one week of lent down, 5ish more to go.

Maybe if you aren't Catholic, lent doesn't mean much to you. I know growing up Presbyterian, we did have a lent per say, but I didn't do much with it except give up some particular food item. Not that it is a bad thing especially if that food item is getting in the way of your relationship with God. This lent I have been bombarded with ways to embrace lent, and the bombardment has been good. Maybe its because I am so surrounded with aspects of my faith that I can't get away, but I think that is a good thing, as we are always called to go deeper. I have 4 almsgiving collection bowls/cups to put money into, and I want to fill everyone one of them. Because they all are for great causes. I love the rich liturgy of this time, and the sense of evaluating where one is with God, to start anew with a clean slate, and to say yes to the calling.

I am just excited for this season of lent, of renewal, to grow closer, with those things that you mean to do for your relationship with God, but somehow don't make the time for because of the business of life. Ultimately, it tugs at my heart to serve, to be a missionary in one sense or another. Though, we want to go overseas at some point, whether it be Sur de America or Mauritius. Both places make me all teary eyed, because I just love the faith of non westernized folks. They truly choose to live it and rely on God. They don't have these conveniences that we have. No Tivo, iphones, ipods, or heated car seats, or Uggs. But the passion is there, so much more than us lazy loafs that have everything.

As for this lent with my lenten resolutions, I have so far been to a daily mass a week, and have abstained from ice cream, and have really tried to keep up with the little black book devotional. When it comes to facebook, its been hard. Especially when its what I would do in my many moments of downtime during calculations at work. I think I could avoid facebook easily at home, because there are things to do, but at work, I have to be here at the computer, it is so tempting!! But it actually is getting a little easier everyday. I am trying to pray when I think about how I can't get on it, and maybe thats why its getting easier. But it is overall still difficult, because there are people I want to contact, that I know I only have contact through facebook, well I could call them right? Most of them yes I could. And thus I should. The only real regret I have about giving up facebook, is that my sister and I have had a strained relationship over the past 2+ years, and we were actually starting to communicate again thru facebook. However, it was to a point that we actually are emailing a little bit too, so maybe I will just keep it up thru that instead.

So that is my lent so far. I'm enjoying soaking in some scripture as well, thru the daily readings, and reading on my own. Hope those of you taking part in lent are having a good time getting closer to Jesus as well.

Love.