A Simple Giveaway for a Simple Book!

January 25, 2012 By

Simcha Fisher is doing a book give-away, and it’s a book I completely and utterly want to read!

And that reminds me: as the Patheos Book Club winds down its look at Paula Huston’s Simplifying the Soul, they’re giving me three copies to give away myself.

We’ll keep it simple, because I like simple! In the comments section, tell us what you are feeling inspired to do for this upcoming Lenten season — are you going to give something up, eat only one meal a day, bike to work, attend Mass every morning, structure your prayer, volunteer, somewhere?

After you’ve left a comment, go over to the Catholic Portal’s Facebook page! All who’ve left a comment and liked the page will have their names thrown into a hat, and we’ll select three names and get in touch with you!

You’ll like this book; it’s one of the best, most practical and holy-but-accessible books I’ve ever read on making one’s Lent truly fruitful!

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  • http://mightymaggie.blogspot.com James

    Small stuff: Bagging sweets of all kinds. Praying with someone else every day.

  • Laurel

    I’m going to give up complaining. It is comforting to tell myself how/why I’m unhappy/tired/whatever, but I know it’s bad… and chocolate. I’ll find out which is harder.

  • http://www.marygildersleeve.com Mary G.

    Lent 2012: try to get to daily Mass with kids; give up wine; spend 30 minutes every day with devotional/prayer journal.

  • Mandy P.

    I’m doing two things for my family this Lenten season. First, we’re giving up all secular media. I would like Lent to be focused on Christ and He got lost last year in between all the movies, books, blogs (for mommy) and games that have a secular focus. Second, I’m planning out our menus to be more like the Eastern-style Lenten food. It’s going to be hard, I know. And there are some things, like dairy, that we can’t do without because of the children’s dietary needs, but I want to try to follow it closely otherwise.

    [Giving up all secular media sounds so great. I wonder if I could do that and keep my job? :-) -admin]

  • Val S.

    Pray every day and be a better listener.

  • Sandra

    I read your review of this book and put it on my amazon wish list. I’m using my iTouch while recovering from surgery, so can’t order it til I get on my computer. Amazon = ships in 2 to 4 *weeks* — eek! Anyway, I’m planning to follow that book as what I do that’s in addition to the usual: daily Mass (on TV til I can get there), extra time in prayer, holy reading, and study. Close to Ash Wednesday, the Lord usually presses into my heart and mind what kinds of sacrifices to make–sometimes its that all of my knitting/sewing is for a local pro-life charity. Thanks for getting me thinking about this; it will be here before we know it!

  • Kathleen

    I am going to try to get to mass several times a week. I am also giving up Facebook and mindnumbing games like Bubbleshooter. I need to be more available to my family. I am also going to read and meditate on St. Mark’s gospel.

  • Margaret Mary

    I’m not sure yet, but daily Mass is at the top of my list!

  • Becky S.

    Get to Mass with the kids twice during the week, clean out/declutter one space, drawer, closet etc., prayer.

  • Meg

    Every year I try to get to Mass at least three extra times per week. This year I will add not breaking the speed limit when I drive. (This will be a biggie for me.) I am also going to make a point of saying out loud something nice about a person who is being criticized, whether they are famous, infamous, or just a few pews away. And then NOT adding the juicy detail I know that would be really interesting to “all concerned.”

  • Cindy

    I plan to give up sweets and I’m thinking about giving up TV. And I would love to read through this book during Lent :-)

  • Karen

    Give something up and prayer.

  • Margaret Rose Realy

    Every Lent I choose to act in ways that give. Each year I rummage through closets and cabinets and give to St. Vincent’s or Goodwill. Each year I also give to myself learning…spritual growth…by reading something outside my usual selection, last year it was the Catechism. This year I will read either The Diary of St. Faustina or The Devout Life by DeSales. And lastly, each year I fast from negativism in my thoughts and in my words (a real challenge during election years!)…if I cannot be life affirming, I take it to the Altar. Lent is not easy or simple, and I do not always succeed, but I do my best.

