Lent in Real Life 2024: My Plans for Lent

In this post, I share my vision and plans for myself and my family this Lent!

I’ll be honest — in some ways I am ready for Lent, and in many ways I’m not.

I think I’m mostly ready in that I want it to start already. Anticipation is sometimes the best, and sometimes the worst. In this case, it’s somewhat adding to my mental stress. I’m ready to be done with the planning, and trying to make the most of our meals while we can still eat “exciting” ingredients. I want it to start so we can get into the rhythm, instead of wrapping up things and waiting.

Part of me is ready to start fasting too. There are some things I do not want to give up, like my eggs for breakfast. But I am ready to stop feeling the pressure (from myself only!) to make these last few fast-free meals amazing and epic. Ha! Again, sometimes the anticipation does weird things to me.

But, practically, I’m not ready. I need to make our menu plan still, determine grocery needs, and get said groceries. There is time and it’s one of my main goals this next week.

However, outside of figuring out the fasting, I have a pretty good idea of what other changes there will be. And there won’t be many.

For services, I want to go to as many of the pre-sanctified liturgies as possible, and quite a few of the Friday akathists as well. There will also Sunday Vespers at various churches in the area. I want to try to go to those as well since we are new in the area still. It will be nice to see what the other churches are like, hear different music, and hopefully meet some people. Monday there is compline, but I am giving myself permission to not go to any of those. The older kids have the option to go if they choose.

Outside of the extra services (which, really, is enough, right?!), I will be reading through “Tending the Garden of Our Hearts” again. For myself, I will be reading “The Lenten Spring.”

I will be off Instagram for Lent and that is a huge relief and helps me be more focused on my real life. I need to delete my email app from my phone since I am checking it way too often! Other than that, I don’t consume a lot of media mindlessly, but I’ll have to keep an eye out for ways for it to creep into spaces it shouldn’t be in. In general, I do need to stop checking my phone so often.

I’m going to continue to try to sit in silence each morning for a few minutes. I am trying to decide if I want to start a Psalter reading group, do it alone, or not at all.

Other than that, I’m not adding or changing anything else. We have had some difficult personal things going on, and the stress level has been high. I’m going to continue to focus on keeping things consistent in the home, keeping up with housework, school, work, and meeting our children’s needs.

For me spiritually, I have been, and will continue to focus on trusting God and finding the good and the joy in the moment. These are not new focuses for me, but will continue to be themes for me throughout Lent.

That’s what my vision for Lent this year is. I’d love to hear a change or addition you will be doing for Lent!

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