrunchyMom
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I think I might give up the internet and not turn on the computer for MWF so that I don't get behind on legitimate correspondence, but really have those days for quiet reflection and diligent work!
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Lindsay
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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St. Ann
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Mackfam wrote:
Water only during Lent, except at tea-time. Tea - unsweetened
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Jennifer, does that mean no morning coffee?
Do you then "feast" on Sundays? I am curious how this is done in other families?
We are taking time today to make a lenten plan. My oldest was hesitant to commit to anything the last time I brought the subject up, but today the atmosphere is conducive...(no sunny beach distractions). A dark , blustery day stands before us. We are going to get cozy and talk about lent!
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Stephanie
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Mamamoon
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i also gave up 4real/blogs last year, and found it very enlightening how much more focus and time i had, but i am back to my old ways. i love it here too much.
i will try it again this year, and try to get us onto a family rosary routine for lent.
lisa
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juststartn
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I haven't decided yet, to be honest. I think I am going to cut off my caffeine consumption (something I need to do anyway, which will save $$ and lbs ).
Rachel
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D. Marie
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I am so impressed with you ladies, you are all on the ball. Lent still seems so far away to me for some reason, even though all the altars have turned purple. I need to formulate a plan. Ooohh, give up blogging....ack...pain...pressure... I know it is something I need to do also....but CAN I do it??!! 
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Mackfam
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St. Ann wrote:
Mackfam wrote:
Water only during Lent, except at tea-time. Tea - unsweetened
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Jennifer, does that mean no morning coffee? |
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Yes. No coffee for me...no coffee with sugar and cream...no cafe 'au lait.
St. Ann wrote:
| Do you then "feast" on Sundays? I am curious how this is done in other families? |
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Yes. Because we consider each Sunday a mini-Easter, we celebrate them - even the ones in Lent. So, there will be coffee on Sunday mornings  and perhaps a sweet treat for breakfast or after the big family meal.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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Tami
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Mackfam wrote:
Yes. Because we consider each Sunday a mini-Easter, we celebrate them - even the ones in Lent. So, there will be coffee on Sunday mornings and perhaps a sweet treat for breakfast or after the big family meal. |
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I typically do the same thing during Lent. I will make a nice dessert, etc. It really underscores to the children what Sunday really is!
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God bless,
Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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Mackfam
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Diane K wrote:
| I am so impressed with you ladies, you are all on the ball. Lent still seems so far away to me for some reason, even though all the altars have turned purple. I need to formulate a plan. |
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Diane - This is why Septuagesima (pre-lent) is so very helpful to me. By observing pre-lent we don't slam into Lent. My family and I take these three weeks to prayerfully consider and begin to prepare so that on Ash Wednesday there is a game plan in place. I'm using this time to wean myself off coffee so I don't get caffeine withdrawal headaches.
Don't worry! You still have 1 1/2 weeks left of pre-lent to prepare. I'll be praying for you! Throw out some prayers for me!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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SuzanneG
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Mackfam wrote:
| This is why Septuagesima (pre-lent) is so very helpful to me. By observing pre-lent we don't slam into Lent. My family and I take these three weeks to prayerfully consider and begin to prepare so that on Ash Wednesday there is a game plan in place. |
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There are some good Mommy-Septuagesima questions in this thread Hearts of our Homes!!!!
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Suzanne in ID
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donnalynn
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Great thread -
Every year our family gives up all refined sugar and all chocolate - which I guess could sound trivial but it is a big deal in this house - especially when those girl scout cookies inevitably arrive before Easter (this is the big treat in Easter baskets).
Not only does it mean giving up many favorite sweets (we tend make our own goodies but we do use white sugar quite often) - it also means giving up favorite cereals and some other favorite breakfast meals. Instead of homemade cookies and things, snacks are more likely to be baked pretzels or popcorn.
I do allow honey, maple syrup, and on rare occasions a little Rapadura for baked goods (but it is expensive so generally I only get a limited amount and when it's gone that's it).
I like to think of it as part of our spring cleaning for our bodies!
We also always "do" some extra things too - I've committed to organizing our Lenten soup suppers at Church this year after Stations of the Cross on Friday's - that's big in itself.
I'm still thinking about what the "to do's" for the children will look like but for me, I am looking at fostering better discipline for myself - I need to better see where things fit in my life - like computer time and exercise - I am looking at balance.
I'm also thinking back on my word for 2009 - LISTEN - and where I can really put that into my Lenten plan. Lots of possibilities there.
Thanks for the start on thinking about this - I love how organized Jennifer's plan is!
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donnalynn
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dawn2006
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Oh my gosh! There is so much to learn here! Ya'll are so smart and experienced! I love Colleen's idea about giving something up each day of the week. Man, all the ideas are food for thought.
I got on this thread again to say I will make a concerted effort at learning the rosary. I bought a rosary kids' poster so I think we'll go over that every day and then I will pray a whole one on Fridays. Still formalizing...
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Dawn Farias | wife to Ariel | mom to Gabriel 9, Daniel 7, Elizabeth 5, and Michael 3 | blogger at Be Absorbed | native Texan but currently living near Seattle
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CrunchyMom
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Dh and I just discussed this, and we will put a limited amount of sugar in the canister and that's it for Lent.
We will try to adopt our pre-baby daily mass routine again.
And he did concur that no computer MWF is a good idea.
We get our beef as a part of a cow in the freezer. We are running low, and we decided that we will be getting another part at Easter and just use what we have for Lent (probably on Sundays). I'll allow a roast chicken once a week to make stock for soups, but that's it for meat.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: What are you giving up for Lent?
