Totally hear you on trying to muscle through as an overachiever. This year I am giving myself a hard stop each night where I just have to surrender and rest.
Felt this deep down. Very much an overachiever/have that tendency to think “if only I do xyz then I’ll get my spiritual life in order.” Thankfully having two very little ones with a third on the way is forcing me to realize how much I can’t do/how incapable I am of self-improvement/achieving. Running up against a lot of failures in my daily life as a tired Mom has made me realize that I really do need ‘Aslan’ to do the work of sanctification for me. I read a beautiful reflection from Servant of God Elisabeth Lesieur as she prepared for Lent and her focus on “being all things to all people” and just trying to be loving/cheerful in daily life really resonated with me. So I’m trying to think of the virtues of “cheerfulness and self-sacrifice” as my Lenten focus, and knowing a lot will flow from there
Yes. Exactly what I've been learning! I felt led to less phone time, but not giving up the phone entirely. Just less. So much of life has been lent-y lately. And at the same time, this might be my most transformative Lent as I'm received into the Church and receive sacraments for the first time at the Easter vigil. Honestly, just the Friday meat abstinence is gonna be a new discipline for me!
You've read my mind. Have had extremely similar thoughts going into this Lent.. and I am in that sleepless small children overwhelm season, so I needed the affirmation. Thank you for this! Also makes me want to reread Narnia :) Now that's a Lenten practice I can get on board with.
Aw Haley, I loved this. I have had very similar experiences myself. God continues to show me that God's mercy is so much more gentle and generous than I imagined.
I have had a similar experience this Lent. It makes me feel deeply loved, deeply known, and deeply grateful. “Only Aslan can scratch off the scales. I could not do it myself.”
"For the spiritual life, the overachieving is deadly." Indeed!!
Totally hear you on trying to muscle through as an overachiever. This year I am giving myself a hard stop each night where I just have to surrender and rest.
Really beautiful. I always identified very much with dragon Eustace.
Felt this deep down. Very much an overachiever/have that tendency to think “if only I do xyz then I’ll get my spiritual life in order.” Thankfully having two very little ones with a third on the way is forcing me to realize how much I can’t do/how incapable I am of self-improvement/achieving. Running up against a lot of failures in my daily life as a tired Mom has made me realize that I really do need ‘Aslan’ to do the work of sanctification for me. I read a beautiful reflection from Servant of God Elisabeth Lesieur as she prepared for Lent and her focus on “being all things to all people” and just trying to be loving/cheerful in daily life really resonated with me. So I’m trying to think of the virtues of “cheerfulness and self-sacrifice” as my Lenten focus, and knowing a lot will flow from there
Yes. Exactly what I've been learning! I felt led to less phone time, but not giving up the phone entirely. Just less. So much of life has been lent-y lately. And at the same time, this might be my most transformative Lent as I'm received into the Church and receive sacraments for the first time at the Easter vigil. Honestly, just the Friday meat abstinence is gonna be a new discipline for me!
You've read my mind. Have had extremely similar thoughts going into this Lent.. and I am in that sleepless small children overwhelm season, so I needed the affirmation. Thank you for this! Also makes me want to reread Narnia :) Now that's a Lenten practice I can get on board with.
Aw Haley, I loved this. I have had very similar experiences myself. God continues to show me that God's mercy is so much more gentle and generous than I imagined.
I have had a similar experience this Lent. It makes me feel deeply loved, deeply known, and deeply grateful. “Only Aslan can scratch off the scales. I could not do it myself.”