Lent-O-Rama

I can say that, can't I??
That's not too frivolous, is it?

I mean, this is a somber season....but it's still in front of us and it's almost Mardi Gras folks....so I'm running with it. Carnivale, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras. It's all about the feast and the fest, you know - the pancakes - until Wednesday that is.

Because Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and its' the beginning of Lent. And as I'm feeling it starting to press toward me, I am riffling through my lenten resources and ideas, prodding friends and family for their thoughts and ideas and being a general pest.

So, because I'm stewing about this, I'm posting. And if you want to shortcut this post and go to the mother of all lent round ups, go here, to Aggie Catholics and their yearly "one stop shop" for all things lent. You can also go here, to Sister Mary Martha, for her usual clear eyed, cut to the chase info on lent; what it is and shouldn't be. Worth a peek, there.

Now I always like to plan on some spiritual reading during lent. No kidding, I do. Now, that plan often gets derailed, but really, I try, I do. TO that end, my list from last year, bookwise, still stands, go see...lots of good ones there.

Now, if I had to pick one or two.....and I might...I would recommend you look at these. The first one is a big bite to chew, um, read. It is dense and one of those books where you have to put it down every few pages to, um, digest it all. But, oh so worth the time:

Fire Within by Thomas Dubay : One of the best books I've read, especially for Lent. Deep, challenging, powerful stuff. One of the ones at the top of my list of great books, for years and years.
The second top of the chart lenten good reads is below. I've given this book out a number of times and it's just a good retreat in a book, and great for retrackign your conception of the term "love."

I Believe in Love, : Great book, a mini retreat in a book. Very powerful. Simple but very good. Don't be put off by the simple title, it is still full of deep richness to dive into, especially this time of year. Because lent is exactly that, a time to declare our love...for others, and Christ (Not ourselves, like we/I usually do).
Ok, that's it for the moment. I also have thoughts about things to add to your/my lenten observance, the really rich part of lent, in my book: confession, stations of the cross, devotions...

I actually really like lent and this whole season - even as I kind of brace for it. It's a bit like setting out to train for a marathon or a half: you know it's gonna be oh so difficult and probably painful, but you also know that you will be glad for the training, discipline and strength that results.

Hmmm. I am still pondering and pestering everyone quite a bit about that whole fasting part of lent, but if you all have any ideas or thoughts on it all, I would love to hear them. and when I can steal another few moments I will try to post some good links on it all. Great stuff out there on fasting, prayer, all the richness of the Lenten season. But until then I'm asking around about folks Lenten observances.

And now I am stepping it up to the cyber pest level. So, are you observing lent? If so, how?