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In some Christian traditions the Sundays in Lent are seen as 'Little Easters' and therefore a break from fasting. So although the elapsed time in Lent is 47 days, there are only 40 fasting days, reflecting Christ's 40 days in the wilderness after his Baptism.
The Lent course I read every day written by Andrew Dotchin always takes a break on Sundays. I don't know if he takes a break too!
I'm on the fence here. I haven't given up chocolate or biscuits; but I guess I shouldn't take a break from being kind, thoughtful, considerate, prayerful! So I'll stick with keeping my Lent resolutions on Sundays.
I'm pondering the sort of things that would make a '52 tiny changes to improve your Christian life', rather in the line of the '52 tiny changes to quiet your mind' book by Kelly Dugger. They would really have to be tiny... nothing too strenuous like 'get up at 5am so you can read and study and prayer for 2 hours every morning', for example! That's SO not never ever going to happen in my life.
Let's try anyway, maybe just one tiny change for each Sunday in Lent.
Change no 1
Sometimes I say a prayer before meals, sometimes I don't.
I've got a huge collection of graces from the comments to a blogpost last year. Now I'll try and say grace more consistently. Sometime soon I'll track back through the comments and gather them together.
(I forgot today before getting stuck into my porridge. Never mind, lunch and supper will give me two more chances to remember).
GraceBeforeMeals has always been part of my life since childhood. The granddaughters have started taking turns to say it when they stay with us. It's lovely to hear them adding in personal comments to the basic "thankyou God for our Food Amen" prayer.
ReplyDeleteI'm improving already... I'd only eaten one mouthful of potato.
DeleteWe're not ones for praying out loud together. A moment's silence for grace before loading my fork is enough
Could you post a link to the post about graces, please? I'd really appreciate that.
ReplyDeleteI'll look back for it this week. They kept coming for several different days!
DeleteWe always have a grace before meals, altho perhaps we're in a habit rather saying the 'real words' I think we need to change what we say?
ReplyDeleteIt's worth ringing the changes occasionally, I think.
DeleteOld habits die hard, and it is something that has ben part of my life since choldhood.
ReplyDeleteIt's not an 'old habit' I ever learned; no one in my family said grace before meals. It was only ever said at school, and of course that stopped when we went to a cafeteria system.
DeleteIt would be interesting to see the different graces.
ReplyDeleteI'm intending to get on and collect them together into a single post and a blog page. Lent task!
DeleteGiving thanks for food was today's topic in our United Church of Canada Lenten guide this year.
ReplyDeleteIt's something thing I appreciate being reminded of. I'm more likely to remember Grace AFTER meals... 'Lord, that bowl of porridge was delicious 😋 Amen'.
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