Pages

Mar 3, 2006

Ways to improve my lent

I've read through all the 40 Ways to Improve Your Lent and realized that I couldn't practice all of them. So I've picked out some of them which I THINK I should be able (or at least I'll try my best) to 'accomplish' during this Lenten season. Sharing with you the few of them (copied and pasted directly from the original list)...

  1. Learn about your patron saint. [I still don't know who my patron saint is. Anyway, I'll be choosing a booklet about one of the many saints available on the shelf at home. The Saint whose story I picked will be my saint.]
  2. Pray for - by name - people you don’t like and for people that don’t like you. [No comment.]
  3. Start a "cuss bowl." For every unkind word you utter, put in a dollar - two dollars during Holy Week. After Easter, give the money to an English as a second language program. [I seriously need to discipline my tongue during this Lent, it's been very bad lately. Perhaps I would give the money to the Catholic Welfare Service here.]
  4. Pray for those, e.g., children, parents, spouse, siblings, who have left the church. [And also for some friends. Hopefully God will change their hearts. Anyone else who needs prayers please let me know.]
  5. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. [So anyone dares to admit that he/she doesn't need this?]
  6. Test your knowledge of Scripture. [I'll try to read the bible more consistantly, have been really lagged off. Is there any bible quiz online?]
  7. Attend Mass at a parish other than your own. [Got to try, can't do it if I don't have transport.]
  8. Observe five minutes of silence every day. [Oh yes... something I need seriously.]
  9. Use a Lenten theme in decorating part of a room. [Interesting, so I guess I can try that out.]
  10. Memorize a Proverb. [Memorizing is something I hate real much. So I really need to 'overcome' this...]
  11. Disconnect the TV and/or the computer. [I think most probably the TV. I need to blog, so certainly not the computer -- no games though.]
  12. Remove your watch before leaving for church on Palm Sunday. [I'll do it after I sat down at my comfort zone. Hey I don't want to be late for choir!!]
  13. Sacrifice your time in order to help others. [Yups, I will do it most willingly... even though exam might be right tomorrow.]
  14. Pull the rosary out of your drawer and say it. Too boring? Say the Scriptural rosary. [Am gonna find out how to say the Scriptural rosary. I need that, 'cos everytime I pray the rosary alone I would certainly fall asleep before I finish all the decades. I'm so sorry Lord!!]
  15. Develop a prayer list. [For all who need prayers, kindly drop me a mail or let me know in the comment box and message box. Why not we form a special prayer team so we can pray together and pray for each other?]
Gosh... honestly, I didn't know I've actually shortened the list of 40 items into a list of 15. Doesn't matter how long the list is, most importantly we must be able to keep our promise to God of what we will do/sacrifice during this Lent. What about you? Have you thought of what to be done?


p.s. Please pray for my safety as I'll be on a trip to a forest reserve tomorrow. Thank you!

4 comments:

piscotikus said...

A local Church I go to once a month when I work the weekend was doing The Purpose Driven Life this Lent. So I've decided to join them and try it.

I started a year ago but didn't make it past day 9. I've also picked up In conversation with God ([art 2 Lent and Eastertide) that has good stuff in it which I read before going to bed.

My biggest goal is to make it to daily mass as often as possible. And I've given up sweets like always.

sonoftheprodigal said...

Good luck on your journey. My you find the God of Journeys a joyful and at times, a surprising companion.

Audrey Yu said...

Piscotikus,
Oh yes, thank you for mentioning the Purpose Driven Life. I have the book too, but stopped reading at day 25. I will give it a thought. Thanks a lot, too, for sharing. :) God bless!

Sonoftheprodigal,
Thank you! :)

Matthew said...

Those are good suggestions, Audrey. I'm trying to practice more charity and fasting this lent before anything else. I've also just visited a new church that is really beautiful, so I can cross one thing off of my list of 40 suggestions for Lent :)