Okay, I know I just said I was taking a break from blogging, but as I was doing my meditations this evening, I realize here would be a great place for me to make myself accountable to the promises I make to Him and to myself to make this Lent more meaningful than last year’s…. and I’d like to have something to look back to a year from now, to see the changes that have taken place. I’m definitely not where I was last year; there are people and events and that God put in my path that brought me to where I am now. I’d like to see how far the Lord will take me this next year…. to that end, I’m listing my lenten resolutions (which I wrote at the beginning of Lent) and tonight’s meditations here:

Lenten Resolutions.

1. Replace anger with prayer.
2. Work on mortification — denying myself
3. Stick to schedule
4. Look at work with joy

My work as wife, mom, manager of my home, is my portion of Christ’s cross. Therefore I need to see every moment of service to my family, every morsel of attention I pay to my kids, as my path to holiness. This work needs to be looked upon with joy, because each moment that I say no to pleasure, to laziness, to selfishness, to anger, becomes a moment to say yes to Christ.

juxta crucem – Beside the Cross.

To suppose that He would admit to His close friendship pleasure-loving people who want to be free from all trials is ridiculous. – St. Teresa, The Way of Perfection

What does mortification and dying to self mean to me?

• It means getting up each morning, early, cheerful, ready and eager to do the Lord’s work through serving my family first and foremost.
• It means giving up those “just 5 minutes” of surfing, “just 5 minutes” of reading the newspaper or magazine, or “just 5 minutes” of playing a game on the cell phone or the computer, and using that time for Scripture or spiritual reading or prayer instead.
• It’s holding my tongue (or my keyboard :D)
• It’s in speaking to my kids gently instead of abruptly.
• It’s in deciding to not seek approval from those that “matter” in society’s eyes, but seeking instead to please my Lord and Savior alone, without worldly rewards in the form of material compensation or recognition.
• It’s in praying for those who hate me.
• It’s in praying for those I like the least.
• It’s in denying myself little things such as that piece of chocolate, or cream and sugar in my tea, or that extra serving of food.
• It’s in sticking to the schedule I set for myself, despite feelings of tiredness, of being unappreciated, of the seeming drudgery and repetition and meniality of each task.
• It’s in keeping the promises I made to myself and to other people, despite any inconveniences that may crop up.
• It’s in taking care of myself “the right way” through nutrition and exercise and proper rest, so that my mind and body is kept ready and strong for serving the Lord and His people.

Which means I’m getting off the PC right now. I’ll have to print this out tomorrow and stick it in every room so I can be reminded the rest of the Lenten season. G’night.