Lent

This year for LENT I am giving up a few small things instead of one huge thing.  Seriously, I have observed Lent my entire life and by now every huge thing (besides cable television) that I have given up I have given up and pretty much either never gone back or have not indulged in it in a way that I would say I have to give it up again.


When I was younger we started Lent on Ash Wednesday, where you didnt have meat on that day, nor did you have meat any friday during Lent.  When my mom was growing up they didnt have mean on any friday all year long.  My mother told me a few years ago that you could have what you gave up for Lent on Sundays.  I was quick to remind her that this was NOT the way we grew up and I wasnt gonna change it now.  You know Catholics....we dont change the rules  :)


As a child I always gave up dessert, chocolate, phone time, TV, or my double deck tape player.   Yeah, I know, but going without continuous play of MC Hammer was hard okay?


As an adult, I was much more hard core.  One year, I was in the middle of a move from living with two roommates to living in a one bedroom apartment on my own.  That year for Lent, I gave up TV and Cable Television.  I didnt have cable television again until I married Greg.  I was without cable for almost 7 years!


TV was a very common thing  I would give up because it was really the only thing I indulged in.  I have given up shopping for anything but groceries as well as I tend to LOVE organizational doo dads :)


This year, I gave up chocolate, Dr. Pepper, and Facebook.  There are some exeptions.  I do have to respond to parent messages on my facebook and wish my friends birthdays because I dont have thier emails, but I DONT check status'.  I gave up carbonated beverages one year in highschool and didnt have one again for 10 years.  I would have my occasional sprite to help the greasy pizza settle a little easier, but we are talking once a month MAYBE.  But, when I got pregnant, Dr. Pepper was my hero.  I would have about one a week and let me tell you it was Heaven.  I started drinking it the last trimester and just couldnt stop.  I want to give it up again and maybe have one when I am eating certain foods like pizza or tacos (after Lent).


Greg is not a big fan of Lent.  He wasnt raised with or without religion.  It was known it existed, but the importance of it was not pushed.   Greg always attends mass if asked and goes to all of the important masses like Easter, Christmas, Ash Wednesday, etc.  Greg also goes meatless at our meals for Lent so its just fair to all of us.  He also is giving up something, for the first time, for Lent this year.  He has always been very open and accepting about my beliefs and how I expressed I would prefer to raise JL. 

I know Lent looks differently to everyone.  For some it is new, for some it is old.  What does Lent look like in your house?