Survival Mode Lent

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If you are running on empty, if you are just trying to keep the plates spinning, if you’re not sure you can handle one more thing, then you might be living in survival mode. Like me.

In this state, it’s hard to plan something for Lent.

Lent is a time of extra prayer, fasting, and giving to prepare for Easter.

I don’t want to choose something so challenging that it’s completely unsustainable, but I don’t want to choose something so inconsequential that Easter finds me unchanged.

Before committing to anything, the question upon which to meditate is “What’s keeping me from holiness?” The answer is probably a good guide to how to spend Lent.

I did some thinking about balancing all those thoughts, and here’s my plan for Survival Mode Lent for our family.

The Kids

I don’t have the ability to monitor or juggle a lot of interactive activities this year. Everything we do will have to be pretty low-energy as far a prep.

1. Books
I’m going to get out our Lent picture books. Here are our favorites:

2. Stations
With David working evenings, making it to parish Stations of the Cross with a baby and a toddler is not practical. In years past we’ve had good luck making our own and hanging them up around our house.

We’ve printed these out (for free!) for years now.

At the start of Lent we’ll sit down and color them as a family, each of us coloring one or two stations. Then we’ll tape them up around the house. If it’s not MIA, we’ll do the Stations of the Cross with a flashlight shining on the current station.

3. Fasting from Favorites
Our parish has a subscription to Formed.org– sort of like a mini-Catholic Netflix/Audible. We’ll substitute some of our regular recreational listening/watching with Formed content.

I also used up one of our precious library hoopla rentals on this audiobook. (It’s also available on Audible.)

4. Prayer
I’m going to ask the kids “What do you want to tell Jesus?” to try to help them deepen their relationship with Jesus. It’s a new concept, not praying because we’re asking, thanking, or praising, but simply telling things to Jesus. I think I’m going to put “What do you want to tell Jesus?” on our message board for the season so I don’t forget to ask the kids regularly.

Me

5. Fasting from Yelling/Anger/Negativity
Ugh. So simple. So hard. It’s a good goal any time, but especially during this season of suffering.

6. Our Lady of Sorrows Novena
Technically this isn’t a Lent-specific eBook/journal, but I’m looking forward to the guided prayer and meditation on Mary’s sorrows.

7. I Thirst: 40 Days with Mother Teresa
Our parish was handing these out for free, so I picked one up. It will round out my personal prayer and meditation for the season.

8. Easy Simple Meals
We’re pretty much through all the freezer meals we prepared or were given in honor of new baby Pio, so now we’re getting back into the swing of our regular food routine. The pantry is stocked so that we can have spaghetti, oatmeal, and rice and beans on repeat. Lent is the perfect time to eat simply and not feel guilty about it.

At some point I need to remember to show the kids this video on the mud cookies eaten in Haiti. We’ll pair that with our parish’s Rice Bowl project.

All that feels like it should bring us closer to Jesus without being too much of a challenge. What are your survival mode Lent tips?

2 Comments


  1. // Reply

    Thanks for sharing! I think doing Stations around your house is terrific! I’m also going to try the “what do you want to tell Jesus?” question.

    I love doing my guided Lent Bible study; I’m doing the Take Up and Read one for the third year in a row. For the kids, I’ll put on the Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure every day. Have you done it before? It’s free!

    Have a blessed Lent!


    1. // Reply

      I love the look of the Take Up and Read series. They are so beautiful! I have a hard time actually writing in such a lovely book because it means I can’t pass it on when I’m done.

      We haven’t done the Holy Heroes Lent; I’ll have to look into it!

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