So, if you are riding in a car with 7 children, the conversation can go in any direction....we only know that it can take us unexpected places. Hopefully, by the end of the ride, we will have some consensus on what the conversation was about and what the resolution was. Saturday was such a day. As we were riding to church, we asked if anyone had though about what they were going to give up for Lent. Blank stares...What are we going to abstain from? Abstain; yes, you know fast. After more silence, a brave boy from the back seat said, "What is fast?" Yes, in a car load of six new catholics who had only just been brought into a catholic home, we had some splaining to do...
We explained that among other reasons, Catholics wanted to suffer along with Jesus' 40 days in the dessert. Jesus went without food or water so he was able to remain strong and resist the temptations of the devil. We try to give up something for Lent, to remain strong with Jesus. When we explained that we were younger, we would give up candy. My brave 6th grader said, "Yeah, that's what I am going to do." confidently, since we don't often have candy.
We then explained to the children that we try to give up something a little harder, like football :o) Or we try to add something in. After some conversation, we decided to go back to doing our rosary every day for Lent since we kindof gave it up by the time everyone returned home at Christmas.
We only just broached the idea of fasting...giving up meat...MEAT. We decided to save that for another day...My children like meat...a lot! So now we have some idea of the journey we will be taking this Lent...at least we know what we are adding and we have a vague idea that we need to give up meat. As for why we don't marry our siblings...that was my been Catholic since birth daughter. She was reading Genesis in the bible, completely unconcerned by the idea of fasting...couldn't care less and had never given up a thing in her life. She could not understand how Adam and Eve could have children if they were brother and sister. The best I could do, since it is a divine mystery, was that when God made their bodies, they were perfect. After years of being not perfect, it isn't such a good idea...Now our bodies have many years of abuse and imperfect genes to account for. We try to help our bodies by giving the best food possible and by trying not to pass on too many problems. And she really needs to think about what she is going to give up this lent, too. It is a family thing.
I think I am giving up taking car rides with my kids...
edited to add a link to the blog lent link up I shared this on...if you are interested in more...
Wow, that sounds cynical. I am really not like that. But love has taken a real beating these last, I don't know, 80 years or so. I can pinpoint it exactly, and I who it was who killed love. Wanna guess? It was Margaret Sanger...Yep! Margaret single handedly raised the idea of Birth Control for women. At first she was just that crazy lady who wanted to kill blacks. Many Eugenic initiatives were begun by Sanger in the early years. She published some papers along the lines of Disabled, Criminals, Negros, and Other Undesirables...nice. I am thinking of naming my book something along those lines, but I digress. After Hitler, eugenics kind of left a bad taste in the American publics' mind, so some of her PR people tried out some new causes for her. Not that she didn't want black people sullying her earth, but she just couldn't say it outright. Instead, her new message was over-population. That's the ticket...a great cause lots of white, middle class people could get behind. But the black community had to get on board too, or they might think she was trying to eliminate them. Black ministers were even better than regular black folk, and how about a first lady...Eleanor Roosevelt! After a while, Sanger was even a little to wild for her respectable cause, and she stayed in the background. By then Planned Parenthood was already established, there was enough support by the people, and Roe v. Wade was passed. They now took their message to the schools and that's all she wrote...fun sucker. Margaret Sanger killed romance. By taking it down to its most base, romance, responsibility, and love all lost. Even the kids don't get to think its fun. Its all about what they can do for each other, first, faster, and earlier. Don't believe me. Google PP for kids stuff...it is repulsive. And they have curriculum's for middle school, too...don't worry, Mr. Penis and Ms. Vagina are cartoons!!
Planned Parenthood sent out a tweet today..."don't forget to show your love by using a condom..."
Wow, I can't wait till my daughter finds "Mr. Right Now"...
