A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Home for the Holidays Lenten Observances

Carol,

Glad you loving it.

Refreshing to hear that..
:ding:

Good luck, dear Maxi. That is going to be a very difficult thing to do. Especially with the other boys to distract you. Let us know how it goes!

Annette

Sheri about 10 years ago I went on retreat. After dinner & chapel, we were told we had to Keep Silence until the morning. People freaked out! And all they had to do was walk down the hall from the chapel and go to their rooms & go to bed. We could talk again after the early morning chapel service. I was really quite amazed that they were all ruffled up about it and went down the hall making faces and gestures. They just could NOT simply walk down the hall unto themselves.

But I got my own surprise later.

Not conversing doesn't bother me at all. But not SINGING is really tough! It is a family habit. We all tend to sing bits and pieces of songs, or hum. I'm not sure I can even wash dishes or make beds without singing something along the way.

So ohmygoodness, I really had a hard time til the next morning!

Barb are you saying you can be a Giggle Box?


Merme

Yes...........

More than once this is what happens to me....Giggle.

One time we was walking into church and we bless ourselves with holy water.
There was no Holy water in it , my friend picked up the sponge and blessed herself.........OH my I think we laughed all afternoon.

bad girls

Funny girls.



Merme

dodge, I am shocked to say the least. I thought you were perfect


Merme, I'm with you. I sing all the time and most of the time when I was trying to meditate songs were going through my head. I kept trying to re-direct my thoughts, as instructed, by then my redirect Bible verse wouldn't get out of my head. I don't know how people don't have a thought in their mind. One of my friends who meditates regularly is so put together and appears calm. But she drinks too so go figure.

That was in my childhood days ........Not now..........

daaaaaaaaaa



One of my old school friends told hubby the other day, lies about me.
Nothing bad, but she made it up........Then asked if I ever told him that?
He just said yes..LOL
He said she is sort of goofy.. Makes things up as she goes along.......

You would think after people get older they would stop telling tales. I guess it's a lack of self confidence.

yep I think so too sheri--that and/or the need to feel superior.

Thanks Sheri,/Junigirl

THat is what I took it as........

b

So Merme, is today the day to start? I love you for starting this.

Yes, Sheri. Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

By the way, if anyone is curious about why the "ash" for Ash Wednesday...

Many people in the liturgical churches (Catholic, Anglican, Episcopalizn, Grk Orthodox, Lutheran) like to observe the tradition of Imposition Of Ashes.

The palms leftover from Palm Sunday which have been blessed are respectfully burned. That is where the Ashes come from.

On Ash Wednesday they are used in a special service. The priest dips his finger in the small pot of ashes and makes the sign of the cross on the person's forehead, reminding that person that we have all come from ashes and to ashes we will return.

It may sound odd, but it is a lovely tradition and quite helpful. At the very least, it is a sobering reminder of the transience of our lives on earth. At the greater impact, it puts our feet on the journey Jesus made at this time of year to Jerusalem and the Cross. We may not like to think of it, but there are no short cuts to Easter. We have to get there by way of Good Friday & the Cross.

That is also why you might see many people wearing purple to church during Lent. Purple is a color of pennance... some folks like to wear it as a reminder that we are contrite not just for our sins, but sin in general.

As I said before, this is a very contemplative, reflective time of year.

It is amazing what a person can discover about himself through these Lenten efforts.


Merme

Thank you Merme. I needed that explanation.

I just got back from the ash wednesday mass - it really is a regular mass with an extra segment added to it. Merme, is right, our church burns palms from last year for this year's ashes. When the priest puts the ashes on your forehead, he says "remember that from dust you came, to dust you shall return" or "repent and hear the good news."

fasting in the catholic church is required on 2 days (ash wednesday and good friday) is divided into two types of fasting. The first (a lesser fast) is simply no meat. Everyone who understand the meaning of fasting is expected to do this. The greater fast is for anyone 18-60 (give or take a year). For a great fast, you are allowed to have 1 full meal, and two other meals which cannot equal the full meal when put together. You get to eat at each meal :)fasting is a way to reflect how lucky and fortunate you are and the need to help others. the $ saved can be kept or donated (usually the latter). giving donations or alms is also a tradition during lent.

i know people who don't eat meat on fridays too. the priests only have bread and water on wednesday. oh, and by the way, the context of meat does not include shellfish, seafood, fish, nor eggs. But you wouldn't go have a lobster sandwich when you're fasting lol

i haven't figured out what to give up yet. I'm thinking giving up time on the computer aside from homework

I went to ash wednesday this morning.

I gave up candy for lent......
I get a sore mouth .

Cannot give up computer in the winter here, nothing else on tv to take the place.

Only so much of hgtv, and I fall asleep..

I remember growing up out west that the school cafeteria only served fish on Friday. I think it's interesting that meat plays an important role in fasting. I don't eat a lot of meat so I can't understand the sacrifice in giving it up 1 day a week and back then I wouldn't eat fish if it jumped into my mouth.

No wonder your so skinny, no protein in your body.

However you are a raving beauty...Guess meat an fish dont count..

raving maniac maybe. And YOU should put on your glasses. I do eat fish now.

Sheri here is a tiny fragment of history on the no meat on Friday rule....

Of course, and first, Jesus was crucified on Friday & His body was a sacrifice for us. So out of respect, many people prefer to remember that and refrain.

But further, and perhaps more importantly, in that era, the majority of meat available for people to buy came from Temples of the assorted gods worshipped. The meats had been sacrificed to gods.

In the very early Church, the Christians got into a crisis of conscience as to whether or not it was a sin to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. You can read a discussion about this in St. Paul's Letter To The Corinthians (Chapter 8). There is a similar discussion in St. Paul's Letter To The Romans.

Remember that the Temple's to these gods were rather prolific. If someone wanted to purchase meat, they could go to a Temple & either eat right there or buy it and take it home.

Some early believer's took the stance that a Christian should NEVER eat meat that had been sacrificed to a false god. Other's said you CAN eat meat that way as long as you can thank the True God for it.

We are fortunate in that we only have to go to the grocery store to buy our hamburger.


Merme

interesting stuff Merme.

Put that new hairdo photo on again an we will take a vote..LOL'

You're a nut dodge Wish we lived closer.

Are you observing the Lent season?

Yes I am observing Lent..
Was a good girl and went yesterday AM for ashes.

Got in line and who is right across from me, but the Undertaker who buried my bil couple weeks ago.
That gave me an eerie feeling.......DIdnt know he came to ours.
Lookin for customers?


Yes......I ate fish for supper last nite.
Will do it on all fridays.. Quit candy till easter.

Is that abservant enough>?

Maybe you can run over and see Cindy..
LOL
b

Why did you eat fish last night? Because it was Ash Wednesday?

You better watch out. I think that undertaker has his eye on you!!!!

I ate fish cause Ash wednesday is a day of fasting , like fridays in Lent.

He's not my type....Over my dead body....LOL