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It’s Fat Tuesday! Mardi Gras!
Carnivale! Shrove Tuesday!
Yup, it’s the last day of Ordinary Time, the day before Ash Wednesday. So, today is the feast, the fest, the fete…the party. I love the folklore and history of today, the tradition of pancakes for supper – to use up the fats and dairy stuff in the house before the ascetic season of Lent. Now, that “using it up before it goes bad” isn’t a factor so much, but I love the tradition anyhow.
Today I am stewing about finalizing my Lenten efforts. This article is a good one, with a good reminder and perspective…but it has thrown my ideas on their head a bit and now I am rethinking. It’s very easy for me to give up too much of or the ‘wrong’ food items. It’s so ingrained for me to give up some foodstuff that I feel like a cheat if I don’t somehow. And yet, I have food issues (Because I have arrested development and am like a 4 year old if told I can’t have something……infantile, I know.) due to my lack of discipline, the effects of said infantile issues on my children (Yes, cranky much? And, yes, again, my failing, I realize that, thank you very much), and being diabetic my body just whacks out easily somehow it seems. So…not sure if I will do food at all again this year or focus more on this issue, also a struggle.
Yeah, I think that the bulk of my Lenten consideration needs to be centered around prayer and silence. I’ve been crazy distracted lately in prayer, and well, I’m never very good at silence. I crave it, but even when I find it, I can’t seem to get my whirling dervish of a mind to slow down and shut up. Really. So, to that end, I think I need to work on that. Shush up and listen for pete’s sake. Please.
I will type more tomorrow about this whole Lent thing, and my personal Lent thing (because I know that’s keeping you up at night….). But for today, I once again refer you to the marvelous supersite of all things Lent: questions, resources, history, ideas: Aggie Catholics.
So, tomorrow: Into the Desert, Lent begins.
Today:
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Another Espresso, Please 
>I didn't know about the pancake tradition! Interesting.
>Me again:) Wondering if you have read the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy in My Soul? She, too, talks much about silence. She has given me, much, MUCH!! to think about. She has encouraged me to want to be a better listener, and, to also strive for silence in my day. Now, if I could only get to that place of quiet:)I am a bit of a talker:) and, also, seen to have a difficult time wrestling my brain into silence, yet, on the days where I've really focused on the silence, or, not focusing on so much of what I'd like to say or ask, and, just really listen to what unfolds around me, well, honestly, at first, it seemed uncomfortable to me, almost kind of alien:) and, I know my family wondered what was up, yet, in times when silence eventually proved to have been the best answer or suggestion, well, I was so thankful for having listened to Saint Faustina's suggestion.Peace be with you as you begin your Lenten journey.
>Dianne, OK…I got it. Bought it I should say. I will start it for my lenten reading…because really, I am imminently distractable and distracted lately. And I need to silence the swirling and listen, pray, contemplate…and its a challenge in my busy mom life. So…..Your nudging worked. Peace to you too! Thank you, M
>I hope you will be blessed in the words that Saint Maria Faustina shares!! I, daily, just today:) am moved by Saint Maria Faustina and her diary!!Early on, in my journey into this Diary, I thought, I need to highlight so many of the entries that are speaking so clearly to me!! I wonder if you will experience this, too. I spoke with a woman who owns a bookstore in our area about my desire to reread and highlight, and, she said, it would be almost like higlighting the entire diary:) I thought about what the woman at the bookstore shared, and, honestly, I think she is correct!! Hope to hear your thoughts as you read of the Divine Mercy of Jesus, and, His secretary on earth and Heaven, Saint Maria Faustina!