Tomorrow begins... 40 bags in 40 days...

I've never been a big one for lent... I don't think I've ever given anything up before, or thought particularly hard about it, if I'm honest. But I've been inspired this year by something Sarah, over on Clover Lane, does every year which focuses on thinking through what we really need, all the rubbish we think is so important, and gives an opportunity for clearing out and reflecting on what really matters in the run-up to Easter...

Introducing... 40 bags in 40 days!

The idea is, you take the 40 days of lent, excluding weekends, and work your way through every nook and cranny of your house, one very small step at a time, and clear out all the junk./unused items. One day you might simply be clearing a drawer/a wardrobe/under a bed... by the end of the 40 days, you should have (depending on how much of a hoarder you are!) 40 bags full of junk/rubbish or stuff to take to the charity shop...

Sarah says "Lent is a time of  prayer, renewal, reflection, sacrifice, self-control, repentance and almsgiving (giving to the poor)" She says that as she's done this, over the past couple of years, "I thought long and hard about how much we really needed vs how much we had, I became more aware of how we spent our time and money, I had the chance to feel the rewards of charity (and so did my children) giving away to those in need something we took for granted"


So I've planned out the next 28 days, given that we're away for a few days between now and Easter, and I'm not doing weekends, so that we too can spend the run-up to Easter not pining after the chocolate I've given up, but recognizing the great abundance God has given us, and giving away all the commodities we've accumulated and yet never use! I'll keep you posted on how its going!

Claire