Tag Archives: Lent

Fat Tuesday…

…also known as Shrove Tuesday.

“While many enjoy Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, as a time of indulgence and possible gluttony, others spend the day in prayer, preparing their hearts and minds for the upcoming period of Lent.” You can read the rest of this interesting article here.

In the UK, Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day (or Pancake Tuesday to some people) because it is the one day of the year when almost everyone eats a pancake. In keeping with the tradition of my favorite country to visit I’ll be making pancakes for dinner tonight.

The name Shrove comes from the old word “shrive” which means to confess. On Shrove Tuesday, in the Middle Ages, people used to confess their sins so that they were forgiven before the season of Lent began.

On Monday Dear, Katie and I enjoyed a meal together at the BeachHouse Bar and Grill in Kirkland.

Later in the day Josh and Laura came over for dinner and we enjoyed getting caught up with Katie on her new life and her and Andrew’s road trip across the U.S.A.

In keeping with the theme of food, I posted an old favorite from peasant Russian kitchens for you today at our Mennonite Girls Can Cook Site. Click over for the recipe.

Do you observe Lent? Are you going to be eating pancakes today? I enjoy the thought of preparing my heart and mind for the season leading up to Easter. This year with the wedding filling up a lot of this time I’m going to have to try to catch those moments of preparation where ever I can.

Have a wonderful Tuesday whatever you do or enjoy today!

Searcher of Hearts, from Mine Erase ~ Hymn

 

Searcher of Hearts, from Mine Erase

Searcher of hearts, from mine erase
All thoughts that should not be,
And in its deep recesses trace
My gratitude to Thee.

Hearer of prayer, O guide aright
Each word and deed of mine;
Life’s battle teach me how to fight,
And be the vict’ry Thine.

Giver of all—for ev’ry good
In the Redeemer came—
For raiment, shelter, and for food,
I thank Thee in His name.

Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost,
Thou glorious Three in One,
Thou knowest best what I need most,
And let Thy will be done.

Words: George P. Morris, 1838.

The Lenten Season

Today marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter. Sundays aren’t counted in the 40 days. This year lent begins on Wednesday March 9th and ends on April 23rd.

Helleborus Orientalis is the botanical name of the very popular, early blooming shade perennial more commonly known as the Lenten Rose. Lenten Roses grow hardy around the world in temperate zones 4-9. In the English speaking world they are known as the Lenten Rose but are not roses at all. They are actually of the Butter Cup family. Their flowers bloom during the Easter celebration of Lent.

Hebrews 12: 1-2 (ESV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!


Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days ~ Hymn

Lenten Rose

Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days

Lord, who throughout these forty days
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins
And close by Thee to stay.

As Thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
O give us strength in Thee to fight,
In Thee to conquer sin.

As Thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and chiefly live
By Thy most holy Word.

And through these days of penitence,
And through Thy passiontide,
Yea, evermore in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.

Abide with us, that so, this life
Of suffering over past,
An Easter of unending joy
We may attain at last.

Words: Claudia F. Hernaman, Child’s Book of Praise; A Man­u­al of De­vo­tion in Sim­ple Verse, 1873.

Friday’s Fave Five

Welcome to Friday’s Fave Five hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

 

1. On Saturday Dear and I opted for a hike instead of a beach walk because of high tides. We drove to Sycamore Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains to hike up to Scenic Point. On the way we stopped on Pacific Coast Highway to watch some Dolphins swimming and breaching the surface of the water. So cool. This hike really gets our hearts pumping and it’s good for us.

2. The skies have been less than boring this past week in Southern California. I always love to see cloud formations and I was rewarded this week with fun skies.

3. I added the photo of the path from our hike to single out another favorite this week. Our church, Bible Studies, Small Groups are all on a 40 day journey together that we started on Ash Wednesday. We are setting aside 15 minutes a day for 6 days a week to reflect on what it means to follow Jesus. It has been a blessing already. Dear and I are hosting a small group every Sunday where we discuss what we’ve learned and encourage each other to continue our journey with Jesus.

4. So I was brave enough to show a photo of me working out on the Bowflex. I have a love/hate relationship with exercise but I always feel so much better when I put in the effort.

 

5. You have to look really really close and even with my prompt you might not see the sweet Hummingbird that Willow and I saw on our walk yesterday. So what does that have to do with favorites? My favorite thing any week is seeing and appreciating what God has created for us to enjoy. When I’m out walking or hiking I love that God has opened my eyes to appreciate His wonderful creation.

Oh and next Friday…my favorites are going to be all about the great Northwest because I travel to Seattle on Saturday to spend a week with my kiddos!

Click on over to Susanne’s to see or join in on posting your favorites from the week.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage unless I pay them a lot of money. I’m slowly cleaning up many posts from this time period and deleting their ugly grey and black boxes with a ransom request. Such a time consuming bother.