I am a type-A planner by nature. I like to have things mapped out and figured out before I embark on anything. This year, I really wanted to test my limits and make the most out of the Lenten Season.
As you know, I am reading 7 by Jen Hatmaker and I’m telling you, the further I get into this book, the more I want to do! I read a little bit and then take a look around and say, Oh I can do that too! Then I read a little more and I want to keep adding and adding and adding.
But here’s the thing, Mrs. Hatmaker did not complete her tasks over 40 days. Not even over 90 days… she did it over 10 months. So, I am trying to really keep that fact in mind as I am ready to throw all caution to the wind and go all in.
In the second chapter, Mrs. Hatmaker talks about fasting. Now I think that most of us have heard the bit about fasting, you know the one that pretty much says that when you are fasting don’t look like you are fasting? Don’t bring attention to the fact that you are going without because the people around you are not the ones that you are trying to impress. We fast to do honor to God. In the words of Mrs. Hatmaker:
When we hear “fast,” we put on a yoke of self-denial. When God said “fast,” He meant to take off the yoke of oppression.
When making considerations for my Lenten fast, I thought about the things that I am just tied to and don’t think I can function without. What parts of the material world are just wearing me down and are keeping me from living a full and spiritual life?
So, I broke my Lenten plan into three sections (prayer, abstinence and almsgiving) and two versions (personal and family.) I think that Lent is a very personal time and since my kids are still little and learning, I don’t want to dump a bunch of irrelevant nonsense on them. So my personal Lenten plan will be:
- Prayer: to attend Mass on a day other than Sunday at least once per week and/or attend Tuesday night Adoration. (I miss the almost perpetual Adoration in STL.)
- Abstinence: This I am taking right from the book. I will eat from only 7 foods for 40 days: kale, sweet potato, eggs, fish, apples, avocado and beans. My drink? Water. No Chai. NO COFFEE. No Soda. Just water. yay.
- Almsgiving: I will only use cash for 40 days. I will use the card to take money out of the ATM for groceries, laundry and such but NO CARDS for 40 days (unless a card is required, like for booking a flight.) In addition, any leftover money (I’ll take it out in 2 week increments) goes right into the giving box.
The Family Lenten Plan will be:
- Prayer: I have a variety of crafts lined up (check out my Lent board on Pinterest) for the girls to do for their prayer portion.
- Abstinence: Again, this is from the book. Each week we will pick an impoverished country and will eat our family meal as a poor family in that country would. We will take the week to learn about the people of that country and pray for them. So, drumroll please… Haiti, Ethiopia, Uganda, Afghanistan, Bolivia, and Sudan. (As an aside, we started sponsoring a little girl from Sudan this past December.)
- Almsgiving: The girls will be decorating little offertory boxes and will use the boxes to collect and give their coins. Basically, we are doing this from Catholic Icing.
It’s going to be a tall order, but I figure, if I am truly going to take off the yoke of oppression, I should be shaking the stuff that’s hard to shake, to really get out of my comfort zone and empty myself to be filled with God’s goodness. Things are going to get tough and, ideally, that will draw me closer to God.
So, because this has been a bit of a serious post, here’s a bit of Rick-Rollin’ for you. (Yes, I am a Rick Astley fan. Don’t question it.)
P.S. Not to worry my nutritional knowledge friends out there, I will be cooking the items in Olive Oil to keep the fat content higher!
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Please pray for my friend Kim E. On Saturday night, at an American Heart Association fundraiser, she went into Cardiac Arrest and was rushed to the hospital. She is a wife to Tony, and mom to three littles (Isaiah, Elijah and Trinity) and underwent heart surgery 4 months ago.
Head over to the Alluring World for more Lenten Inspiration or to link up your own!
images from KingofPeace.org and poppywilliams.blogspot.com
Related posts:
- Lenten Meals: Ratatouille
- Lenten Meals: Falafel
- Lenten Meals: Black Beans and Rice
- Lenten Meals: White Bean Pita Pockets
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These are some really great ideas! Good luck to you on your journey! I’ve heard great things about that book. I need to check it out! Thanks for sharing.
Wow, may this bring blessings to you!
Awesome! Inspiring and challenging! I’m excited to hear how it goes!
6:56 AM?? AND you were the second person to link up? My goodness you’re a superhero! I like how you broke it into 2 versions, and that the family version is so very kid friendly. I bet your girls will love it!
WOW! Good for you! You are doing a seriously intense Lenten Plan! I just found your blog, and I think I’ll be stopping by again soon. I’m trying to figure out what my plan should be…you def. got me thinking!
Thanks for stopping by! There are so many great Lenten traditions and plans out there. All with the goal of bringing us closer to the Lord!
I love your Lenten plan—-except the eating part. That sounds too hard. I’ll be interested to see how you feel about it as the weeks go on!
There will be lots of prayer and prep involved!
Are you allowing yourself ANYTHING else in the food front? Spices, etc? I would double it to 14 and I think you would be able to have some more nutritional worth and still accomplish your goal of restraint and fasting. Are your girls eating this way too? Yikes!
No the girls are not eating this way, they will have their normal breakfast and lunch and then the simple dinner inspired by our country of the week. I am really not worried about the nutritional profile or calories count as the foods I have picked are more than enough to sustain me nutritionally for 40 days. Plus it will help put into perspective how privileged we are here in North American (for the most part.) I will use salt and pepper for the spices because Kale can be a bit bland, but I am excited to try kale chips! I picked this type of fast because the hubs and I are pseudo-foodies. We read cooking magazines and love to try and serve new recipes. I menu plan by the month and we do not repeat recipes in a 1 month period (other than leftovers night.) But we forget that there are those out there who do without. Please keep us in your prayers!
I really like the family abstinence plan, it ties your family into the bigger world. Rather than just “giving up” things, you are sharing a small experience with others (and learning about other countries!). Inspiring list, may your Lent be very fruitful.