Home after mass and filled with sugary doughnuts... the activity is to run back and forth the length of the house - Maria had taken some of my hair accessories and looped them together to form a string for the cats to chase... a lot of fun and exercise for all the young and active kids and critters!
Kitties love the shoes by the door, but not near as much as a colorful string to chase after a 2 1/2 year old and a one year old! Entertainment doesn't get any better than this!
Fr reminded us at the Gloria and the Alleluia before the Gospel that with lent starting on Wednesday - Ash Wednesday is finally here! That we should really sing loud and from the heart!Lent is days away...a calling to a deeper walk - putting away all of our indulgances and denying those things that we take for granted... food, drink, material things- clothes, shoes, electronic devices... but adding to our spiritual lives with more prayer and spritual reading - probably turning off the TV!
In years past we have turned off the TV during Lent - so good for us and the kids - the board games would be set out and the kids would rediscover each other, and the fun of interacting playing games with each other! 
Then we would conscientiously gather as a family for prayer time in the evening... during Lent and Advent we were a lot better about it than other times of the Liturgical year - the old Protestant children's songs were sung - a decade of the rosary shared, and the Bible read, also the kids would shout out requests for the saints that they wanted to read about... John would ask for St Rita as one of his all time favorites... she got a thorn from the crown of thorns right in the middle of her forehead, when she asked to share in the suffering of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 
Another favorite of the kids was St Maria Goretti - hers was an important message, but a bit delicate with kids as she was murdered by the man, who was trying to rape her and she would not allow it to happen... Reading about the saints was never dull and usually a bit on the graphic side of things... they are very important in showing us that you can persevere in your faith in Christ no matter what you face in life! 
Lord, thank you for the gift of Lent, and how it makes us appreciate all the blessings that you pour upon us... If we didn't do without and step back from all the wonderful things in this world, and do without than they would not be near as wonderful - we would become tired and bored with the goodness. May we come to a closer walk with you on this journey called Faith, Family and Farm. Jesus, we trust in you! May our houses of faith be built upon the ROCK! Amen and Halelluia! 
Bless-bless, Barb"O look at me and be merciful, for I am wretched and alone. See my hardship and poverty, and pardon all my sins." Psalm 24: 16, 18
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