After being ill, and struggling last fall, I really didn’t want the fast of Advent upon me. I felt as though I’d already been through an intensified Lent, and wasn’t strong enough for another period of fasting on any level.
Yet somehow I made it through Advent, with joy, certainly with the aid and help of my family, friends and community.
And here I come again to another time of stretching myself, and again, my reaction is to recoil. That is the old habit, the old man inside of me, the man who wants ease, and the kicking up of his heals, the comfortable couch with the chocolates and cheesepuffs at the ready. (I don’t really like cheesepuffs, but they just sound so frivolous, don’t they?!) As much as I like to be comfortable and cozy, I want change, and I want my heart open to receive what God has prepared for me. I was open last November–raw, and hurting, but open.
So, my resolve is two things. To do, and to be. I’m hoping not to chat, and explain, and sermonize much over these next weeks. I’m hoping to just get off the couch and bake, and pray, and sleep, and eat, and give, and garden, and marvel at God and his creation. I’ll be posting, God willing, lots of photos, but I want to stay clear of lectures. I’m too good at them, and they’re not always that good for your heart or mine.
So, in that vein, these last few days have looked a bit like this.
And hopefully the next few weeks will look a whole lot like this!
Blessed Lent, my friends!
The Woman and the Wheat 
I hope you will have strength this Great Lent to do what God wants you to do…I was thinking I wouldn’t bake all this first week, but I think I will make simple loaf of rosemary bread today.
Thank you, Martha, for your sweet thoughts, and you and I will be rosemary pals today. My husband has soup on the menu, and my kids love those rolls!
dear jane,
i have been following your blog for a few weeks now. your bread recipes were what enticed me to begin with but now i am appreciating your sharing of spirituality more and more. i’m roman catholic, so have been in lent for almost a week now, practising the ‘monastic fast’ used in cistercian abbeys. this is more strict than the normal lenten fast practised by the church as a whole. our priest reminded us on sunday to think of lent as ‘a forty day retreat’ so i am adding my prayers that your Great Lent will be a time of fruitful reflection and deepening of faith.
Welcome, Gretchen, and blessings during this time of renewal. More recipes to come, and some other goodies planned, but mostly giving and seeking to be quiet these next 40 days. Thank you for your prayers!
Love the photo of the candle with the birds and the Theotokos plate in the back ground. What an inspiring setting!
We missed the perogie luncheon for Cheesefare following church on Sunday in order to tour a prospective college campus but I did use up all the cheese in the house on a five cheese baked macaroni. Now we have our time of cleansing and abstinence.
Yes, our cheese drawer was emptied, too. One cup of sharp cheddar into a giant no-knead loaf (that also had some sour starter in it) which went to church for coffee hour, and my husband made a delicious quiche… yum.
But enough of food! Blessed Lent, Hilarene.
Dear one, I don’t think you lecture….you just share what you learn in your daily life. That’s all any of us have to give. I value reading it.
Hugs,
B. Joanna
B Joanna. I am so thankful that the sermonizing doesn’t make its way into this blog too often. I work hard at that, but it’s alive and well in the interactions with my beloved children. Bless them. I am working on being a silent mamma, one who lives out Christ instead of preaches him. That is a big part of my effort this Lent.
Pray for me! And I will be praying for all of you…