It's hard to believe that Lent will be here next week with the first day of Lent starting with Ash Wednesday on March 5, 2014!  What is the significance of putting ashes on one's forehead to start the Lenten season?  Below is a quote from an article on About.com 

The distribution of ashes reminds us of our own mortality and calls us to repentance. In the early Church, Ash Wednesday was the day on which those who had sinned, and who wished to be readmitted to the Church, would begin their public penance. The ashes that we receive are a reminder of our own sinfulness, and many Catholics leave them on their foreheads all day as a sign of humility.

In this article, Ash Wednesday Our Shifting Understanding of Lent, it states the following:
When we receive ashes on our foreheads, we remember who we are. We remember that we are creatures of the earth ("Remember that you are dust"). We remember that we are mortal beings ("and to dust you will return"). We remember that we are baptized. We remember that we are people on a journey of conversion ("Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel"). We remember that we are members of the body of Christ (and that smudge on our foreheads will proclaim that identity to others, too).

Here is a great 2 minute video about Ash Wednesday:

Our family will attend an Ash Wednesday Mass to help us remember that, like the Advent season, Lent is also a time of preparation and a call to conversion.  It's funny to have people tell me that I have "dirt" on my forehead after we attend Ash Wednesday Mass.  When this is said to me, it gives me a great opportunity to share my faith.

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Bean Jar

Speaking of sacrifices, another Lenten tradition our family does is the "bean jar".  We have a bowl filled with dried kidney beans, then when a family member makes a sacrifice, they put a bean in the jar.  Then on Easter morning the children will find that the beans that have accumulated in the jar during Lent will be changed into colorful and yummy jelly beans!  I told the kids that on Ash Wednesday and every Friday in Lent they could get a "2 for 1" deal on their sacrifices, meaning if they do something on Fridays they can pull a toothpick and put a bean in the jar vs. choosing one or the other like on the other Lenten days.  :-)

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Holy Heroes-Lenten Adventure

I got the bean jar idea from Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure a few years ago and we decided to try it in our home during Lent.  Our family loves Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure (and Advent Adventure) and you can register your email for free to receive weekly links all about Lent.  I have learned so much along with my children!

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Family Devotional Book

Or we might try to read Amon's Adventure: A Family Story for Easter.  We have really enjoyed the Advent versions of these family read alouds! 

 

Speaking of great books to read during Lent, Patty over at Reasons for Chocolate has this great post where she lists all the wonderful books her children will be reading during Lent.

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I can't remember where I got these particular coloring pages, but here are some other printable stations of the cross that children can color.

Several years ago, I found a simple presentation of the Stations of the Cross for kids 10 and under and this is what we use to say the stations during Lent.  It was in The Word Among Us Lenten Family Edition, Lent 2006 and HERE is a link to part of the article if you would like to review it.  Only subscribers to The Word Among Us can view this kid's version of Stations of the Cross in its entirety, however.
On Ash Wednesday and during all Fridays during Lent, Catholics abstain from eating meat as a form of fasting and penance.  For more information about the history of Lent, I would encourage you to read What are the origins of Lent? Did the Church always have this time before Easter? 

In the article I learned something new when it stated, "The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning "Spring," and lenctentid, which literally means not only "Springtide" but also was the word for "March," the month in which the majority of Lent falls."


I'm always on the look out for meatless dishes during Lent and this Seafood Spaghetti dish is easy and delicious.  You can find the recipe at my blog post HERE.  I really like Jen's Roundup of Lenten Resources post HERE that includes lots of links to meatless meal ideas.  I hope to try some new dishes from her list.  Thanks Jen!

I linked up my Seafood Spaghetti recipe at Beth Anne Best's 2014 Lenten Meal Plan Link-Up!


3. Please follow your hostesses' blogs and like our Facebook pages. As a courtesy, we ask all who participate in the Keep Love in Lent link up to click to all of the hostesses and follow us.  We also encourage this so that you don't miss updates about the Lenten Link-Up! And besides, we'd love to stay in touch regularly!








~ And that's IT for the participation guidelines.~

Lent will be here soon starting on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2014!  Our family has been a big fan of Holy Heroes Lenten and Advent Adventure for several years now!  Lenten Adventure is a free and fun resource for families to teach children and adults about Lent, Lenten traditions, liturgy, the Mass, and the Easter season!  

It's simple to sign-up...Go HERE to sign-up for free!  It takes just seconds to enter your email address and each week during Lent, Holy Heroes will send links to videos where 8 beautiful Holy Heroes children teach your family all about Lent!  

Speaking of Lent,  I encourage you to join the "Keep Love in Lent" Blog Link-Up hosted by Catholic Bloggers Network with Monica, Chris, Tina, Lisa, and myself!  The link-up is an opportunity to share your Lenten ideas, posts, and traditions.  It's also a way to learn how other families keep love in Lent!  :)  Details HERE! 

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