153: Celebrating Lent As A Family with Tsh Oxenreider
Known as 40 days to give up chocolate, alcohol, social media, or a “quick” way to diet before Easter, the Lenten season can easily be misunderstood. It’s not in the Bible and Jesus never told us to do it, yet the ancient Church declared the months before Easter a fasting season, and millions of Christians still observe it today. In Episode 153, we interview best-selling author, Tsh Oxenreider, about celebrating Lent as a family.
What The Lent?
Whether you have been celebrating Lent for many years, or you are just wanting to dip your family’s toes into this liturgical practice, this episode is full of practical tips and historical background of the why and how of observing Lent.
Starting with Ash Wednesday, Tsh guides us to a better understanding of Jesus’s sacrifice as we delight in His ultimate love. She opens up with a brief history of Lent, the importance of Lent’s trifecta: fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, as well as 5 questions to ask yourself when you’re deciding what to give up. She also gives us some practical ideas about how to involve our children in this practice.
So, pull up a chair, get a warm drink, and listen to our conversation with Tsh. Consider this your invitation to go deeper this Lenten season.
IN This Episode, You’ll Hear About:
- What Tsh has learned about being “At Home In The World” during these past 2 years of the pandemic.
- Why Bitter and Sweet are two perfect words when describing Lent and Easter.
- A brief overview of Lent’s History.
- Ideas for parents looking to involve their children in the observation of Lent.
- 5 questions to ask yourself when deciding what to give up:
- Have I become overly dependent on a particular sustenance, substance, or practice lately?
- Which appetites have a unique grip on my body or soul these days?
- What would be a genuinely challenging (but not burdensome) fast?
- What would be truly freeing to leave behind?
- What do I sense God calling me to?
- How to help your kids decide what to give up, but also explain the purpose behind surrending.
Resources Mentioned IN This Epsiode:
- Tsh’s newest book, Bitter And Sweet: A Journey Into Easter
- Take a look at Tsh’s previous book, At Home In This World: Reflections On Belonging While Wandering The Globe
- The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
- Listen to our previous podcasts about Parenting In This Digital Age and Netiquette: Teaching Our Kids Online Manners
Quote and Tweets:
- “The merciful gift of Lent is that we’re continually reminded that because of the power of Jesus’s resurrection, we’re not sentenced to life’s muck and mire for all eternity.”- @tsh
- “One day we’ll sit at a table with room enough for everyone, toasting our glasses and feasting with the King of kings; there will be no need for the bread and wine of the eucharist because he will be fully right there among us. The fruits of daily, ordinary virtues are sweet samples of this heavenly table, set out and waiting for us in the kingdom of God.” – @tsh
- “Ultimately, we recognize the season of Lent before Easter not because God demands it of us, not because Christ commanded it to prove our mettle, and not because we must perfect ourselves before we’re worthy of Easter. We observe Lenten practices because they’re good for us… In a world that celebrates indulging our whims whenever we want, to practice the traditions of Lent is countercultural.” – @tsh
- We’re not fasting just for the heck of it. We’re fasting to make room for God to speak to us. @tsh
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Meet Tsh Oxenreider:
Tsh Oxenreider is the bestselling author of several books, most notably At Home in the World, her memoir about her family’s year travelling around the world and living out of backpacks. She’s also a travel guide, teacher, and podcaster, and she lives in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband and three children. She is equally happy snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef with her family and putzing around her own backyard. Find Tsh online at tshoxenreider.com.
