3rd Full Week of Lent (2015): Family Altar
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Last week, I spent plenty of time in the desert contemplating and praying about certain aspects of my life. This time was not exactly how I was envisioning spending my Lent, but sometimes God has plans for us that we don’t see coming. Or, in my case, God is using this time to have me work on things that I was choosing to ignore.
One thing that I did this past week, even if it wasn’t the start of Lent, was to add a purple cloth to the drum table in our main living space where I usually have a few decorative items. (Lighting has it looking blue in the photo above, but it is a shiny purple.) I have the book The Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home
(affiliate link) in the house which I started reading last summer and never finished. Creating what is in essence a family altar is a work in progress for me. However, I hope that it will be a place of beauty amid the chaos of life and can help to draw myself and family members to prayer.
Looking Back at the Past Week for 40 Days of Seeking Him
Just like I did with the link up this past Advent, I am going to share the most visited post (or posts if there is a tie for click throughs) as well as a personal favorite or two from the previous week’s link up.
The most visited post this week was Teaching Our Children to Pray by Nicole at Children of the Church. She shared how they incorporate prayer throughout the day, including all family members regardless of how young. I am seriously needing to check out some of the resources she shared about such as the lacing Rosary to help J learn.
Yet again, picking a favorite post for the week was such a challenge. I was particularly drawn to Trish’s post When You Fail at Lent…Sort of on A House Upon the Rock. In many ways, I feel like I have ‘failed’ at Lent this year as my plans aren’t coming to fruition. Yes, I have made it to Mass or Communion Service a few days during the week. But, the quiet time I envisioned for reading devotionals and listening for God just isn’t happening the way I envisioned. Thank you Trish for putting some of my thoughts about failing to words and letting us all know that the struggle is part of the journey and can make for a great Lenten season.
This year, I am joining Trish @ A House Upon the Rock in co-hosting the 40 Days of Seeking Him meme. The linky will be up each week so you can add in posts daily, weekly, or whenever you are able. The posts can be about anything related to Lent and preparing for Easter ~ crafts, food, devotions, music or reflections are all welcomed. I hope that my readers will join us on the journey through Lent as we seek to grow closer to Christ. Christian bloggers are welcome to join us in the weekly link up with posts that they are writing to showcase activities or reflections taken during this Lenten journey.
We are expanding the platform for this meme to include a 40 Days of Seeking Him Pinterest board for submitted posts and a Facebook group. I hope that you’ll check out the Pinterest board and join us on Facebook, too, as we seek to grow closer to Christ.
Is Lent going ‘as planned’ for you or has life thrown you a curve ball?
What are some ways you are growing closer to God?
Follow A House Upon The Rock ~ TrishCRock’s board 40 Days of Seeking Him on Pinterest.
We don’t practice (celebrate?) Lent so I never really knew much about it, other than the idea of giving something up. I love that you use this as a time to really focus on your spiritual needs.
Oh Laura
First of all, it is exactly that isn’t it…what He wants to do in us during this time! He is molding us into the image of His Son in the midst of life’s clamor.
And…I’m an honored that you were touched by my post. I really struggled with what to say and if I even should.
Again such a blessing to be hosting this with you. Continuing to pray for you and your family in the coming days.
Blessings,
Trish
Trish,
I am starting to think that only by feeling like a complete failure can I fully surrender to His will. A friend recently shared with me that God will work through us, even if we end up choosing the ‘long’ road there.
I appreciate your prayers and am keeping you and your family in mine. And, I am so incredibly thankful to have you as a co-host for the meme / link up.
Lent is going so so. The thing I said I woyld give up I have faltered. My husband is actually Catholic, me a Baptsit but during Lent, I also reflect.
Ellen,
I think we all have that struggle in Lent. I’ve had years where the focus was on giving up and years where I didn’t give up, but rather added to my spiritual life. I do believe we can learn a lot in the struggle and anything that helps us grow closer to God is a good thing.
Hi Laura~
LOVELY altar! Oh my goodness…..it’s just really lovely. Your commentary, too, is awesome…..Always a breath of fresh air, visiting your home on the web!
Will be sure to visit Trisha for her featured post!
Thanks for hosting. I enjoy finding inspiration among those who link ( as well as you!) whenever I click over!
Thanks, Chris. I am trying to keep that corner my slice of beauty in the sea of mess. And as all things from God are beautiful, a family altar seemed right. I just wish my Jesus statue wasn’t smaller than the angel or Mary.
Hey Laura~ Came back to read a few others’ posts…..I really love that you do this weekly rather than one huge lenten link up around Ash Wed. it seems that posts become more inspirational and contemplative about the “difficulties” of maintaining sacrifice during Lent as opposed to all the cutesy ideas we have for crafts and etc at the beginning. ….which ARE important….believe me I’ve written a bunch myself. I’m not knocking them, esp as a means to reinforce the meaning of the liturg season with littles. But I do like that Life influences our writing and forces us to look inward as the 40 days progress…….
And that being said, this week, I wrote another of those cutesy posts about easter basket gifts! Which just goes to show that I SHOULD be forcing myself to let art imitate life, but it’s much more fun to write about books and chocolate! Or maybe that a recent bloggers’ group flap was pretty much enough lenten reality for me this week! ?IDK…hmmmmm LOL
Anyway, I missed your Bible up there earlier this week. We have the same one. Diff cover. I really like that one a lot.
Well thanks again for the great linky…….Enjoy your Sunday!~
I hope you’re still sleeping, and getting some needed rest, as it’s only 9AM HERE on the East Coast…….
Take care Laura!
Well, I had to get up to back some Irish Soda bread this morning for the St. Patrick’s Day party after morning Mass today. But, I was still in bed when you left the comment. 😉
I do like the weekly format. When Trish started the meme, it was a daily thing. Too many people felt overwhelmed, although I look back and love seeing that I wrote at least half of those days.
And, definitely share your Easter basket post! We all need some ‘fun’ or activity based ideas as well as the more reflective ones. If I have the energy, I’ll be continuing to write on some of the talks attended so far this Lent (which will take me several posts as the one speaker took 2 hours and fit a lot into his talk.)