40 Days= 40 Bags, 400 000 Steps and 40 Photos!

It kind of snuck up on me.

Lent.

It always does.

I'm always trying to figure out  how I want our family to recognize this time of waiting.

This time of making do with less.

We eat our pancakes on Tuesday.

We wear our ashes on Wednesday.

And I'm always a little annoyed with it all,

because it still arrives whether I'm ready or not.

So here we are five days in.

And I've finally figured out what Lent will look like here at Bungalow'56.

40 days of eating at home.

No Tim Horton's, no Starbucks, no Opa's, no Wendy's, no Menchies...

no nothin, except good o'l Bungalow grub.  sigh.

40 Bags... again!

I'm clearing things out.

We are working towards a life of less.

And I've started.

Oh have I started friends.

Some items have in fact been a little too big to be thrown into bags.

We said goodbye to a desk, a set of drawers, a school desk, an ottoman, and a bookshelf.

The house is feeling lighter.

More spacious.

We can breath.

My crazy attachment to decor magazines has also been addressed.

Four very large wicker baskets were placed randomly around the house 

filled to the brim with magazines from years gone by.

I gave myself an ultimatum.

If the year was older than 2009, I had to throw it out without flipping through it.

It was so hard for me.

But I did it.

As soon as I was done,

I ran downstairs and begged The Agronomist to get rid of them for me.

He looked at me like I was touched.

And said "Just bring them to the truck."

I told him. "I couldn't," and that at any moment,

"I might crack, and put them all back."

So without looking up he said, "Well get one of the girls to do it then."

With the help of Youngest they were quickly removed from the premises.

Youngest understood when she saw the desperation in my eyes as I looked over

at my beloved mags.

I was weak.

I knew if I had been given the chance I would have changed my mind.

A few tears may have been shed.

But deep down, I knew it was worth it.

As for my own 40 days.  I've decided to add something this year.

40 days + 10 000 steps = 400 000 Steps.

I want to walk a little closer to God.

Take a few steps towards him.

I've always had more questions than faith,

so I figured he and I might need to go for some walks and have a few chats.

And as for photos.  

I will take forty.

Forty Faith photos.

I have no idea where I will find them, and of what they will be.

But I hope to be inspired.

And as they download from my camera I will share them here 

every Sunday during Lent.

Six weeks folks!

I can't wait to be forty bags lighter,

400 000 steps further

and forty photos richer.

Lent is a time of waiting, watching, and wondering.

I for one, am looking forward to the journey.

Along with a Grande Starbuck's Skinny Mocha to celebrate that 400 001 step.

xoxo,