The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

No.229: Lent 2019 with Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen

For Lent this year, I’m reading through Fulton Sheen’s Life of Christ.  At this point in my life, I’m very prone to distraction and wandering thoughts (I have too many “tabs” open in my brain at all times!)  and reading this book will hopefully keep my mind focused as I contemplate all the pieces of Christ.  Sharing my plan below in case it’s helpful for someone else someday:

Quick note: Chapter 2 is abnormally long (around 40 pages) so I started my reading on Monday and broke the two chapters up between those first three days.  The rest of the plan looks to be much more reasonable for daily reading.

Ash Wednesday // Ch.1+2: The Only Person Ever Pre-announced & Early Life of Christ
Thursday // Ch.3: The Three Short Cuts from the Cross
Friday // Ch.4: The Lamb of God
Saturday // Ch.5: The Beginning of “The Hour”
First Sunday of Lent // Ch.6+7: The Temple of His Body & Nicodemus, the Serpent, and the Cross
Monday // Ch.8: Savior of the World
Tuesday // Ch.9: The First Public Announcement of His Death
Wednesday //  Ch.10+11: The Choosing of the Twelve & Beatitudes
Thursday // Ch.12: The Intruder Who Was a Woman
Friday // Ch.13: The Man Who Lost His Head
Saturday // Ch.14: The Bread of Life
Second Sunday of Lent // Ch.15+16: The Refusal to Be a Bread King & Purity and Property
Monday // Ch.17: Our Lord’s Testimony Concerning Himself
Tuesday // Ch.18: Transfiguration
Wednesday // Ch.19+20: The Three Quarrelings & The Attempted Arrest at the Feast of Tabernacles
Thursday // Ch.21: Only the Innocent May Condemn
Friday // Ch.22: The Good Shepherd
Saturday // Ch.23: The Son of Man
Third Sunday of Lent // Ch.24+25: Caesar or God & His Hour Had Not Yet Come
Monday // Ch.26: The Mightiest Arrow in the Diving Quiver
Tuesday // Ch.27: More than a Teacher
Wednesday // Ch.28+29: The Pagans and the Cross & The Growing Opposition
Thursday // Ch.30: The Fox and the Hen
Friday // Ch.31: The Resurrection That Prepared His Death
Saturday // Ch.32: The Woman Who Dimly Foresaw His Death
Fourth Sunday of Lent // Ch.33+34: Entrance into Jerusalem & The Visit of the Greeks

Monday // Ch.35: The King’s Son Marked for Death
Tuesday // Ch.36: The Last Supper
Wednesday // Ch.37+38: The Servant of Servants & Judas
Thursday // Ch.39: The Divine Lover’s Farewell
Friday // Ch.40: Our Lord’s “My Father”
Saturday // Ch 41: The Agony in the Garden
Fifth Sunday of Lent // Ch.42+43: The Kiss That Blistered & The Religious Trial
Monday // Ch.44: The Denials of Peter
Tuesday // Ch.45: Trail Before Pilate
Wednesday // Ch.46+47: At the Bottom of the List & Second Trail Before Pilate
Thursday // Ch.48: The Crucifixion
Friday // Ch.49: The Seven Words from the Cross
Saturday // Ch.50: Seven Words to the Cross
Palm Sunday // Ch.51+52: The Rending of the Veil of the Temple & The Piercing of the Side
Monday // Ch.53: The Night Friends of Christ
Tuesday // Ch.54: The Earth’s Most Serious Wound – the Empty Tomb
Wednesday // Ch.55+56: The Doors Being Closed & Fingers, Hands, and Nails
Holy Thursday // Ch.57+58: Love as the Condition of Authority & The Divine Mandate
Good Friday // Ch.59+60: Last Appearance in Jersusalem & Repentance
Holy Saturday // Ch.61+62: The Ascension & Christ Takes on a New Body
Easter!

No.228: New Habits, Little by Little: Cooking at Home (February & Early March 2019)

What a month!  We suffered through a family-wide stomach flu, ate too many dinners out and didn’t try many new recipes, but some months are like that.  Looking forward to March and getting into a better routine.  (Adding in a few extra days of meals in March because I’ll be documenting our meals during Lent a little differently.)

