This is our Lenten candle.

We used four different clors and textures of sand.

Mike, Holly, Mimi and I poured our sand into the vase.

Once our sands mixed it became impossible to sepeerate them.

The sand also symbolizes Jesus' 40 days in the desert,

as a reminder of our Lenten journey.

I learned from flylady, http://www.flylady.com/ that it takes 30 days for a new habit to form. I have also learned this lesson from Lent. After giving up sugar in my coffee a few years ago I never went back to using it. I encourage my family to give something up but also add something in to their daily lives. This year I will be working on adding more prayer time into my life and hopefully my family‘s as well. I hope after 40 days it will be an automatic habit for us.

"Start your day right. Before you do anything else,

get up early and spend time with God."  

I've heard it since I was a young girl in Catholic school taught by sisters, and as a teenager in CYO, and I'm still hearing it as an adult at my church. Most likely you have heard it too.

Generally, I would let these comments go in one ear and out the other, (another bad habit of mine). I get up super early as it is, or at least it feels that way, to take care of my family, and surely no one expects me to get up even earlier to read my Bible and pray. I wouldn't be able to focus anyhow (after all I‘ve given up coffee). I can handle getting up early to get the kids ready for school, because they immediately throw me into movement, and that wakes me up. But sitting down and reading the Bible and praying BEFORE anyone gets up? It happens occasionally but not often and mostly on weekends.

My time with God has generally shifted with whatever stage of life I am currently living. When my children were little, I would spend time with God while holding them, or pray at night after putting them to sleep. As preschoolers we prayed in the car on our way to school. When Holly was fighting cancer I remained in constant prayer or at least it felt that way. I know I could not have walked a single step without God by my side. Now, I generally pray after the kids have gone to the bed. Most days it is a few minutes here and there. Usually, it's a good system. Except on the days that we are up late doing homework. Or Holly is having a panic attack at bedtime. Or, I’m busy with PTO, chickens, family, housework…Or *insert another million possibilities here*.

To be honest, this habit of taking time with God at night isn‘t working for me, because most nights I am too tired and distracted to fully engage in meaningful prayer. We made major lifestyle changes when Holly was sick. Not one other thing was more important to me then caring for Holly’s needs, no matter what they were. I cleaned, I comforted, I advocated, I researched, I disciplined, I taught, I comforted, I gave everything I had to my daughter, I gave up everything that I thought was important to care for my child that had cancer. If I could make a massive lifestyle change to care for her, shouldn't I also be able (and willing) to do it for God?

I have a friend that gets up early every single day to say the rosary. No matter what else is going on in this person’s life, time is made for that. So I know it is possible.

I have decided that this is something I want to implement into my life. Even though it's really hard to get up so early to do it, I know I won't regret it. My day will be better because of it. My perspective becomes more aligned what it should be when I spend intimate time with God. I want to have that properly aligned perspective from the moment I wake up.

I am adding morning prayer time in to my Lenten journey. This means I will have to set my alarm to wake up earlier than the children. This also means I will have to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I hope that by the time Easter comes I have prepared the way of the Lord in my life. I hope that this morning prayer time had become a habit that I love so I can continue through out the year.