Lent Eve

 I have been depressed for the last month or so.  I think it's because of three surface things:

1.  My weight gain

2.  My inability to have any willpower to exercise or watch what I eat, and

3.  I want to declutter and deep clean my entire house and I am moving at a snail's pace.

There are also a couple of deeper issues going on.  I am feeling really guilty about missing a lot of Masses since Thanksgiving.  My sweet, sweet Tucker is slowly becoming less and less mobile.  My parents are, oddly enough, also slowly becoming less and less mobile.  And money is tight for a variety of reasons, mostly because prices for everything are skyrocketing.  

So I thought it might be a good time to start a new blog.  One to document my attempts to have better mental and physical health; and at the same time to follow the story of what I'm hoping is my road back to regular Mass attendance and deepening not only my spirituality but my relationship to God.

I am not one to give up certain foods or vices for Lent.  I have never understood this in the context of suffering as Jesus did.  None of us can begin to fathom that kind of suffering, and giving up my diet cokes or my dark chocolate squares is only going to depress me further and make me even harder to be around at home.  I like to think of positive changes to make.  I have tried this the last few years with little success, however.  

It's time to really try some things.  Weekly Mass, daily devotional and prayer, saying the Rosary, giving to those less fortunate than us, practicing kindness and forgiveness, and going to confession.  That's a huge goal for me.

I'm starting off strong tomorrow morning.  I'm attending the Ash Wednesday service at my home parish, where my youngest child is doing the first reading.  

Here we go!