Lent 2011

I did not grow up practicing Lent. It is only in the last few years that I have tried to observe it. I think it all started several years ago when Jim started asking about it. He didn’t grow up with it either. Our church acknowledges it, but doesn’t make a big point to observe it. Perhaps that was how the seed was planted in our heads.

The first year, Jim did it alone. I wasn’t quite on board yet and I seem to have a memory of some other factor that discouraged me from trying, but I don’t remember what that was (maybe health issues). The funny thing was that because we were newbies to this tradition, Jim did it wrong this first year. What we didn’t know was that Sundays don’t count in the 40 days of Lent. He had given up caffeine (coffee specifically). About three weeks into it, I started checking the calendar because something was feeling off. It felt like more than 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. So I began to research.

This was how I finally learned that Sundays don’t count. It was pretty comical. I told Jim that he could have his coffee on Sundays, but he decided that since he was already geared to not have it at all, that he would just continue that way. What’s funny is that when you talk to people about this, there is disagreement about Sundays. But I think it’s pretty clear when you take the time to count the days. So at almost 50 days, Jim had his first coffee and boy was he jittery. Have you ever seen Hoodwinked?



Since then, one year I gave up soda. One year I gave up watching Ellen. This year I really struggled with deciding if I was going to give up anything. I just wasn’t feeling quite into it. But this past Wednesday (Ash Wednesday), I got on board and decided to give up two things: Facebook and sweets.

I don’t do a lot on Facebook, but I check it pretty often. Too often, especially considering how little I do on it. I like feeling the connection to people, but don’t like the addiction of checking it. So I think it will be nice to just concentrate my time on it to Sundays.

Sweets will be a little tough. I’m actually already surprised to have made it through two days. I even baked brownies yesterday for some friends and didn’t lick the spoon or anything! What will be tough is that my birthday falls in this time of Lent. So I may need to come up with some ground rules to allow a little bit of sweets. And basically I’m defining sweets as desserts or treats: cookies, candy, ice cream, cake etc. I really became aware yesterday of how much I eat sweets just out of boredom. I knew I did it for comfort, but I would be playing with Josh and get an idea to snack on something. I wasn’t hungry, but just wanted to have something. So I think as long as I have birthday sweets with intentionality and not “just because,” I should be able to have a clear conscience (kind of).

If Lent is a new or fuzzy concept to you, here is a decent resource: http://www.kencollins.com/holy-04.htm