Lent

[Angelskates]

Lent starts tomorrow, March 9 - Ash Wednesday.

Are you fasting? Giving anything up?

I'm giving up coffee and chocolate again this year. I'm not addicted to either, neither has an affect on me, they don't keep me up or anything. I also won't have any side effects, no headaches or jitters. I am more "addicted" to the habit of having a coffee (I have a Nespresso machine). I also want chocolate when I see it or think about it, I don't actually crave it. I don't find either that hard to give up, so it's hard to make it worthwhile for Lent. I can't think of anything else though... any suggestions?

I am also trying to find something to commit to for Lent this year. It doesn't need to be a daily something, or religiously based, but I'd like it to be something related to relaxing. Any suggestions here too?

[Aceon6]

I don't really fast on the holy days or do anything super special. I renew my commitment to get exercise every day and spend more time doing meaningful things rather than staring at the tube or computer.

[Yehudi]

I am also trying to find something to commit to for Lent this year. It doesn't need to be a daily something, or religiously based, but I'd like it to be something related to relaxing.

Hmmm. Maybe if you have a blackberry for work, you could promise to yourself to turn it off on weekends or at night.

Or promise that you won't stay at work past a certain hour.

[Angelskates]

Hmmm. Maybe if you have a blackberry for work, you could promise to yourself to turn it off on weekends or at night.

Or promise that you won't stay at work past a certain hour.

I have an iPhone, and it is never off. I live a long way from home and will never turn my phone off after a friend of mine did (also as a fast) and found out only the next day that her mother died

I also live at work, literally my bedroom is the top floor of a townhouse where I run a centre for special needs kids. It's my business, and it's new, so I do work crazy hours. I have Sundays off, which has been a mighty hard effort!

[Gypsy]

Here are a few ideas:

1. Volunteer somewhere (even if it is just once)
2. Take 1/2 hour each day to meditate & relax
3. Try to reconnect with a family member or friend you have lost touch with.
4. If you are angry at someone, forgive them and move on.
5. If you have hurt someone, apologize and try to mend fences.

[FigureSpins]

I usually give up Coca Cola, but haven't committed to that yet this year. Giving up coffee would be a good idea, but it's more for me than for someone else. Sort of a selfish thing to give up - I like Coke better than coffee, lol. Since I rarely buy coffee, I'd have to set a fair price for my homebrewed DD stuff.

I feel like doing something else, like giving up fast food on Saturdays and tithing the money to charity. It's a convenience for me, but it's money that could be used for something better. That's probably what I'll choose.

But today, it is Mardi Gras! Pancakes for dinner with bacon or ham, plus a pseudo-Kings cake! (I should get baking, so it has time to cool before dinner.)

Tomorrow, it's tuna-noodle casserole with Campbells mushroom soup. The only casserole my mother made that I actually liked - it's comfort food. I'm the only one who likes it now and I look forward to it every year, when I force it on the family for Ash Wednesday!

OT: When we were in college, DH and I were in the Newman Club. One year, we went caroling with the Christian Student Society. One of the members of the other group asked if we were "A&P Catholics." My puzzled look made her laugh and she said "Guess not. Those are the ones who only go to Church on Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday, because they're giving things out that are symbolic and noticeable." I think of her every year at this time. She was really funny and friendly, lol.

[zaphyre14]

My priest suggested that, when giving up a food item or pleasurable experience (he said one of the alter servers was pledging to give up going to the movies which he apparently does every week), we put the money we would have spent on that into a jar or envelop and at the end of lent donate it to a food pantry or other charity (Good priest, he did not mention giving it to the church).

I am going to attempt to give up my one great food indulgence - potato chips. It might not sound like a big deal but I honestly don't know how I will manage to get through the grocery store without buying them. They seem to leap off the shelf into my cart and hide until I get home and find them skulking in the back of the trunk.

So that's, like $2.50 - $3.00 a week into the kitty.

[FigureSpins]

My kids love filling their Mite boxes up for Holy Thursday. We never have any coins left after Lent ends, lol.

The intent of mite boxes is to help people save money for charity by adding the money you don't spend on whatever you've given up. At all the churches I've belonged to, the mite boxes are always put towards a designated outside charity, not added to the Church's funds.

One year, I had a mite box on my office desk and my coworkers (mostly jewish) added to it every day as a gag!

[Wyliefan]

My church doesn't do the "giving up something for Lent" thing, but every year I see other people doing it and think that I should try it. But I can never decide what to give up.

[Cupid]

I am giving up my one vice, red wine, and I'm going to use my treadmill every single day no matter how tired I am!

[FigureSpins]

My family bought us a washer and dryer as a wedding gift, which was a blessing for a working couple with a 90-minute commute. We decided to put $3/load into our Mite box that year to give to a local charity that helped the homeless with food, counseling and shelter.


On a lighter note: ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgmQM9cDPHk

[CDANN1013]

I should give up Sheetz iced mocha for Lent, BUT I can't do that to my co-workers. They call it my nice drink.

[overedge]

Giving up sweets. The first few days I will try not to be as the sugar-based high wears off....

[Marge_Simpson]

I'm giving up Diet Coke and Dr. Pepper. I've already warned my coworkers that I'll be grumpy tomorrow.
During Lent, I follow the guidelines here:
http://www.americancatholic.org/News.../CU/ac0108.asp

[Aceon6]

Last feast tonite... jambalaya and an extra large pour of a really nice wine. Peeps for dessert!

[IceAlisa]

I've been thinking what I would give up if I were Catholic. I think it would be chocolate. It's really just a pleasure but not an addiction. I have about a square of Swiss dark chocolate a day and think it would be reasonable.

I would have a much harder time giving up my morning cup of decaf Irish breakfast tea with milk. I feel it makes me human and functional and is a source of comfort. So given that my tea with milk is more important to me than chocolate, does it make it a more appropriate thing to give up at Lent?

There is a movement among the hip youngish Jews in San Francisco to "uplug" on Saturdays, including cell phones, computers, other gadgets and commerce. IMO, giving up computers, TV and iPads is fine but not the cell phone. What if someone has an emergency and needs your help?

[Angelskates]

IceAlisa, I think too many people use computers for work - I couldn't give mine up for that reason.

I have never heard of people putting money in a jar to give to charity at the end of Lent. I have never even heard of a Mite box until today

For me, the sole purpose is to try at get closer to God and to break habits that come into conflict with this (I have a morning coffee instead of my quiet time quite a lot!), though it doesn't work very well if I find the thing/s I am giving up too easy to give up! Quite often I just find a substitute (like tea).

I think I'm going to try the money this as well. I have plenty of coffee pods already, so I rarely go out to buy coffee anymore, so I might put in a certain amount of money when I have a hot drink or something else....hmmmm. Maybe I can put money in my Mite box when I think of coffee, it'll get a fair bit these first few days!

[IceAlisa]

IceAlisa, I think too many people use computers for work - I couldn't give mine up for that reason.

I couldn't either for the same reason. However, this was an idea for Jews to give up computers on Sabbath only.

What about giving up watching a favorite show? Or manicures? Are you supposed to give up something that's a pleasure or a luxury or something that's essential?

[Angelskates]

Either, there's not really a "supposed to". If you give up something essential, then it's not essential I try an give up something I like that I have/do daily. Luxury things are way too easy for me to give up because they're so rare!

The favourite TV show is a good idea, thanks!

[IceAlisa]

Can you imagine giving up FSU????!!!!!!