More Ideas for Lent Upcoming

Lent begins four days from now, are we all planning what to do? Will we all have a plan ready as of Ash Wednesday, or is that the first day we'll vaguely remember that Lent is beginning and we're sort of supposed to do some things differently?

I came across two very helpful online resources of ideas I'd like to offer.

101 Practical Fasting Ideas for Lent is an incredibly creative list without being gimmicky. I appreciate how the ideas are divided into categories (e.g., "For Those Addicted to Popular Culture").

For the ladies (do any men ever read this blog? doubtful!): has any little part of you (or the Holy Ghost!) been urging you to wear skirts more often? Perhaps you'd be interested in the Skirt Up Lenten Challenge. But, beware! My journey of wearing skirts began with a similar such personal challenge: I was going to Rome and wondered if I could wear skirts, not pants, while there for two weeks (when previously I'd put on a skirt once or twice a month). You never know where your personal devotion could end up.

Some people may need reminders on how to cook meatless meals on Fridays, although this is also a good time to share the tidbit that the Friday penance remains in effect in Canon Law. While the 1984 Code of Canon Law changed to allow people to do some kind of penance every Friday instead of only eating meatless, eating meatless every Friday of the year is still a very easy and "automatic" penance to do rather than having to come up with something new (who has time for that?). Anyway, for those who need to brush up on how to cook meatless meals, there are many resources online: Meatless Lenten Recipes, Lent on All Recipes, CRS Rice Bowl, Rachael Ray, Deep South Dish, and innumerable others. Or you could be like one devout family I know (whose kids eat way more obediently than do ours!): They have chosen in years past to eat all manner (but only) "rice and bean" dishes for dinners through all of Lent (Monday through Saturday), noting at the shocked replies that they are still eating far better than the vast majority of the world's population (a deep meditation to keep in mind). (See this useful resource for Rice and Beans Variations.)

Lastly, I found above a wonderful link to which I want to draw special attention: Maria Lectrix is a website of Catholic audio books online! I have only briefly explored the website, but am so excited to have this as a listening resource . . . in the kitchen while I cook, in the car while I drive . . . .