Lent: Watch, Read, Listen

Lent- We're one week in.  How's it going?  There's still time, you know.  That's the beauty of this season.  Advent can sometimes fly by in 3 1/2 weeks and before we know it, we have reached the days we've been waiting for.  Lent's length allows us to settle in, to realign, dare I say to even start over when necessary.

Most of this blog is about sharing resources to help you teach the kiddos in your life.  But this post is all for you- the teachers and parents and church workers that can't give what they don't have.  So if you need to go deeper or begin again or already need to recharge, I thought I would share some fruitful things that I have been watching, listening to, and reading during this first week of Lent.

1. Fountains of Carrots podcast with Meg Hunter-Kilmer- Get Inspired for Lent
Need some help entering into the season?  Need some inspiration for why we fast, pray, and give? Need to sit in on a lovely conversation with three awesome ladies?  This is the podcast for you. :)

2. The Significance of Ash Wednesday with Fr. Mike Schmitz.  Loved this explanation of Ash Wednesday:

3. Blessed is She's Lent Devotional Journal & lovely Stations of the Cross cards are guiding my prayer this season.  You can still get a digital download of the journal, and anyone anytime can read the daily devotionals.

4. Ocean Of Mercy- An old but good documentary about God's Mercy and the connections between St. Faustina, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and St. John Paul II. Watch the first part of the movie here. I watched the full film on Formed, and you can get the DVD here.  It makes me super excited for the Divine Mercy in the Second Greatest Story Ever Told series that is coming out in April!

5. Heart of Mary Women's Fellowship (Free!) printable Lent Study based on the Stations of the Cross and their beautiful printable Stations of the Cross cards.  (A set for my classroom aaannnddd home?  maybe.)

6. If I could recommend one Lenten resolution for every Catholic, it would be to read Scripture daily.  If you are looking for a place to start, follow the daily lectionary.  You'll get 3-4 short readings, usually covering the Old and New Testament, Psalms, and the Gospels-it's the perfect combination.  You can always easily find the readings using the calendar on the USCCB website.  You also can read both the Scripture and a daily devotion from Blessed is She (even sent straight to your inbox!) or you could use a guide like this.

7. And if you are just looking some tunes to listen to in the car or while washing dishes, I'd like to share my Lent song playlist with you.  Music sets the tone for my work, so I always find it helpful to choose songs and artists that fit the way I want to pray.


Be assured of my prayers for you this Lent!

"We can think of Lent as a time to eradicate evil or cultivate virtue.  A time to pull up weeds or plant good seeds.  Which is better is clear for the Christian idea is always positive rather than negative." ~Venerable Fulton J. Sheen (read the rest of the reflection here)