Maderville

Cleansing
Mardi Gras was something I grew up with in Mobile. I never really thought much about it until I moved away and it seems like there is such a mystique about it for those who don't have first hand experience with it. Since we started planning our high school reunion and I got on Facebook, I really found myself in the Mardi Gras spirit. I wanted to go down for a parade or a ball but I have been burning the candle at both ends as it is so it just wasn't in the cards this year. I enjoyed seeing all of the pictures and hearing how much fun everyone had. Most people associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans but it originally started in my hometown, Mobile. I have been to some big balls in New Orleans but I haven't been to Mobile in so long that I am afraid it wouldn't be the same for me but it is a fond childhood memory. The culmination of Mardi Gras is big party called Fat Tuesday. The next day begins the season of Lent. Lent is a time where we take on something new or give something up to acknowledge the son that God gave for us to pay for our sins. I wrote a meditation on John 3:16 a few years ago for St. Philip's Lenten meditation book and I found it again today. I am still amazed that He gave his child for us. I can't imagine sacrificing Landry for anyone.....I mean ANYONE so the whole idea really takes me to a place I can't fathom.
For Lent, Mike gave up bread(that's a BIG deal...he loves his bread!!), potatoes and beer. This is going to be an interesting 50 days! I gave up bread and potatoes and took on water. I don't drink enough so I am continuing(from my New Years Resolution) to order water when I go out to eat and to also drink at least (3) 20 ounce bottles a day. That is huge for me because I just don't get enough water and chugging down that much takes effort on my part. I look at is as a kind of cleansing too. I look at the water in a symbolic way of it washing away my sins through His sacrifice. My Lenten motto: H2O.....have you been cleansed today?
BTW...I finally cut Landry's hair! She's needed a haircut for a long time now but I just couldn't bring myself to taking her to another hairdresser yet. We all really miss Pam. Mike told(threatened!) me that he was going to take her or cut it himself so I had to jump into action! Not too bad for a 'Mama cut' and as always, she was an angel while I did it.