Week 83 (cont.):
Friday, February 1: cheese pizzas

Week 84:
Saturday, February 2: leftovers
Sunday, February 3: after attending the Latin Mass, we picked up BBQ from our favorite local spot
Monday, February 4: breakfast for dinner – crepes
Tuesday, February 5: Mark’s birthday! steak for Mark and homemade bacon cheeseburgers for the rest of us
Wednesday, February 6: garlic-parmesan sausage and veggies
Thursday, February 7: arroz con pollo
Friday, February 8: a stomach bug hits the house, so those still healthy just ate leftovers and cereal

Week 85:
Saturday, February 9: my turn with the stomach bug – the others were on their own for dinner!
Sunday, February 10: the stomach bug continues – the ones who felt up to it had brats and potatoes
Monday, February 11: gyros
Tuesday, February 12: Refrigerator Clean-Out Night
Wednesday, February 13: double decker tacos
Thursday, February 14: Valentine’s Day! we surprised the kids with a dinner out at Chick-fil-A
Friday, February 15: Mark’s homemade cheese and veggie pizzas

Week 86:
Saturday, February 16: tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches
Sunday, February 17: roast beef sandwiches
Monday, February 18: french onion meatballs and mashed potatoes
Tuesday, February 19: breakfast for dinner – eggs, bacon, and Mark’s homemade biscuits
Wednesday, February 20: cheese quesadillas with chips and salsa
Thursday, February 21: out for burgers
Friday, February 22: shrimp fried rice and frozen egg rolls

Week 87:
Saturday, February 23: we picked up pizza from a local place while out running errands (a new place for us and SO good!)
Sunday, February 24: top round roast sandwiches
Monday, February 25: chicken pot pie soup with homemade biscuits
Tuesday: February 26: roasted chicken with potatoes, onions and carrots (using my go-to recipe from Dinner: A Love Story)
Wednesday, February 27: mini meatloaves with potatoes and green beans
Thursday, February 28: the chicken went bad (#mealplanningfail), so we went out for pizza instead
Friday, March 1: vegetable egg rolls

Week 88:
Saturday, March 2: out in town to pick up a kid and run errands, so we got Chick-fil-a before heading home
Sunday, March 3: gyros
Monday, March 4: breakfast for dinner – mini pancakes
Tuesday, March 5: Fat Tuesday! pepperoni and supreme pizzas

No.227: TBR Tuesday // Trying Something New

This post contains affiliate links.

Trying something new for March!  I’ve never pre-picked my reading choices before, but I know it’s a popular idea.  My method has always been to browse my books and see what jumps out.  I’ve rarely fallen into a reading slump this way, but I’m thinking it may be fun to change things up.  I can’t promise that I will stick to this pile, but I’m going to try!  Here’s what I’ve picked out to read in March:

FOR LENT // Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen
For Lent this year, I have decided to read through Archbishop Sheen’s Life of Christ.  I divided up the chapters to last me until Holy Saturday, so I’ll only really get halfway before the end of March.  (I have a post about my reading plan coming soon.)


MYSTERY // The Likeness by Tana French 
Can’t wait to dive into the next book in the Dublin Murder Squad series!

MEMOIR // My Life in France by Julia Child
I found a copy of My Life in France at the thrift store – for $1, woo!  I’ve always been a little fascinated by Julia Child, so I’m excited to read about her life.


MODERN CLASSIC // The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene 
I started with this one on March 1st and am already almost halfway through.  So far, I would describe The Power and the Glory as really sad.  Even though it was written in 1940, I’m finding it really thought-provoking, especially with the current crisis in the Church right now.

MEDICAL NON-FICTION // Complications by Atul Gawande
I have so much respect for the honesty of this surgeon.  Looking forward to this one!  (Also available at Book Outlet here.)




Do you make a monthly TBR list?  What’s on yours for March?

No.226: Intentions for the Beginning of March

Things are feeling a little…stale around here lately.  Maybe it’s the weather that teases us with visions of spring before diving back into freezing sleet and snow.  Maybe it’s the emotional roller-coaster of home repairs and insurance claims.  Maybe it’s the daily – boring – routine of just “doing the next assignment” in our schoolbooks.  Whatever the reason, I need to bring a little life back into our everyday!  March seems like the right month to shake things up a little.

INTENTIONS FOR THE BEGINNING OF MARCH

  • create a regular routine of working out with D (we’re going to do T25 together!)
  • replace burnt out recessed lighting bulbs in the living room and kitchen
  • declutter and organize the school closet
  • introduce a little Shakespeare into our homeschool
  • plan something art-related to do with the kids
  • play dominoes or cards after dinner as a family
  • go on a date!
  • send a package, just because (100LT #20)
  • paint S’s room (100LT #69)
  • start peeking around for a new dresser on yardsale sites or CL
  • research costs for resealing the driveway (get quotes?)
  • start a compost pile (100LT #85)
  • bake bread

        PREVIOUS INTENTIONS

        If you’re reading on your phone or in a reader, be sure to click over to see what I checked off the list!

        • write those letters!
        • order new moisturizer (I ordered this one)
        • make bone broth
        • start a compost pile (this keeps getting pushed off because of the crazy weather)
        • start making shopping/to-do lists for dog needs (SO much to learn and buy!)
        • add five new pieces to my Poshmark closet
        • decide what I want to read for Lent (blog post coming soon)
        • celebrate our 100th day of school in a special way (we had a big snow/ice storm, so we made fresh snow cream!)
        • introduce a little Shakespeare into our homeschool
        • research costs for resealing the driveway (get quotes?)

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