Today is Ash Wednesday and we spent the day in preparations for this Lenten season. We put up our purple cloths on all of the religious pictures, crucifix and family altar. We have a simple vine wreath that went up on the front door. We put our purple table clothes out on the kitchen and dining room tables. We also changed our altar to reflect the simplicity of the Lenten season with candles for the stations of the cross and our plain wooden alms box with a purple prayer candle.
Then the older girls helped to make our Lenten calendar and cut out the crosses we use to count off the days until Easter, for the younger ones. We made an "Alleluia sign" then hid it until Easter Day when it will be placed above the calendar. We replaced the Alleluia sign with a purple sign that says "Pray, Fast and Alms". By the time we were finished it was time to go to Mass.
Later, this afternoon we made our family Crown of Thorns that sits on the dining room table. Then the children made smaller ones for their bedrooms, as we discussed the Lenten sacrifices we hope to make as a family and as individuals.
We ended the evening reading a chapter from Lent is for Children by Julie Keleman and reflecting on how much we enjoy seeing all the purple as it reminds us that there is a community of saints praying with us this season as we return to our Father.
