Celebrating Lent

I'm a Christian but my church doesn't really practice Lent.  Not like some faith communities do, anyway, with the ashes on the forehead and the giving up something for Lent.

Yet, still, I wanted to do something this year.  I love the idea of the 40 days of Lent being like walking alongside Jesus during His 40 days in the wilderness and a period of preparing one's heart for Easter.  

Anything to draw closer to Him!

So, we are doing something I've started with my kids before and stopped too soon, but this time we're going to stick with it!

We are listing gifts (click here to get Ann Voskamp's printable blank list).

Thanking God for them.  Seven each day, and my plan is to continue on past Lent for 21 weeks to count over 1,000 gifts.  Although some of my children are skeptical.  "You think we'll run out of gifts to list?"  I ask them.  We'll see!

We sit 'round the dinner table and over dirty dishes the kids shout out gifts they want me to write down.  They think of more than 7 and beg me to start in on tomorrow's list!  But this is a marathon not a sprint, this walking with God, so I stop them at 7, and, besides, tomorrow will have it's own blessings, no need for it to borrow from today!

The Thankful List is sweet at times: food, our house, Daddy, Mommy, my teacher, school, flowers, friends, my bed . . .

And amusing at times:  my other eye (?), Legos, Furby, cereal, my nose . . .

But, we are counting.

Also, for Lent I've decided to memorize all of Isaiah 43 before Easter.  

Which probably means I'll make it about 4 verses in and then fall off the wagon, but hey, that's 4 verses I didn't have memorized before!

So far it's been a week and I've got Isaiah 43:1 and 2 down (from the ESV):

But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel:  "Fear Not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." Is 43: 1-2

I love the part about "You are mine"!  How awesome is it that God says that to us!