Lent

The Lenten Season reminds me again of how so very different things are than they were a meer year ago.

Last year we lived in a country whose national religion is Catholic. We were a short days drive from the heart and seat of our beloved Church. Church bells rang out several times each day from various churches. Different tolls for different ocassions, calls to Mass, funeral chimes, and hourly chimes. Long before we left Italy, I knew that was going to be one of my most treasured memories of our time there.

I was right. I still get a bit sad at 7:30 am. That is when the largest church in our town rang the morning call to Mass bells. Taylor and I had usually just arrived back home after walking her sisters to the bus stop and I would leave the front door open so we could listen. On warmer days, we would stop and look at all the flowers blooming or see what fruits we could find in the orchard. The bells would begin before we reached our gate.

Oh, how I miss the bells.

One thing that won't be different this Lenten Season is the 40 bag challenge. I did it last year because we were moving back to the US and I we had too much stuff. I am doing it again this year, because, just like last year we have too much stuff and we are moving again courtesy of the USAF.

I am not committing to one size bag. I know somedays I will be able to fill a commissary bag, and some days I will be able to fill large black trash bags. Some will be clutter that will go to trash curb, but I hope to be able to do more purging of overage items that can be donated and used or sold by The Salvation Army or Catholic Charities.

I hope to actually post some of my progress, but, no promises. My posting is sketchy at best!