Today is Wednesday, February 25, 2008 — Ash Wednesday
This is the first day of the 2008 40 trash bag challenge. The challenge is an opportunity to remove the excess clutter and “stuff” from our lives. The excess can be given away, sold, donated or trashed. The first goal is to let go; the second goal is to bless others.
The first bag of stuff for our family will come from the kitchen. I am going through an tossing anything that is expired, out of date, junk food (chips, cookies, etc.) that we are avoiding during Lent. In the fridge anything out of date or “gone bad” is getting bagged. The freezer and deep freeze are losing anything freezer-burned or expired. From the pantry we are taking any boxed or canned goods which are unopened but which we won’t use down to the food pantry.
We are talking about “fasting and alms-giving”.
Quote for the day: “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” – Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
See and do activity: Take an empty glass and drop a single drop of water into it. Talk to the children about the quote of Mother Teresa and how sometimes it feels like our offerings are very small. Ask the children how long they think it might take to fill the glass one drop at a time. Set the sink to drip into the glass, check it throughout the day to see how long it takes. (it usually takes surprisingly little time)
Read the story of the Widow’s Mite. Select a charity to collect “pennies” for. You might try “Operation Rice bowl” , Aid to the Church in Need or a local charity.
Craft: Salt-bread dough wreath of thorns: This is a fun activity for even the preschoolers.
Lap book page: Draw or print out a picture of a face. Use charcoal to mark the cross on the forehead. Talk about the Ash Wednesday ashes and what the mean.
Other great ideas:
Simply Catholic 