Lent

So I know we are almost 2 weeks in, but I have given a lot of thought to my Lenten practices this year.
I have always done or given up something because "that is the right thing to do". In the past I have given up salt, and if you have any understanding of my salt-a-holic family, you might see how big of a deal that is. In recent years Bill and I have together given up sweets. Its actually usually harder for Bill to do that it is for me. Of couse we get our fill the day (or 2) before it starts with our fair share of Paczi's and love to share them with co-workers and clients

(oops...how did one go missing...???)

But in all seriousness, why in the world am I giving up something for Lent?

Now I am not about to go into theological discourse. And if I wanted to, I could cite lots of biblical texts and early Christian teaching, but what I want to say is why "I" celebrate Lent. And some thinking I have been doing and some changes I want to make.

I "give up" things at Lent because it makes me feel like a good person, a good Christian.Which is so sad and not enough, I know. I also think that when I crave a sweet, it makes me think of "why else" I am suppsoed to be giving up a sweet. And it prompts me to think about God. Goodness. Holiness. It reminds me Easter is coming. And truly it just makes me think about God more. I mean, sometimes, I do think "God, I just want a cupcake!!!" . Sometimes, positive, sometimes negative thoughts towards God. But I think that it what God desires, is communication. AND it certainly helps that while I am out of the habit of eating sweets for 6 weeks, I am then out of the habit of craving them, which is jsut plain good for my diet and my body. So , mostly selfish reasons.

Recently I have been thinking a little bit differently. This year, I "give up" things for Lent because, in a sense, I have everything I could ever want or need. I have access to every candy bar, cupcake and sweet roll I could ever desire. But not everyone does. Actually, when you look at the world at large, I think I am in the uper 1-2% of wealth, and I do not consider myself wealthy in any shape or form. At least not compared to the Jones' next door here in America. I think real love and Godliness is serving those who can do nothing to ever repay you. There are more passages in scripture about serving the poor, needy, widow, broken and downtrodden than almost any other topic. I want to keep my mind aware of how good I have it and then "what do I do about it"

So that is my other half of my Lenten practice this year. Bill has alrady always been awesome about monthly donations to local food banks/pantries. I love that he does it, but have never been activly invovled in doing it or even reminding him or helping him to do it. I now want to. And for Lent, I want to up the ante. We will not only be "giving up" something for Lent, but "Doing" something for others.

Each week of Lent we will be donating a full paper bag of groceries to a local food bank/pantry.

Here is our first one.

Happy Lent.

Shred

For fun , or insanity, I have decided to attempt Jillian Michaels 30 day shred.


I tell you this for 2 reasons.

1. I think Jillian Michaels is awesome. I watch her on the Biggest Loser (we all have our guilty pleasures) and and listen to her podcasts. She talks about the science behind fitness, not just the fads. Actually fads piss her off and its fun to hear her rant and rave. Additionally, her mom is a psychologist so she often works with the psychology of fitness. A lot of her ideas on food and nutrition validate what I already feel about organics fruits and vegetables and grass fed beef. I think she knows what she is doing.

2. Perhaps I am bored. But I want to shake up my fitness regime as the cold it getting to me. So I am really interested in seeing if it really works. it is literally only a 20 minute workout, but you need to do it almost every day. And I have 20 minutes. I just always feel like my workouts need to be much longer to be effective. This workout is designed to be intense and effective and short. And I also believe to run well, and avoid my stupid injuries, I need to work on building my muscle strength.

I finished day 3 today.

And to tell you the truth, I wasn't sure it was going to be that good or hard. But can I tell you, my body is aching from a 20 minute work out. Burning. So you know its doing something. And I like the method. It is not boring and I know what to expect each time, which with this video, is not a bad thing.

Today it was short enough that I could start it, and my son woke up form his nap halfway through. I went up to get him and brought him downstairs with me and put him in his playpen (yes, I use one sometimes...my momma did and so do I). And only had 10 minutes left, which is plenty of time to keep my son occupies with some Little People, puffs and he bopped to the music himself.

I'll update you in 30 days to see if we notice any changes. And if I can keep up!

Bullying: its not just for adolescents

I heard a story about bullying today from a few different angles/perspectives.

The story goes:

At lunch, those gathered around their unofficial self/assigned seats, were getting ready to start their meal. One guy at the table starts to pick on another table member for a minuscule reason. Something she was wearing- couldn't she or her family afford better? He knows he saw her family member driving a BMW. Apparantly there had also been condescending commentary made about her religious affiliation. As if this were 1940 Nazi Germany. Seriously?

This was going on for maybe 20-30 minutes before someone from the neighboring table gets up, marches over the to the other table and chews out the bully for his rotton behavior. Saying that his words, attitudes and behaviors were unacceptable and would not be tolerated and was ready to report this to staff. She and another few observers moved their stuff over to where the bullying victim was sitting and surrounded her with support and good conversation, keeping a watchful eye on the bully.

Aparantly this happened about a week ago and the bully has kept his distance and the "victim" is feeling supported loved and accepted by others.

I cannot tell you how proud I am of those who stood up and did the right thing. Seriously, sometimes that is all it takes to change the trajectory of gossip and attitudes and behaviors. One person to stand up and say how unacceptable such horrible behavior is. Everyone else may have been thinking it, but one person said it. And it was not merely intentions, but actions that made the difference

Oh, and where did this incident take place? Sounds like a high school or junior high lunchroom, doesn't it. Maybe even a corporation? A prison?

Nope.

A senior community. Even seniors can be bullies. And seniors can also be heroes.

back to the grind

Well, to be honest, I have not been running in a few weeks.If you are not "in the know", here is why
please disregard the throw up of toys in the background and notice the color difference between my two feet.

