If you’re observing Lent, I’m sure you’ve decided by now what it is you’re giving up, or adding to your life in the next 40 days. But in case you need some ideas, here are a few that have to do with reading.
Paula Huston wrote a nice daily Lenten practice book called Simplifying the Soul that I read a couple of years ago. Each day has a meditation followed by a practice, and they range from turning off your cell phones for the day, to cleaning out a small corner in your house.
I haven’t read this one yet, but I have no doubt God for Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Lent and Easter will be great. I read the Advent one, God With Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas almost every year and love that one.
How about starting a reading journal during Lent?
I created a Reading Journal worksheet this year for myself in order to ruminate a bit over the books I read for school. (And for you, too! You can click on the link and print yourself out a copy.) I made it after the likes of an essay of Elisabeth Elliot’s called “Hints for Quiet Time,” which I read years ago in a book called Keep a Quiet Heart.
I think it’d be fun to have a Book Club with these Reading Journal worksheets. We could still have wine and cheese, or coffee and donuts or what have you, but I’d love to structure a book discussion around this reflection and now that I’ve admitted this I’m pretty sure I’ll never get invited to a book club ever again. (In fact, one woman, after she found out what I do said, “I bet you’re a total buzz kill at a book club.”)
Here’s a worksheet I did on Marjorie Gray’s book, Mulled Psalms. I loved looking up synonyms for “mulled,” particularly, the word “revolve.” In her book, she writes her own versions of the Psalms and it seems that in order to do this, she’d have to work through and understand them in the first place. She’d have to revolve around those words for a time.
Marjorie is a DC author who blogs at http://www.mullstream.wordpress.com. You can read more about her writing, and find out more about her books on her website.
I hope that whatever you are doing (or not doing) for Lent, you find yourself mulling over a thing or two.
you know you’re not going to get through a post on lent without telling all your readers how long we gave up ice cream that one year… (thanks for the ideas for lent!)
I will be in your book club!
I think I will get a couple of these books for lent! And now I am curious how long you lasted with giving up ice cream. Was that the ice cream with Butterfinger crumbs in the bottom of the ice cream cone? Pretty sure I never gave that up, much to the chagrin of my hips.
I can’t NOT think about Lent and not think about that story. I think we gave up ice-cream in between lunch and dinner on Ash Wednesday and then caved. It was a valiant effort. I cannot resist the sprinkles in the bottom of the cone. It’s genius, I tell you.
i’d be in your book club too.
We’d have a kick booty book club, wouldn’t we?
If you ever WENT to book club. 😉 I bought Simplifying the Soul last year after you recommended it and I’m looking forward to starting it tomorrow. Thanks!
Hopefully I’ll make book club when school ends, Katie. I’m in this major what am I going to do for the rest of my life and where are we going to live transition right now, but I would LOVE to be in book club when I figure that out. 🙂 Hope you enjoy Simplifying the Soul. Paula was my first year advisor and she is one of the kindest people I know.
I’m going to check out the Huston book – thanks!
It’s a good one, Kellee!