Ash Wednesday

Another 'New Year's Day' in life and a good reason to get back to blogging. I have been following Aspiring Ballerina's blog and her musings have helped me to realize I do not have to be Perfect in what I write. Gretchen Rubin in her blog affirms this. This is difficult for me to overcome. Lent is a good time to make commitments and take responsibility . It is a time to move out of a comfort zone. I am not really sure I am comfortable in my zones, though.I am somehow being called to change.I am dissatisfied with my actions (or lack thereof) and this 40 Day in the Desert time of our Church feels like a confortable way to affect change. Comfortable because of the 'closer walk with God' theme of this time of year.
therefore: Be it resolved that for these 40 Days of Lent I shall practice these activities :
Prayer--I have been lazy in my praying of the Divine Hours. As a Carmelite I am required to pray the Morning and the Evening Prayers. Therefore I shall pray them faithfully every day of Lent. I have been lazy as well when it comes to lectio. Therefore I resolve to write my lectio daily. I know I tend to hear God a little more clearly with a pencil in my hand. I do not practice meditatio  at all. It takes a great deal for me to find a quiet place for some reason. I think it is because I have a long list of things I want to accomplish each day and this sitting still quietly part of the Carmelite Way of Life seems like a poor way of finishing the demands of the day. I know in my heart that this is not the right way of thinking. Over and over again I have read or heard of the importance of this quiet connection with God. He has been making sure this call is a part of every day of my life. Like all things, it is up to me to cooperate with Him and show up. Our Carmelite group has just begun a study of Brother Lawrence and his Practicing the Presence of God. One of our members suggested that we keep a journal of our journey with this man and his Maxims and his writings. I resolve to do this as well.
Sacrifice--as I have issues with food and eating it is easy for me to see that eating with a newspaper or a book or the television in front of me is not a great way to value meals. I resolve to eat without distractions this Lent. I will also avoid any recreational sugar.
Almsgiving--As a member of The Light Weigh we use sacrificial offering as a way of giving a spiritual value to avoiding mindless eating. I haven't been very faithful in this and I know that it is a very valid way to work with food issues. Therefore I resolve to be more active in my sacrificial offerings each day of Lent.
Spiritual Maxim for today:

1. We should refer to God and His glory all that we

do and say and undertake, setting before ourselves the

task of becoming true worshippers of God in this

world, as we hope to be His perfect worshippers in the

world to come; and making a strong resolution to

overcome by His grace all the difficulties which beset

us in the spiritual life.

The word of the day is RESOLVE I guess. I may make all of the resolutions I want, but it will take the grace of God to come up with them and to stick with them, and, of course, to learn from Him. 

and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

This is the verse of today's Gospel that spoke to me. I shall be rewarded somehow. I have prayed over these Lenten resolutions. I certainly have been called by God to make them as I have heard Him nagging me about this for months! It will take commitment and quiet and thoughtful evaluation in order to hear just how God repays me for these resolutions. I am hopeful that this will be the place I can honestly record His gifts. Trekking Catholic through Lent with Prayer, Sacrifice, Almsgiving and Brother Lawrence.