  • http://toledodiocese.org Sally Oberski

    I’m going to get serious with a few of my New Year’s resolutions that I haven’t put into practice very well…praying at night before I go to bed–on my knees; attending daily Mass more often, and although I wrote this down as a resolution, it’s really something I practice daily…try to bring someone closer to Christ every day!

  • http://www.havingleftthealtar.com Katherine

    I know I am kicking soda and I wang to do an offering jar with the kids. We’ll probably see if we can’t declutter some too.

  • http://opey124.wordpress.com Mrs. O

    Work on forgiving.

  • Susan

    I’m going to pray the Rosary every day (gulp) and give up Facebook (deep breath). I’m nervous – I don’t want to fail!

  • Susan

    (Oh, and I already liked the Patheos Catholic Portal page many months ago!)

  • Debbie

    This year I’m going to get up 30 minutes early so that I do my meditating first thing in the morning. It’ll be hard, because I’m a night owl. :)

  • http://www.GreatHoustonProperties.com Ruth Gracey

    My husband and I decided to work together this Lent to achieve a more consistent sacrifice (i.e. we’re both doing the same things this year). We plan to give up beer and attend mass with our kids every Friday. We are joining our Living Matrimony group in our parish to begin working on our spiritual life together. We are going to confession after a long time of avoiding it. We are going to not give up TV and movies, but give up those programs which we really shouldn’t be indulging in. For myself, I really want to win this book and spend time on it everyday as well. Our hope is that we will have a more meaningful Lent this year. The past two years we haven’t done very well with our commitments.

  • Carleen

    This Lent will be less media and more reading. I want to read the YOUCAT from cover to cover and do some serious meditating on it. An hour of Eucharistic Adoration a week is also on my “to do” list.

  • jill e

    Silence and gratitude. Follow the Holy Father’s guidance and include a time for silence every day (at least once a week at Adoration), but extending that to include the times I speak when I should listen.

  • Paula

    I am going to give up slothfulness. I will do *some* exercise each day for 40 days. Surely I can do just that.

  • http://janehartman.com Jane Hartman

    I’m going to try and give up negative thoughts and fear. I would really like to have a media fast once a week, too. (from everything – TV’s, computers, Iphones, etc.)

  • Amanda Paige

    Well I usually give up soda but I have cut that out all together. So will probably have an additional day of no meat.

  • http://www.bobhostetler.com Bob Hostetler

    If I already knew how I would observe Lent, I wouldn’t need the book so much. But I do. I really, really do.

  • http://www.spartafumcyouth.blogspot.com amandaintennessee

    I am looking to deepen some of my Spiritual Practices and to pass some of them along to our church Youth group.

  • Jennie

    A fun thing I am planning on doing is putting aside time to work on memorizing the Nicene and Apostle’s Creed and Gloria each day. I would love not to have to reach down for those guides at mass anymore.

  • Beth

    Once again, going to try to give up my opinion for Lent.

  • Sue from Buffalo

    I’m still debating but probably will say my Rosary every day. I really need to get back into it.

  • wendysuzyq

    I would love to read this book and I also plan on reading a book on honoring the Sabbath – this is a struggle for me but something I have been called for sometime to do. I need to simplify this lent and just focus on a few basics. I love the idea of taking time to memorize the last few mass changes that still require me to “read” the card at church.

  • http://josephmichaelsalesblog.wordpress.com/ Joe Sales

    This Lent, I want to work on my faith and build a stronger relationship with God. I also want to focus on scripture too.

  • Mandy

    For this Lenten season I am going to give up french fries, my usual. But being that I just got a new job; teaching, I am going to work my hardest to be the best positive influence in the lives of these new students so they can succeed and become the fulfillment of God’s plan.

  • http://findingelegantsimplicity.blogspot.com/ Donna Marie

    Simplify and be silent.

  • Amanda

    I’m thinking about giving up my reader, but I might do something else with my husband as well…

  • anne

    How neat! I’m still debating about my Lenten promise, but I think it will focus around daily prayer.

