Lent

This is one activity we have done this lent.
The Family Altar:
I let them design it, but gave advice here and there. We used things that we had in our home and yes it does look kid created and yes it is in our living room! I had to let go of that whole thing especially when we were having people over to our house. Over a two week period of time we normally have a lot of traffic in and out because we have lots of people over and that is just how it is neighbors and friends in and out all the time, but during lent we had more new people come over than normal because of Bobby's birthday party and bunco that I hosted. I was really torn with whether or not I should take down the altar for the different events and have my house look prettier but I then realized by doing so I would teach my children vanity and in-authenticity. We could have our altar proudly displayed for some and then we could hide it away for others or we could share it with everyone. I chose share it with everyone and we are we share it with everyone who walks through our door. Many of which had no idea why we put the altar together or what the stations of the cross are. It has been a beautiful way to reach people and teach people about living as a domestic church. Okay so we started and of course the kids ran...sometimes I think they have no other speed especially the boys the only speed they have is run even when they are going four steps away. So they run away and come back with a bright multi colored and flowered comforter as the cloth to lay on the table. So yes it was super thick and so inappropriate for an altar, so I redirected them and said get a sheet that is plain and they came back with the one seen in the pic. They then proceeded to get their Mexican candles that we bought in Kroger one day on a whim. I never buy my kids anything as we go around stores for several reasons 1. They don't need it 2. They can't have everything they want 3. They need to be told no often 4. We don't have the money It is cool how the fourth reason allows the others to happen. It really is a blessing not to be able to get them everything and to not have enough money for everything. Materialism paralyzes the spirit. We want free little spirits we don't want spirits bound to a bunch of crap! BUT one day in Kroger shortly after Gavins long awaited talking we walked past the Mexican candles and in some adorable mumbled way he said what only I as his mother could make out to be Jesus! HE SAID JESUS! Any person walking by would have thought he said Ja Ja or some other meaningless sound, but I knew it definitely was Jesus so I said with excitement oh honey do you want Jesus well you can have Jesus and then of course Annaliese wanted Mary and Tristan wanted Jesus and there we go to pay for our Mexican candles. The kids are still to this day so proud of those candles. So Mexican Candles, a family bible, family rosaries, a cross, st. michael the arc angel, mary, stations of the cross, our bean jar, holy water and rice bowl box we are collecting money in.