Lent Resources!

Whew, Lent seems early this year, and I'm trying to get ready. It has been a hard year, and I'm feeling a little broken down by it all. So, I'm looking forward to the struggle and the intensity ahead. This time of preparation is beautiful and difficult, and it calls me back to a place of deep joy.

Last year I wrote about the Christian origins of Lent and Pascha. If you're still thinking early Christians kept this feast because they secretly didn't want to give up their pagan traditions, you may want to check out that post. They had the greatest reason of all to celebrate this day with joy, and so do we - even with eggs and baskets!

So, here are a few resources! First, some printable calendars - we keep one of these on our fridge and color in the days as we go to mark our progress. Just grab and print on regular paper.

simple calendar with line drawings from
the OCA education website

calendar using my own cartoons, including Annunciation,
to match the services at our parish for 2017. 

And this pdf version is mostly blank, with a 2nd page of stamps you 
can add in to match your own church services. 
(Or get the printable passport with stamps here.)

Second, a Memory Verse Guide using the Sunday Gospel readings. This year I think we'll be writing them on rocks and laying them in a garden. At least, that's the plan, I haven't started yet. ;) You can check out our Memory Verse Tree and Memory Verse Garden printable, or just use this guide to do memory verses your own way. I left a blank to write in the date, so you can use the same printable every year. 

A potted Lenten Garden we made many years ago. 

Finally, here's a Holy Week Map I made for our parish. Each day has a brief description of what is remembered on each day and a suggestion for simple, tangible ways to participate in the day. Last year, we printed this as a tri-fold pamphlet with our parish's service schedule on the outside. 

Wishing you a good fast!