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Tina P.
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| Posted: Feb 28 2006 at 3:32am | IP Logged
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The kids and I are having a hard time deciding what to give up for Lent since most of our things will be packed for most of Lent anyway (we're moving over Lent, for those of you who don't know). I mean, we could say we'll give up computer time or toys or comforts of home. But that's going to be an easy Lent because those things aren't staring us in the face. We absolutely *can't* give up eating out sometimes during this Lent because we'll be living in hotels for part of it. And *everyone* in our family backs off on the sweets and fats during this time.
Anyway, I don't want Lent to be easy on us (nor does my 10 yog). But if they should bring one small toy with them to play on the airplane and in hotel rooms, as a compassionate mother I can't say, "Well, there's your thing to give up for Lent."
Any ideas? I think the kids want more tangible things to give up than, for example, complaining.
I have to go start packing things that we *don't* want the movers to take along.
Thanks and God bless,
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Feb 28 2006 at 6:16am | IP Logged
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I have been reading _The Year and Our Children_ by Mary Reed Newland and she talks about a great sacrafice for Lent. The idea is to practice "Holy Silence". This is not the same monastic type silence where you don't speak to another person, but rather the silence Jesus practiced when he was falsely accused or ridiculed. Her idea is that when the children are asked to do something they don't want to do, instead of complaining, they should be silent. When one child picks on another - calling them a name or what ever - the victim should be silent. I'm thinking this would help a lot with the bickering that often goes on around here. If the "victim" was just silent and walked away, it would probably be less fun for the child that was in the mood to tease someone. Anyway, we're going to try it. I thought about tying it into the "Crown of thorns" idea that I read about somewhere. Making a "crown of thorns" with clay or using a grape vine wreath and having toothpicks stuck into it for the thorns. When the child does a good thing during Lent, he can remove a thorn. (This is the shortened explanation - hope it makes sense.) Anyway, I'm thinking that when a child practices silence by not complaining, not retaliating when teased, etc. he or she can go directly to the crown and remove a toothpick. This will give the child something to focus on instead of how upset they are. I hope this makes sense. I didn't get much sleep last night!
Becky
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Tina P.
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| Posted: Feb 28 2006 at 7:51am | IP Logged
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Becky:
It makes perfect sense and sounds like a great plan for the kids. However, that silence would be a luxury, not a sacrifice, for me.  Our priest last Sunday was speaking about giving up a bad habit and replacing it with a good habit. I rarely make it to the computer anymore, and as I said this would not be a good thing to give up since it's going to be packed and I won't even have the temptation to use it during Lent,  but an example is giving up computer time to spend more time with the family. Maybe I'll do that next Lent, when we'll be settled.
So I'm still pondering on what I should give up this year ...
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: Feb 28 2006 at 11:01am | IP Logged
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How about some spirtual reading? I often give up novels for Lent. This year I am going to try and read The Hidden Power of Kindness and I Believe in Love. To the children, I am going to read Devotional Stories for Little Folks.
They have their own lists of things they are giving up, Harry Potter, Computer time, and fast food.
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Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: Feb 28 2006 at 11:04am | IP Logged
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Tina now I feel silly, I just read your post on the Morning Prayer thread. Sounds like you already do all I suggested. 
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Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Feb 28 2006 at 11:48am | IP Logged
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Off the top of my head...Perhaps giving up some free time to do work for others-such as a craft project like making blankets for hospitalized children, hats and scarves, toys, etc, writing letters to lonely relatives or troops overseas, delivering food to poor, soup kitchen work, making rosaries and donating them to a CCD class or overseas mission, baking or cooking for an elderly neighbor, visiting a nursing home,volunteering at an animal shelter...
I admit I don't know the ages of your children, so some of these may not be age appropriate.
But there is always the option of giving the time to offer a prayer for someone.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Feb 28 2006 at 12:02pm | IP Logged
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Here is what we are doing. Polar fleece is on sale now. I am going to buy up a bunch of it and make baby blankets using this cool no-sew idea I saw somewhere. It just involves putting two layers front to back, cutting a fringe around both layers, then knotting them together-voila-a blanket! I figure dd (16) and I can work together on the cutting, ds (10) and I work on knotting, dd(4) can fold them and put into gift bags. We can all deliver them to Social services to give to children in foster care.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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ALmom
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| Posted: Feb 28 2006 at 1:40pm | IP Logged
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Tina,
Since you are in the middle of a move, I bet you will be very, very busy with important things like cleaning, unpacking, etc. In this time, (you may be a lot better than I am so this may not apply - just an idea), there are bound to be interruptions from dc that are extremely annoying - even from dh. Perhaps you could commit to stop what you are doing to give full attention to the dh and dc whenever they ask questions, want help with a project, want a walk or you to play a game. I know when I get focused on being finished with something, I find myself telling dc "just a minute" an awful lot - sometimes to the point where a dc will ask is this a literal minute or the one that drags on for hours?
Janet
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momwise
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| Posted: March 08 2006 at 8:37pm | IP Logged
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I tried to get this on the board before Ash Wednesday, but I wanted to get permission, and apparantly Fr. Pat had a few trips to the emergency room and a surgery. He could probably use some prayers! Maybe the article can still help someone:
Giving Up Something For Lent by Fr. Pat Dolan
This coming Wednesday we begin our yearly forty-day journey toward Easter. Every year Catholics begin Lent ready to “give up” something. Often we give up things we enjoy, without any sense of whether or not our sacrifice will have any lasting effect in the world or in our own spiritual journeys. One has to wonder whether or not a person’s six-week abstinence from chocolate will help them to grow in the Gospel.
As I reflected on this, I thought that in these few days before Ash Wednesday, I would offer my “top ten” ideas for Lenten sacrifices this year that could actually have an effect.
1. I will limit my car mileage per week to half my usual and donate the gas money saved to my favorite charity. (This may actually involve car pooling – oh no!)
2. I will give up all eating out for forty days and donate the money saved to my favorite charity.
3. I will give up judging others: ALL others! (This includes judging people I know; nations; other faiths; those in government; grown children; aging parents; etc. . .)
4. I will lower the heat in my house by 2 degrees for forty days and donate the money saved to my favorite charity.
5. Every time I am on the highway I will drive in the right hand lane and learn to smile even when others pass me.
6. I will give up all leisure use of my computer and the Internet and spend the time gained with family and friends.
7. As a family, we will give up whatever activities are necessary to have a relaxed dinner together at least three nights a week.
8. Attend daily mass and meet and learn the name of one other attendee each day of the season.
9. Each day I will call a friend or family member with whom I’ve not spoken in over a year. (Especially if there is an estrangement.)
10. We will pray together as a family (or if single, with a family member or friend) for just five minutes every night.
Be warned: any worthwhile Lenten practice will change your life. The power of the resurrection, which we hope to experience at Easter is the power of transformation. You can always spot a good Lenten practice because you will gladly continue it long after the season is over. It changes you and makes you a better Christian. You can spot a flawed Lenten practice because it is temporary, usually puts you in a bad mood and becomes a larger penance for those around you than it is for yourself.
May this Lent teach us how to die to whatever holds us back from becoming greater representations of the love of the Almighty in the world. May it lead us toward peace, community, hope and the joy of finding we can change our lives and so shape our world.
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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Erica Sanchez
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| Posted: March 08 2006 at 10:25pm | IP Logged
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Awesome, Gwen!
#9 - oh very, very good - I'm going to try that as my family (parents and siblings) is a bit of mess at the moment.
Love the "life-changing" reminder!
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: What do I give up or do special for Lent?
