Well I wouldn't say I grew up totally Catholic because I wasn't christened and hadn't been confirmed in the church(my moms decision because she wanted me to choose a religion for myself at an older age) but I did go every Sunday with my Aunt Carol for a major portion of my life. It wasn't like the typical Catholic church on tv it was what I would call more reformed. Yes, there were the definite legalistic and ritualistic aspects of it but a lot of the ones people automatically think of when they think of Catholicism were not apparent to me. Maybe they were there and I just didn't know but I don't think they were. The ones that stick out the most to me is that there was no confession, the music was really happy and the nuns were the sweetest women I have ever met but I don't doubt there are scary disciplinarian ones out there too. However anytime recently when I have gone to a Catholic church service I have basically fallen asleep but my Aunt goes to a different church now so that might be the issue.
The one and only thing I miss about being at a Catholic church is the celebratedness(sooo not a word) and solemness of the season of Lent. I find it sort of odd now as a Christian and at a Christian church that we don't really celebrate Lent. We celebrate Holy Week but beyond that nothing else in the past 2 years to celebrate this time of year that has so much more meaning than dare I say it even Christmas. Yes, Christs birth was obviously important, amazing and holy but what He, Jesus Christ did on the cross is of the utmost importance to a Disciple of Christ and I want to celebrate and thank my Savior as much as I can! To think that He showed mercy to me, a lowly wretched Sinner is life altering if He so chooses to open your eyes to Him.
So I am choosing to celebrate Lent on my own this year.
- First by doing this... Blood:Water Mission . This will be very hard for me to do since I am addicted to coffee, it doesn't help that my bf works for Starbucks. I think I amy have to get around this since I don't actually buy my morning coffee I make it at home and know that I would get severe withdrawal headaches without it.
- Second by reading this book... Jesus, keep me near the Cross by Nancy Guthrie . A really great compilation of essays focusing on Easter by some really cool dead and alive guys.
- and Third by getting rid of as much stuff as I can...
19"(A)Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Sidenote... I also enjoy Ash Wednesday, which is today and marks the beginning of the Lenten season. It has a lot of meaning too and makes us reflect on how fleeting life really is.
xoxo
