Trekking Into Lent

Blogging is new to me and the the structure and sacrificial aspect of Lent have prompted me to get started on my idea of comments and observation of trekking Catholic in today's world. I am a cradle Catholic, but as anyone who has lived for years belonging to any religion, voting group, or book club or practiced an artistic medium knows, life happens, viewpoints change. Faith becomes deeper, or fades. Catholicism is important to me. It defines me, I though that this Lent 2011 I would reflect a bit upon how that difference expresses itself in my actions, or reticence, my outlook and perhaps my feeling at home (or not) in the world. I am nervous about laying myself  'out there.' I am not a fan of the guest situations on talk shows, nor the sound bite of fame that seems to be natural to this generation. But I sense a need to speak up for and live my faith, to be accountable, and my hope is that blogging here each day of Lent will help me to discover that deep within myself. Be patient with me as I learn the process. I have fun using my digital camera and I hope to have many pictures to share. Illustrated books were always my favorites as a child. I may need to think and feel like one here to get to the proper place.
In addition to this project I am attempting a few other things for these next 40 Days. I have participated in the 40 Days for Life campaign for several years. This year I am going to give up reading fiction and drinking soda. I read that diet soda contributes to Alzheimer disease. That is in my family and I need all the help I can get to avoid it. Losing my mind is a great fear. I pray I will keep my senses every day. I pray my prayers will be answered. I really like diet coke. I figure a 40 day sacrifice will be a good jump start, and a sacrifice for a purpose, an end to abortion, is a worthy cause.
I am also giving up fiction. I belong to several book groups. I love fiction. I read a lot of it. I also know that I read to escape my pain, my responsibilities and my thoughts. I have escaped to Australia and Armenia in Gilgamesh by Joan London this month. I just finished Ped Pettersen's Out Stealing Horses, a book set in Norway.  And I just closed the cover on one of the Pink Carnation series, The Mischief of the Mistletoe , a story set in Jane Austen's world. My DH is planning on cutting off the cable contract. NHL is over. I know MLB is about to begin, but he is convinced getting the games over the net will be less expensive than with our cable company. It is true I also watch junk TV more often than I should. I am not giving up non-fiction. I just received Laura Hillebrand's Unbroken and want to continue to get to know the hero. We'll see how crazy I get without someone else's imaginary world.
Of course Lent also means prayer. I decided I am going to pray the Resentment Prayer, wishing all the good things of health and wealth and peace of mind for three people I do not like very well. I have heard it takes two weeks to really mean it. I shall see.
My positive action activity for Lent is to clean the basement. It has become a catch all for things that were stored there during the second story remodelling projects, my mother's stuff was piled up there as I could not face it after she died last July, and I have shelves and shelves of books that need to bless someone else. This cleaning the basement thing has been a "when the basement is cleaned, then I will have time to...(fill in the blank)". It is past time for me to get rid of that excuse. What are you doing for Lent?
Now this is out in the open. I have blogged for all the world to see what I am planning to do. We shall see how my plans commence and I shall tell you how God laughs. I just know that I am laughing now!
Blessings. Many blessings.
Nancy