The discoloration actually happened several days after this injury. There was almost no swelling, which is a good thing. I actually was fairly certain I broke  my foot for a few days. I may never know, because I never got it checked out. Since I could still walk, I and because I was terrified to know the truth, I never went. Shame on me.

In typical Jenna style, I hurt it doing something fairly mundane. I was rushing around to get a few things in order at home before my guitar lesson came over. While stepping into the garage, the two downward steps it takes to get there, I managed to ignore their existence and land very awkwardly on the outside of my right foot. After about a minute of swearing I continued to grab the music stand and take it into the house. Even with a limp.

Walking has finally become not painful or uncomfortable in any way shape or form, but still decided to give it a few weeks.

This last week I started gradually doing some workouts in the basement on the bike and then the elliptical. Always checking for sensitivity during and afterwards.

And  I can finally say that I went for my first run in several weeks. It was mighty cold, and I forgot my neck warmer, but figured I wan't gong too far as this was a literal test run. I went 2.5 miles and felt good and continue to feel good. My second run was just as good. But indoors. And a bit longer.

I am a little bit behind on my training for the Illinois half and have some ground to make up, but since I had already started and know that it takes months to lose the cardio  training I had established, I figure it won't take too long to get where I need to be. Its only 2 and a half months now until my sister and I run a half marathon together!

I can't wait until we have the chance to do an actual training run together next weekend when she is up for Ben's birthday party.

Which reminds me, we are still looking for your support. We are running to raise money for a local domestic violence agency. We are about 50% to our goal of $1,000. Please consider supporting our cause. Any amount makes a huge difference. Or please help us by promoting our fundraiser. Put it on Facebook, your blog, a forum, whatever. Your support and backing inspires me to get out there and continue my training.\\

Here is our fundraising page in case you are interested.

http://www.crowdrise.com/sisterjenna

Prayers, encouragement and accompanying me on training runs are also welcome!

Fair Trade Easter, Eggs in the Basket Giveaway

Welcome to Eggs in the Basket hosted by SAHM of Drama Queens & a Prince and Mommy of One and Counting. Together with several other bloggers we are helping you to fill up those Easter baskets this year. Make sure you check out the grand prize packages on the hosts blogs as well as the linky and hop along and enter all the giveaways!
Well, I am trying out my first giveaway. And am excited to share some of my favorite things/products that you can use this year for Easter and/or put in your little ones Easter Basket.

Since I am a huge fan of Fair Trade, and will explain why in a moment, my prize will consist of two Fair Trade items:

The first a Fair Indigo Jiffy The Giraffe Fair Trade Organic Stuffed Animal, Orange. Made in Peru by a small cooperative. retail $24.99

soft and cuddly! I would LOVE to keep this for my own son!

Second is 2 Fair trade Chocolate bars from Endangered Species brand. (retail 2.99 each)

we buy these chocolates regularly at our local health food store. They are so delicious!

Halloween got me started thinking this year. When I buy toys and chocolates from most major companies, the products are made at the hands of small children or are exploiting families to make barely a living wage so that we can have these products. Toys for my child at the expense of another. It seems kind of wrong.

Our family is beginning to look at our spending habits and where we are choosing to get products from for our child. Our son just turned one. And for his birthday received some wonderful gifts from friends and family. He also received a few gifts from us, his parents, most made in America by small businesses or craftsman, keeping jobs in the US. Or were Fair Trade. Not all, but most.

And I recognize that it is impossible to keep everything local, made in the US or Fair Trade, but it would make such a difference to switch just a few things. To encourage our jobs to stay domestic and those that are abroad, for workers to earn a fair living wage. So maybe we have fewer things, that might cost more, but where you feel better about where they came from.

Thanks for hearing my rant and entering my little contest.

Open to US and Canada only

To enter via rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Ben's Big Day

Today, last year, we were packing up to take our little buddy home. I remember thinking so many things. "what do I do now?" "I can't believe I get to take him home!" "What can't I do for 2 weeks (many many things apparantly)" "millions of people do this every day, I can do this too..."

A year in we are a bit more comfrotable and confidant in what we do, in making decisions, and in being ok to make mistakes.

His birthday this year we had an eventful day. One I had a lot of fun planning and was ok with however it was going to turn out. Good, bad, germs, over tiredness, whatever.

it started out that his birthday was on Ash Wedesday, so he and I went to get our ashes.

(you can faintly see them on his forhead. he mostly was able to rub them all off by the end of the service.)

 

 

After nap and lunch and daddy coming home early from work, we went out to the Round Lake Children's Museum. I only found out it existed the week before. And it is one of few places for a kid as young as Ben to be able to check out and enjoy. We spent a good hour or so there before, and mostly to ourselves before it was getting towards nap time and we checked out.

 

 

He then came home, and refused to nap. So we indulged him in some gift opening and his birthday cupcake.

 



 

 

 

Somewhere in the midst of all that we also went out to dinner at a new local place that I have been dying to check out. Maybe when Ben is more aware we will go to one of those choo-choo restaurants. But this place called "Ad-Lib"  they have a small menu that changes daily and they source from many local farms or places that employ sustainable farming practices (including fishing- wild caught). My only concern in the foi grais on the menu.

 

Overall quite the lovely birthday for my sweet boy!



For never before in story or rhyme

Not even once upon a time
















Has the world ever known a you,          my friend

And it never will, not ever again



















Heaven blew every trumpet

And played every horn

 

On the wonderful marvelous night you were born

 

Happy 1st Birthday "Little Buddy"