  • http://lynseypittman.com Lynsey

    I am going to give up sugar! It will be super tough for my sweet tooth but hopefully since I also want to say a daily Rosary that will help me get through it. And hopefully I won’t even crave sugar by the end of Lent so I won’t need to add much back!

  • http://robersonblog.blogspot.com Hoyt Roberson

    I think I will try and incorporate specific time each day to reflect on my imperfections, open myself to receive God’s cleansing and refilling, and listen for his words of direction.

  • Kurt

    The title of the book makes me think about active rather than passive discipline, so perhaps what I should do is give up some of the lazy indulgence that makes my house and life so cluttered. In other words, maybe I should resolve to finally undertake some of those organizing projects I’ve been putting off for years, and as part of that, I could devote time not only to projects that would simplify my life (getting rid of junk and unnecessary things, figuring out what is most essential, etc.), but also to more study (reading, reflection, etc.) and activities (prayer, charity, volunteer work) that would enrich it.

  • Ann

    I’m going to try not to lose my temper with my boys. That’ll be a huge exercise in patience. :-)

  • http://none Debbie Whitney

    I will spend time in prayer each day to reflect on the life God has given me and express my appreciation for both its joys and challenges.

  • Monika

    I will give up chocolate, as usual. But new this year, I will do the rosary at least once a week. Figure I should start with attainable goals!

  • http://www.rosesintherubble.com Virginia

    Every year I always give up the same things – chocolate (very hard), Doritos (hard), wine (hard) & meat (not so hard since i am a vegetarian! : ) – & read a before-bed pile of “Lent & Easter Wisdom” (Nouwen, Merton, Pope John Paul II, St. Francis & St. Clare, St. Ignatius…) Last yr I tried to read St. Augustine’s City of God (didn’t make it very far.) This year would like to read the somewhat skinnier book you’re giving away (hence this comment & subsequent FB friendliness..) … and TRY to do a decade Rosary e. day (very cool iPad app to help with that!) & TRY to memorize Isaiah 53 (mind muddles notwithstanding) .. but most importantly, spend a little bit more time each day thanking Jesus… for everything.

  • Ellen

    I plan on fasting everyday (I haven’t worked out my specific rules yet) and having dedicated prayer for my siblings everyday.

  • Lindsay Milner

    I’m going to be focusing on detachment and simplicity. I have my home divided into 40 different areas and each day of lent I will tackle an area to determine what I need to remove and what should be kept. I’ll be adding some sort of additional prayer time, but I haven’t decided what form it should take.

  • Annie Jean

    I had been longing for an IPad since they first came out, but I instinctively knew it would become addictive. Very unexpectedly I received one as a gift last September, thanks Mark, and of course now I’m hooked to point of my family starting to make comments. I plan on breaking free from the bondage this Lenten Season.

  • http://4js4him.blogspot.com Kathy J

    I’m going to try to concentrate on my prayer time more. It too often gets swept aside in the midst of life’s busyness. I’m also going to get serious about my health & exercise. We are also, as a family, going to try to simplify things around here, de-cluttering being one of the main ways we will achieve this.

  • skp

    I started giving up coffee for Lent a few years ago, at the suggestion of my son. He noticed how much I love it! Every year I think I should get more creative, but it is a daily thing that I really miss, so I will be drinking tea again during Lent. I also plan to read a book that will help me grow in my relationship with the Lord.

  • dry valleys

    A bit far away for a final decision but I might take this as an excuse to stop eating anything that involves chocolate or peanuts. Then, being used to not having them, perhaps I can manage with less/none afterwards. I wouldn’t starve!

    It might have been white flour but, even though I don’t eat white bread, it would still have involved too much complication and what-have-you!

    How many other people develop permanently good habits as a result of their weeks away from some vice or other? :)

  • http://www.elizabethcarden.com Elizabeth

    I am feeling called to attend daily Mass–I’ve never done it before and am a little nervous about committing and then dropping the ball.

    So happy to see all the wonderful reviews of Paula’s book. I was blessed to get to know her a few years ago during a writing project. Her peacefulness, simplicity and utter kindness shine through.

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