Hooray!!!

It's LENT!!! I'm not sure if you know this about me but I love Lent. It's more than a match for my personality because, as the Bishop said in his homily today, "it's not a time to be sad, it's a time to be glad!". I just love the 40 days journey we have to walk with Christ through the end of His life and Passion. It is this time of year, especially, that we can connect with our worminess. The Creator of the Universe (yep, everything) sent His Only Son to carry our sins up Calvary and die on a cross...for ME (and you, and all of us). That makes me feel so unworthy and beyond price all at the very same time. The hugeness of the Father's love for us is so immense!

First things first...lovely Mardi Gras party last night with masks and pancakes!

then home to bury the ALLELUIA

In our purple heart box to remind us of His Immense Love!

Finally a lovely friend gifted us with a King's cake to round out our over-sugared day...I had 2 1/2 puczki (spelled just like it sounds, lol) and skipped the cake...I'm still shaking today!

#2 found the Baby Jesus and they all immediately said,

Baby Jesus wouldn't have a baby bottle!!! Too funny. Sometimes commerce gets in the way of actual education and understanding. Note to self, make it at home next year with a real Baby Jesus!

So we arrived this morning at the first day of Lent and it's been blessed so far. I cut down to 4 cups of coffee (that's down from a pot so, you know, I'm working on it) and having gone to Mass, it really does seem like I've been fed enough to not feel hungry.

We all headed down in the frigid temps to attend Mass with the Bishop and receive our ashes...everyone got them (the little people were thrilled...our priests don't ascribe to that belief). The homily was fantastic, "don't come forward to receive the ashes unless you are ready to open your heart to Jesus and do His work". We shared the time with a friend and even managed to stop by the 40 Days for Life Vigil on our trip home to pass our prayers and thanks to those praying in our place (it is really, really cold today...walking from the parking garage to Mass was all I can expect from our little ones.)

Now we finish our work, play for a while, and eagerly await the arrival of DH to make our family complete for the evening. I am so grateful, as we begin this Lent, for all of the extra blessings I have...warm house, loving family, a few good friends to walk with on this journey. I will be praying for and helping in whatever way I can to bring relief to those who are struggling right now. Lent during the Year of Mercy calls us to even more good works. Let's start today.

Happy Lent! We are blessed.