Perhaps that is the wrong message, I haven't been strung out and floating in space. We moved to Portland, OR and are here. We have three chickens, baby chicks now, soon to be big hens. The kids love the hens....
We are now part of Holy Rosary Parish--a great place. The kids are so big. T is almost 8, and V will be 5 in two weeks. J had a lovely 2nd birthday right after Christmas. And she is totally out of diapers now. Yeah cloth! So I (kind of) sadly (kind of joyously) pack all her little diapers and woolies away. I guess I'll hold onto them for a bit here, for maybe #4?
I'm getting ready for Lent. I really need Lent this year--after moving and all the upheaveal,, I want to get refocused (sp?). Because we aren't eating dairy except for the occasional sheep cheese, I'm cutting out olive oil and wine as well. I'm basically following the Eastern Orthodox Great Lenten Fast--I don't think I can fast for a complete 3 days in a row because J is still occasionally nursing (for comfort). I hope to go to Mass at least 2 times per week. Daily would be great, but with 2 little ones and limited funds, that might not work.
Which brings me to my big part--Lady Poverty. lovely Lady Poverty. We are considered economically poor in this country. We live below the 200 per cent above the povery line ( I won't say exactly where, but it is down there ;) ). And I have mixed feelings about telling people this. I feel like it is show what shameful--but then don't the poor have a special place in the Heart of Jesus? Isn't poverty something to strive for?
So why do I feel so weird about it, in this land of the protestant work ethic and calvanistic predestination anxiety? When did capitalism invade my conscious and begin to inform my ethics?
I;d like to really give away what we don't need/use and be content with the bare minimum if stuff. So I'm perging the things. We gave away a lot of stuff before moving, but we are kind of nostalgic pack rats, and well--you know writers... it is hard to pry stuff out of their hands.
So that will be a task. To embrace Lady Poverty, and reconnect with Him.
So I plan to spend little time on line. I'm going to refocus on my place here, and live poor.
sorry this is kind of wacky and disjointed, but I just need to get it all out before my bread is done baking in the oven.
Yeah! Lent.
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2 comments:
good to have you back. I actually just put up a picture of a third world country slum in Dominican Republic to help remind me about poverty and being thankful for what I have. We are renting a tiny apartment right now and I want a house so badly, just a little cottage on an acre or two but I am trying to be grateful for my real wealth, our health, our girls, my husband's love, the faith.
praying with you this lent!
anna
Thanks, Anna!
I know what you mean about remembering what real poverty is.
And we want to have a farm, too. So much that I'm just going for it here, with my Urban mini-farm. One can actually grow a lot of food in a small space (front and back yards)... I'll have to write more about the Little Foot Mini Farm.
But I digress. And as Dr. Brommer says on the old soap bottle, health is wealth!
Here's to many prayers for a fruitful lent!
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