We in the West are in the last few days before Lent. Quinquagesima is the fiftieth day before the Paschal feast. Sadly, again, we are a week off from our brethren in the East. One of our deepest prayers is for reunion of East and West, and fixing the Paschal feast date so that we celebrate it together always! The next time we will do that is in 2025. We've been cleaning out most of the non-Lenten foods in the house and I have done most of our Lenten preparatory shopping. Tuesday, we will be having our traditional doughnut feast. The fast officially begins for us on Ash Wednesday, and since the dietary rule for that day is nor food or nutritive drink, the only meals that day will be for our youngest two girls. Three years ago, I learned that the fast is properly called a xerophagy, which means dry eating or dry food. Eating without meat and fish and dairy and egg results in "dry" eating. So if you need a Scrabble word, there are two for you!

My posts here about how we fast are not meant to show off, they are meants to show the reality of how we live our faith, and to (I hope) give encouragement and meal ideas to those seeking them. Now that all of our children are old enough to keep most or all of the fast, we are trying to live out the Lenten Rule more closely. This means no meat, fish, dairy, egg, olive oil (except on Saturdays, Sundays, and specific feast days), or wine/alcohol (except on Saturdays, Sundays, and specific feast days). Shellfish is permitted, but since it tends to be more expensive, especially lately, it will appear sparingly. Our meals will be within that rule, for the most part, though we will relax the rule a little for Sundays, when we will eat fish, as well as during some major feast days when that is permitted, anyway. We do have some birthdays within Lent and, not wanting to embitter our children, we have either allowed them to break the fast that day, or celebrated with a Lenten, but festive, meal and dessert. Since those with birthdays in Lent are or were nearly adults, they have chosen to stick with the Lenten and festive, for the past couple years. We want to accustom our children to striving to live in this way, just as we have our youngest fast from one meal or two meals as they are able on strict fast days in which the older family members are not eating at all. This is how we both practice our faith and teach our children to practice their faith. Just as we have grown in this practice, we teach them to do so as well. We struggle within our strength and try to keep our eyes on our own plate (and that of our young children). So, even though Ash Wednesday is a strict fast, our youngest two will be eating one or two light meals still, and if we have any non-Lenten food left by then, they can consume them for us this week or next.

As we prepare for Lent, we must prepare for self-examination, in that frame of mind, if I have offended you or wronged you in any way, please forgive me and pray for me, a sinner. As for you readers, I pray that this will be a profitable and Holy Lent for you, however you observe it. Please pray for us, as well. Have a blessed fast.

• Sunday - Quinquagesima
  Breakfast: Labneh on Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Cucumbers, Olives, Fried Pastrami, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Navy Beans with Ham, Rice, Herb Bread, Salad, Fruit
• Monday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Egg and Cheese Burritos, Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Grilled Hot Dogs, Macaroni and Cheese, Oranges
• Tuesday - Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday)
  Breakfast: Fried Eggs and Sausages, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: French Onion Soup, Chex Mix, Treats brought by our Friends, Louqaimat, Fastnacht Kreppel, Poderane Gaće, Fritule, Pear Fritters (made Gluten and Dairy-free for Jerome), Eggnog (Dairy-free for Jerome)
• Wednesday - Ash Wednesday (Strict Fast - our youngest two will be eating one or two small meals)
  Breakfast: Toast, Banana, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Dates, Walnut Bread, Crudités
• Thursday - Feast of Saint Matthias the Apostle
  Breakfast: Asparagus, Chard and Chickpea "Scramble", Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Bananas (Grapefruit for Jerome), Coffee
  Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Salsa Rice, Chopped Salad, Oranges
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea and Honey
  Dinner: Slow Cooker North African Vegetable Tagine, Rice, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Lenten Pancakes, Fluffy Gluten-Free and Vegan Peanut Butter Pancakes with Raspberry Syrup for Jerome, Tea or Coffee
  Dinner: Brazilian Shrimp Soup, Roasted Asparagus, Fruit Plate

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Lent, Mardi Gras, Menu Plans, Quinquagesima, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen