The Lenten Blog Carnival!

Welcome to the first Lenten Blog Carnival, here at Homemaking Through the Church Year! We have suggestions for fasting, stories of past Lenten seasons, and meditations on the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

In preparing this Carnival, I have been overwhelmingly blessed by all of your posts. I've learned so much. Thank you to everyone who sent something in, who wrote such encouraging emails, and who's here reading. I think I got all the links entered up in this post; if not, please forgive me - and let me know! I'll post a post-script!

Be aware, before you start reading, that this Carnival contains - as I'd hoped! - entries from each of the three large divisions of the Church: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant. So, no one, including me, is going to agree with everything she finds here. But I hope that you will all nonetheless be encouraged by one another's faith and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

That disclaimer made, let's get on to the meat of the Carnival! (pun absolutely intended)


To kick us off are some posts about getting ready for the Lent.

First of all, I'm honored to have a post from James Kushiner of Touchstone's Mere Comments, on Eastern Carnival. If you don't read Mere Comments (or Touchstone), well, you should.

Sarah at Becoming Ourselves, a blog about spiritual growth, writes about the how easy it is to forget Lent is coming, and what that might mean.

Sherry Early at Semicolon blogs from a Baptist perspective about how Lent readies her family to celebrate the Resurrection.

Rebeca at Carried on the Wind reflects on all she's learned about Lent in the Orthodox Church these past two years, and how she's looking forward to really celebrating it for the first time.

MommaBlogger at Homemaker's Guide to the Galaxy meditates on the purpose of Lent, and on how she hopes to change by Easter Sunday.

Lindsey at Reading Red Letters takes us through her thought processes as she decides what to give up, and what to take on, this Lent.

On a blog about homemaking and the Church Year, children are often the focus of attention.

Elizabeth Foss has a post on Preparing to Prepare for Easter that includes a conversation with her children about heaven, hell and repentence, and a lesson for every age as we head into Lenten fasting.

Sara at Mom's Musings offers several resources for families (especially Catholic families) looking to celebrate the Lenten season with their little ones. Great links in this post!

As you continue your journey through Lent, be sure to check out Kelly's The Liturgical Year for Little Ones. This post about Forgiveness Sunday and Clean Monday will give you an idea about what to expect from her helpful blog.

There are also some more general reflections on the season.

First, let me direct you back to a post from a guest blogger right here at Homemaking Through the Church Year, Dr. Betsy Barber. Her post illuminates some of the reasons why we do what we do during this Great Fast.

Xapis recalls her first Lent here. This year, she's meditating on death and dying.

Picking up on one of the themes in Xapis' posts is A Penny and Her Thoughts. This post touches on the idea of balance, why spiritual disciplines are usually physical, and how to make Christ the Lord of our whole selves.

Liza's Eyeview posts about memories of Lent from her childhood in the Phillipines.

Lasselanta, a friend with a real gift for writing and a missionary's heart, talks about two memorable Lents: one about a year when her fast was involuntary and one that found her very far from home, but that brought her closer to her Lord.

At Fruitful Words, find a quiz that reveals one woman's thoughts on the season.

And, finally, an original sonnet by Juliet Wilkins, to close off the Carnival.


Thank you all again for reading and for contributing. I've enjoyed putting this together more than I ever imagined I could, and feel more honored than I can say for getting to read all this good stuff. May you all have a good and blessed Lent!


peace of Christ to you,
Jessica

p.s. And, if you're like me, and much as you love Lent, just can't wait for that second Sunday of April to roll around, be assured that there'll be a first annual Easter Blog Carnival too. Stay tuned for details!