Tuesday, February 21, 2012

i love mardi gras

Today I spent a few hours at the nursing home,
like I do sometimes on Tuesdays.
But for some reason, the activity today took me by surprise.
We just painted Mardi Gras masks
with purple and green and gold acrylic paint,
adding lavender rhinestones as a finishing touch.
My hands were covered in paint by the end
from helping shaky hands hold a brush steady.
But, for those few hours, there is nowhere in the world I would have rather been.

At the end we passed out bubble gum coins and beads
and then read a few interesting facts about the holiday.
I guess the whole thing took me off guard 
because I had completely forgotten that Mardi Gras is today.
And today being Mardi Gras
means that tomorrow is Ash Wednesday,
or the first day of lent counting down until Easter.
How on earth could I have forgotten?
On the drive home from the nursing home
I was pondering about what I want to give up this year.
Even since joining the church it is a tradition I do every year.
Naturally, my mind instantly went to Facebook.
As pathetic as this sounds,
Facebook is actually something that would be really hard for me to not use!  
I don't know how I reverted back to my old ways so quickly after not using it for 4 months while in Jerusalem...
but alas, it happened.
So I guess that's it.
No Facebook for Miss Lindsay Rae for the next 40 days!!
And my secondary goal is to ready one talk every morning as I prepare for conference.

Today I am thankful for homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
For my sweet elderly friends and the opportunity I have to work with them.
For the Easter season that helps me reflect on the life, death, and resurrection of the Savior.
For my parents coming to visit in 3ish weeks!!!
For a night with not much homework at all.
And for simplicity.
My life always needs a little more of that.
Happy Mardi Gras!  Oh Happy Life!

1 comment:

  1. sounds like so much fun! i have never celebrated mardi gras...maybe i should add it to my bucket list!

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