So Lent is over and we welcome the joy of the Easter Season. Alleluia! I think its good to take a look back at Lent and see where we succeeded . . .and where we failed.
Biggest success: as a family, my kids love the m&m bowl . . .where we had given up chocolate as a family but every kind deed earns them an m&m in a little bowl and on Sunday we got to eat them. I think it has helped them to be more motivated to do favors and improved attitudes when mom asks for a favor. My favorite moments are of course, when I catch them doing things, not to get an m&m, but then I get to reward them with that. My favorite examples are my oldest son playing hide and seek with his little sister and my other son sitting down and reading with her one night–including patiently reading the same book over and over.
Personally, my biggest success was with the books I’m reading. Father Larry Richard’s book, Surrender, has been highly motivating and of course, has brought into clarity some things God was already laying on my heart–especially about getting out of our own way and letting God love through us!
Biggest challenge–for me the biggest challenge is always remembering to do things. For some reason, nobody seems to want to remind me! So when we get rushed and busy, I forgot to say the rosary, read the Gospel, or even ask the kids what favors they have done that day.
Biggest failure–well, as I was just saying, because of my bad memory, our gospel reading after dinner was almost non-existent. Sigh. Our Rosary was not been 100% either, although it is improved from before Lent. And I actually ended up taking away our only drink water day on Thursdays because I felt like it was just too much for everybody. Personally, I didn’t remember to read my daily reflection much.
Keepers: I definitely want to continue to do a decket of the Rosary a night. As a family and I want to continue to improve kindness although I don’t have a specific way in mind to work on that yet.
I have to say, in general, I feel like I’ve grown this Lent. I feel like I’ve moved along the path of recognizing where I need to let God be the one doing the work and I need to just let go! Do I always do it right? No way! But at least I’m starting to recognize some areas I need to view more through God’s eyes instead of my own . . .or even through the eyes of the world, or other people I care about! Hopefully my family feels closer to God as well.
Does anybody have any goals for the Easter season?