Strewing Lent

I love that term: "Strewing Lent". My list-friend Betsy came up with that in a recent post as she described the movies she was gathering to have in her home these next 40 days.

Strewing. Bringing in things. Books, movies, articles... ideas. Holy ideas. How well that fits with our liturgical year, as we live this life, with everyday things, and open our minds to communion with God. How do our Lenten sacrifices affect our daily life? How have other lived out the faith?

Betsy got me thinking about movies and their impact. I happened the same day to get an ad from Netflix for a free month of movie rentals.
If you want to try the free offer click here and type freetrial66 in the code box I have a list going, some of which friends personally recommended, some were given good marks by decentfilms.com. There is my current queue:

The Scarlet and the Black
The Bells of St. Mary
Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Diary of a County Priest
Therese
Boenhoffer
Faustina
Spiderman 2. (oh, my youngest added that one...)

Also we have articles printed out, which I am reading with my boys. I was not sure where I was going with Lent this year. As I read my handful of articles I saw some basic questions answered... so that is where we started this year: with the 'Why'.

Why do we fast? Why on Fridays? Why days of abstinence? What is the Canon law? What do we do if we don't understand the reasons? This was nice for a couple of kids ages 12 and 15.
All of these are good reminders for old Mom, too.

We are also planning to read the scripture daily and I'm reading selections from two of my favorites, Magnificat and In Conversation with God. I love coming back to these standards.
Magnificat- click here
In Conversation with God- click here

Strewing can help Lent become woven into the fabric of our life, our liturgical year. I like to think of strewing as helping to set the earthly stage for God to make connection with my boys, or for him to guide them in the connections he wants them to make. I can help it along, then move deftly out of the way. At least that is the theory.

Blessings to you and yours this Lenten season.