Lent Prep: Prayer + Food
Lent–everyone’s favorite liturgical time of year!
Isn’t it?
Just mine? Just mine. Ok.
Lent 2020 is days away. Raise your hand (drop me a comment!) if you also plan at the last minute. While many mamas and much more organized ladies have already been planning and praying about their Lenten prayer and fasting, I’m sitting here on Saturday before Ash Wednesday with a Reese’s peanut butter cup and coffee while I scroll Pinterest for meatless recipes.
I’ve written this list of ideas to help your Lent preparations (and mine!). I included many links to prayer and fasting ideas, as well as recipes! Several years ago, I collected recipes from blogging friends and we had a mini series of meatless meal posts. This year I’m rounding them up and including a link to my Pinterest board of meatless meals.
Prayer
No snooze button for me this Lent. Instead I’ll wake up on time in the dark and silence. The early quiet hours are so good for my prayer. I have no distractions (until my boys wander down with half-open eyes and a fierce hunger) and all the space to give my day to the Lord, and open my heart to what He has to share with me. I’ll be praying with
- the “Here, too” journal
- the Gospel of John (get a guide to read the whole gospel here)
- prayer journal + this kit
Fasting
Fasting is probably the hardest part of Lent. I can get caught up in the ideas and feeling like I need to “do it all” or I’m not suffering enough. #truestory But, life often has enough of its own suffering. I’m starting to let go of the forced penances that make myself miserable and grumpy and less-prayerful. In place of too many sacrifices, I’m praying about what God wants from me. Besides waking up to pray (fasting from the snooze button), I’m still waiting on His word.
- I found this post about “weird things to give up” interesting–maybe you will too.
- One year I gave up using the microwave to reheat coffee
- some people do intermittent fasting, eating only between certain hours of the day and fasting for up to 16 hours at a stretch.
Food
Tomato soup, grilled cheese, and oyster crackers made up my favorite Lenten meal as a kid. We also eat a lot of tuna, fish sticks, and more fish sticks.
We don’t eat fish much anymore because one of our daughters has a fish allergy. I’m constantly on the hunt for good, hearty meatless meals. (let’s be honest, though, growing boys are never full, so meat or meatless, they’ll still be trying to raid the fridge before bed).
Recipes I’ve collected over the years:
- black bean tacos
- tomato soup, served with grilled cheese and/or grilled tuna sandwiches
- chickpea gyros
- Meatless Fridays
- avocado omelette
- butternut squash and beans
- tortellini veggie soup
- Many more great ideas on my Pinterest board for meatless meals
I would love for you to comment with your favorite meatless recipes and your plans for prayer and fasting. Also let me know if you have any questions about my guide to Johns’ Gospel. I felt inspired to write it after reading through the Gospel last year. It was so fruitful to spend time with the Lord that way, and journey through Lent to Easter with Jesus’ story.
