Unexpected Pilgrimage Lesson Number Two

If you missed the beginning, check out the last post. We were recently on a "normal vacation" and I'm reflecting on the many ways the Holy Spirit put things in our path to prepare us to enter Lent when we returned home.

Lent Lesson Number Two : Prepare, don't Plan

Today is an excellent example of this but that will come at another time. As for our trip, I made all the necessary preparations, a hotel room in which to land the first night, a house in which to stay, clothes/food/cleaning stuffs, books and videos (because, you know, we were on vacation). A side note on why I pack videos...the TVs at this house were immense 

and they all came equipped with XFINITY; 5 million channels.  Among those are the most vile porn channels I could imagine (no, I didn't watch...I don't really need to know. Scrolling through the channel guide was enough for me). So, we did watch some Nick Jr. every day but mostly we stuck with Fat Albert and Leave it to Beaver for family movie night which had us all laughing. LITB is so non-politically correct...nothing could be farther from "Modern Family" and that's just the way we like it!

Anyway, I made the preparations...the plans, not so much. We knew we were going to see friends and we were staying at the beach and would get into the city one day while we were there. Other than that, things were open. I'm finding, more and more, that's the way I like it. Somehow, without the expectation of sticking to a schedule, I can hear the stirrings more clearly and be more present to the family and happenings around me. So, we played it by ear and some wonderful things happened...

We saw our friends and enjoyed catching up and storing some happy times for another day...

We spent a lot of family time, indoors and out, which is sorely missing at home with schedules and work. What a blessing it was to just sit and chat and play with one another and with our favorite principal!

We even had a "Lundi Gras" celebration (since we were traveling on Tuesday). They got "faith and justice" and forgot "power" which, to me, is a bonus ;0)

Mostly, we tried to keep God at the center of each day. Whether it was remarking on the "gift of the sunset" or starting our car trips each day with a few decades of the rosary (or the whole thing if mom happened to get lost...oops), it was a fantastic time for DH and I to seek God first and model that behavior for the little ones.

So during this Lent, I'm making a few preparations (I did give something up) but also doing more to take advantage of every opportunity I have to avoid the rush and sit to pray and listen. Today was a wonderful example...too cold to go out and all activities canceled. It could be a game/TV day or it could be a day to make a few suggestions and give everyone lots of time and space to reflect. It's surprising to see what the Holy Spirit has in store.

Wishing you a fruitful First Friday of Lent. We are blessed!