40

Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the 40 days of self-sacrifice and reflection called Lent. Which is the prelude to the glorious celebration that is Easter Which is my favorite religious holiday of the year. Not to be confused with Memorial Day, which is my favorite secular holiday of the year.

Anyway, about Lent.

D -- being 6-1/2 -- is participating fully in Lent for the first time this year, including going meatless on Fridays. I had spent some time explaining the concept of sacrifice to her and we discussed some examples of what she could sacrifice. I also asked her to think of a way that we could, as a family, spend more quiet time in prayer. When she came up with her original list of sacrifices it included "Sprite" and "school" until I explained to her that 1) since we don't drink soda at home, she couldn't very well give up something that she hardly ever got anyway and 2) school is not optional.

So I was amazed when she told me that she was going to sacrifice TV watching for Lent (she does get 30 minutes to watch after homework time and usually some Saturday morning cartoons) and, as for prayer, she was going to say the Hail Mary three times each day! I am so proud of her and impressed by the amount of thought she gives things.

I hope the rest of us spend our Lent so wisely.

A, apparently, decided to give up sleeping through the night, but I think that is due to the awful bug he has come down with. Poor baby. Tired mama. I will need prayers to get through the day, that's for sure.