A Lenten Plan: Something to give, sacrifice, study, and build up relationships

Lent begins Wednesday, sneaking up on us! Each year I appreciate the rhythm of the liturgical year even more. Somehow when lent rolls around each winter, I find I am in need of this season to challenge me and push me closer toward Christ.

As I go into Ash Wednesday, I am committed to chipping away at the apathy of my faith through devotion and sacrifice. Its time to make a plan for how I will walk along with Jesus to Calvary and truly celebrate the empty tomb on Easter.

This year I am hoping to create a plan that is practical, but uncomfortable. My game plan is: something to give, something to sacrifice, something to study, and something to build up relationships. I am nervous to put this plan into writing, but maybe part of my sacrifice will be forcing accountability. So without any further ado. A plan for lent.

Something to Give

This year I am taking on the ambitious project of 40 bags in 40 days. A project run over at black house white shutters, where you chose to detach and declutter by creating a bag each day to give away. My goal is to set a timer for 30 minutes each night and declutter the assigned area. Hopefully the timer will help me be decisive and thorough. Here are the 40 places I will be declining in our home.

1. Purse/Diaper bag
2. Guest Room
3. Anna’s closet
4. Anna’s dresser and bookshelves
5. Outgrown clothes
6. upper cabinets
7. lower cabinets
8. all drawers
9. under the sink
10. junk drawer
11. food storage containers (especially the ones with no tops/bottoms!)
12. pantry
13. refrigerator/freezer
14. countertops and top of the fridge
15. Computer files
16. Living Room: entertainment center
17. Living Room: basket/mantel/misc
18. Digital photo library
19. Physical photo library
20. Office Desk and boxes
21. Office Closet
22. Create a cleaning schedule
23. Anna’s playroom
24. Coat Closet
25. Linen Closet
26. File cabinet
27. Dresser
28. Bedside tables
29. Closet: Tops
30. Closet: Bottoms
31. Closet: Dresses and other
32. Pinterest boards
33. Under all the beds
34. Garage shelves
35. Garage misc.
36. Laundry Room
37. Bathroom Cabinets
38. Medicine cabinet
39. Backyard
40. Car (truck and glovebox)

Something to Sacrifice

There are many things in my life that I cling to for comfort or entertainment, that are really not necessary. Lent is a time to let go of these little comforts, and instead cling to Jesus. This year the comfort we are going to go without is television after dinner. It sounds small, but it has become a routine for Stuart and I. We don’t watch television unless Anna is a sleep, so basically this means no tube time for the next forty days. This sacrifice will also provide the time for the daily decluttering and also the next Lenten discipline.

Something to Study

I am excited to journey through the BIS Lenten reflection journal over the next 7 weeks, but I am also putting together a reading list to nibble away at this year. Check back later this week to see how I am planning to read more. During my lent I am hoping to get through 2 books.

Rediscover Jesus– Matthew Kelly

Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, Third Edition

Something to Build Up Relationships

We are hoping to build community throughout Lent, in our marriage, family, and friendships.

Sarah has some great suggestions to include the entire family in the lent process by encouraging countdowns, simple meals, serving one another, and praying. As a family we are going to try to include some of her ideas with Anna. We are attempting to say the stations of the cross each Friday night as a family.

We also are planning on hosting at least two Friday night soup dinners during lent, a time to invite friends and family over for soup and fellowship. If you are in the area and want to join the door and soup pot is open to you.

Lastly, Stuart and I are going to make a commitment to pray together each day during Lent. Our schedules and work schedules are very different so this can be tricky, but it is worth putting the effort in.

So there you have it, a plan for lent. Do you have some goals for lent this year? Thanks for joining our family in this journey by providing accountability in reading along.