Lent is coming, so here's the Friday Five!

According to the post, my friend KathrynZJ was up at 4:51am posting the questions for today's Friday Five.  What was she thinking?!?   I hope she went back to bad after typing up...

What are some things you appreciate about the season of Lent? Perhaps you would share 5 of them with us. And for your bonus question feel free to share one thing you could do without.

1. I appreciate the rhythm of the prayers from Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday-  the thoughtfulness, the reflection, the penitence.
2. Home made soup at soup suppers.
3. The fact that Sundays don't count.  Their resurrection nature cannot be denied.
4. The start date is based on a real day in history and not some borrowed festival.
5. Purple vestments.

Don't like the whole "give something up" business when  it only leads to crankiness and whining and nothing spiritual.

Foxes in the Snow

"Jumping Fox in the Snow" by Sophy White

I have known for several years that there are a fox or two living in our backyard (aka St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery).  Knowing is one thing however and seeing is another.  Last night I went outside at about 10:30.  The snow had been coming down pretty steadily for a few hours and it was very quiet.  It was quite bright outside with the light bouncing off the snow.  I was making a trash run and when I lifted the lid on the dumpster, two foxes ran across the yard and over a large pile of snow covered earth.  They ran down the little hill and off into the cemetery.  It was so lovely to see them.   I went and sat on the porch to see if they might come back, but they had gone for the night.  As I walked on the drive I could see their tracks-  past my car, over to the neighbor's house, under the forsythia bush.  It's a wonder what you can see when the light is just right and the world has quieted down.

Friday Five: Holiday Redux

RevGalBlogPal KJ has posted the questions for this week's Friday Five.  They're all about the holiday season.

1) What food item was one of your favorites this year - a definite keeper?  Mountain Mama came to visit in December and we made lefse.  My father has always claimed that you could eat anything wrapped in lefse.  This year I followed his lead and actually ate a hot dog wrapped in my favorite Norwegian flatbread made out of leftover mashed potatoes.  He's right!  It's good.  Much better than a cheap supermarket bun.  And for those of you who are offended by this, my grandmother saw street vendors in Oslo selling the same basic item.

2) Was there a meal or party or a gathering that stands out in your mind from this mose recent holiday season?  We had a lovely dinner of fondue with friends on Christmas Eve that ended prematurely when the BugMan said he needed to go.  While his system totally got the better of him on the way home, he did enjoy the Christmas meal the next day.  This was good!

3) Were you involved in a jaw-dropper gift? Were you the giver or recipient or an on-looker?  I'm skipping this one.  Not sure why, just skipping it.

4) Was there at least one moment where you experienced true worship?  Yes, on the 26th.  God is sneaky.

5) What is at least one thing you want to make sure you do next year?  Actually put decorations on the tree.  I managed to get the tree up, but no ornaments made it up out of the basement.  It was that kind of year at our house.

BONUS: What is something you absolutely must remember to do differently... or not at all!  Listen to the Chick when she advises me to let go of things that aren't that important.  Hold on to the things that are.