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SIMPLE Lent Activities

by Filed Under: Crafts, Lent

Lenten Calendar
I found my inspiration from Jessica and have modified this year’s calendar.
Lenten Cleaning
We attempt to prepare our physical house as well as spiritual house in preparation for the Resurrection of Jesus. 
Here is our cleaning outline for the year and pictures from our Lenten cleaning in 2009.
Sacrifice Beans
Each child is given a jar and she is responsible for depositing a bean for her act of kindness or sacrifice. We generally do not have the children remove beans but this year we have decided to have the children remove beans from their jar for not being “Christ-like.” We wanted to try it this way this year since Sparkles is preparing for her First Communion.
Resurrection Eggs
**UPDATE**
Resurrection Eggs Tutorial
Rose made her first set of Resurrection Eggs with Sparkles’ Godmother years ago.  We have incorporated them every year since.  I’m not sure where she found her material but I have continued to use her narration and eggs contents.   I hope to have a tutorial soon since I’m planning this as the craft for my next Little Flowers meeting.
Almsgiving
We forgo treats, daily pleasures and wants to donate to our local Life Center & Catholic Bishop’s Maternity Home.  We attend Mass on Holy Thursday. The girls present their Lenten collection. Rose presents the family’s flower offering for the Altar of Repose. It is a long evening for the children. Mass starts at 6pm and ends at 9:30.  Mass is followed by Adoration.  (We’ve yet to last through Adoration since we drive 1 hr each way to Mass).
Fasting
We observe Good Friday in solace. This hasn’t always been the case but we finally answered God’s prompting placed on our hearts. There are no activities (sports, entertainment, and the like) – only Mass, family prayer, viewing of the Passion and our Good Friday meal.
For years we have eaten tomato soup with a grilled cheese (for kids). The kids We have grown to enjoy this soup very much. So much so, that I’m rethinking its place as a Lenten meal. However, Sweetie does call it Jesus’ blood.
Lent Link-Up

Lenten Calendar

by Filed Under: Lent

It took me more time than anticipated but it’s done!

I wanted to create something that could be used for years to come without having to start from scratch every year. I had a wonderful magnetic calendar idea in my head but I decided to go with the less labor intensive option, photo calendar created on my computer. Hopefully I’ve shaved off some of the prep time this year.  I’m sure I’ll add more to it over the years.

If anything, it’s more colorful than our last year’s calendar.

The calendar was printed at Costco Photo in 16×20 for the family down stairs and 8×10 for Rose’s bedroom. 

It’s a pleasant reminder of our family goals for lent*:

  • Grow in CHARITY
  • Increase prayer life
  • Learn more about the lives of the saints
  • Reclaim our family Adoration time
  • Clean physical house by simplifying and purging
  • Clean spiritual house by almsgiving, works of mercy, and spirutal readings   
 *these are in addition to our personal Lenten programs

These are the Lenten Activities we have listed on the calendar:

  • Lent for Children: A Thought a Day (daily)
  • Update the bean jar for sacrifices/almsgiving (daily)
  • Review personal Lenten program chart (daily)
  • Pick Cleaning item out of jar & perform assigned task from the Lenten Cleaning Calendar (Mon.-Sat.)
  • Adoration (Thursday)
  • Stations of the Cross (Friday)
  • Select family almsgiving activity for the week (Sun.)
in addition to the children’s collection for Life Center and simplifying our home by donating new and old items to the homeless shelters. 
– visit the elderly/sick in the rest home
– pray at the abortion clinic
– provide service to the pregnancy resource center
– cook meal for Father
– cook meal or invite family to home for meal
– invite someone to Mass
– provide additional service to Parish

Each weekday has been assigned a permanent prayer intention.

  • Mon – End to Abortion
  • Tue – Conversion of Family
  • Wed – Godparents & Godchildren
  • Thur – Pope Benedict XVI & Priests
  • Fri – Souls in Purgatory
  • Sat – Vocations
  • Sun – Poor, homeless, and those in great need 

We will also be using these resources:
kids

adults

Here’s where I found my inspiration:
The photo calendar’s background paper is from Shabby Princess. 

**UPDATE**
2011 Lenten Calendar

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