Four things to do this Lent

What are you doing for Lent? Every year I try to do something a little different to make my Lenten experience more meaningful. This year, I decided I was going to get fit and I returned to an exercise routine I had given up. I know that doesn’t sound very spiritual, but when I feel better physically, it does help my prayer life.

So here are my four things to do this Lent:

1. Exercise. Pick an easy routine that you can handle and stick with it. Not just for the forty days of Lent, but beyond. My co-workers and one of my fellow bloggers on ChicagoNow are on MapMyWalk and we encourage each other. The app is free on iTunes and Google Play.
2. I read somewhere that a woman was donating her old purses filled with travel-size shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. to women’s shelters. I love this idea and plan to look for a shelter in my area that might be interested in receiving my old purses.
3. Give your spiritual books away. That’s hard isn’t it? If you love your books, that’s the last thing you want to do! I thought about this the other day when I gave my paperback novels to some friends. Every month I leave my old Magnificat at the back of my church. I’m going to go through my spiritual books and do the same.
4. I’m a convert and one of the things I didn’t learn to do is pray for the dead. I was surprised one day when my daughter said that she prays for the dead daily because Ken Colby taught her to. Last week, a friend of mine lost his mom (99 years young!), my daughter’s friend’s brother tragically overdosed and a former co-worker of mine also died within a couple of days of each other. I decided I needed to pray for these people (and others). I’m going to send Mass cards to the living and do my best to include the deceased in my daily prayers. I was further encouraged to do this, when I received a packet of sympathy Mass enrollment cards in the mail! Providence.

That’s it! Pretty simple, right? I’m sure if you think about it, there are other things you could do to make your Lenten experience just a little bit better, besides just giving up chocolate. Um … which I’ll probably do anyway.