Ash Wednesday

Does it feel like Ash Wednesday to you? I don't know about you, but it does not seem like today is the start of Lent. I have found that in recent years, I have been writing on Fat Tuesday, not Ash Wednesday. In recent years, I've had a really tough time coming up with what to give up for Lent. In 2007, I wrote a blog called Crunch Time. Here's what I thought about giving up:

I'm not quite sure what to give up. Because I'm a Catholic, I have to give up meat on Fridays. Well, some of you might argue with that, but I'm going to do my mom this favor and choose to not eat meat on Fridays during Lent. So no arguing with me. Those people know who they are.

I'm thinking about giving up one of my personality quirks. For instance, there's sarcasm in very serious conversations, but I kinda gave up on sarcasm a couple of months ago. Yeah, sarcasm on the internet is not a good thing. That was a lesson well learned. I'm thinking now that maybe swearing would be a good one. Of course, normally I don't really swear in public anymore. I don't swear at school or church really. The only time I really swear is when I get mad at my computer like a couple of minutes ago when it logged me out, so I had to rewrite this entire blog. But hey, I'm not complaining. Maybe God didn't like how I wrote it the first time. That brings up another one. I could give up complaining. However, I don't know how well that would work. Plus, I would have a lot of pent up anger on Sundays and that would be kinda hard. Do you have any struggles like me? I bet you do. We all do. What to give up? Any suggestions?

I have a friend who is probably giving up what he usually gives up and that is pop/soda or whatever you call it. The problem is he doesn't drink pop/soda. So, what's the point of that? If you aren't giving up something, then I don't know what to tell you, but think about Jesus. He fasted for 40 days and nights. I don't think I could do that. However, I can go 30 hours without food. Ah, that brings back good memories of the 30-hour famine and of course the saran wrap. Never again!!!!!!! So, once again, I ask what are you giving up for Lent this year?

Last year, I was a little better with what I thought about giving up. Here's a little bit of what I thought of giving up last year:

Last year you may remember me saying I was on crunch time to figure out what to give up. I am Catholic so I will be giving up meat on Fridays. That's not the only thing I'm giving up this year though. I've set a few goals for myself this year that I plan to keep:

1. I'm giving this up. What is this? I'm giving up internet and my computers because I spend too much valuable time, when I could be studying, on the internet and computer period. I will, however, be using it on Sundays and when I have to for school.
2. I'm not like many other people. Well, you kinda know that from how I write at times. I also have parents who don't always choose the best words, but I have a swear jar. For whenever I swear, I'm putting in a penny, nickel, dime, or quarter; any American coin that is considered money. It's also a putting myself down jar. Whenever I call myself a name, I'll put money in it. Where is this money going? I'll let you figure that out. It's obviously not going right back into my pocket.
3. With all the extra time for studying, I'm gonna start working out. Actually I already have. And let me tell you, my arms hurt. But enough of my complaining.
4. My last one isn't really real. I wish though. I asked my mom if I could give up my flute. Guess what she said? And it's not even like I would give it up during band, it's the lessons. She said no. This one was for your entertainment.

Now I'd like to share something with you that my dad wrote. This is from his latest sermon and I think it brings up a great point. For those that don't know, my dad is becoming a priest in the Episcopal church. And don't worry, Episcopalian priests are allowed to be married.

Lent is often viewed as a time to feel guilty. I say that as a person who has married into a Catholic family and for many years had this view. I have been kind of bad this year so I am giving up cigars, beer and morning coffee. That ought to set me right with the good Lord. I say that kind of tongue in cheek but yet I know quite a few people that give up something for Lent. Chocolate or coffee or smoking are the ones I hear often. Or broccoli. I am not going to bad mouth this Lenten tradition in general. Giving up something of comfort for a while isn't a bad thing.

What I would ask these people is why? Why give up coffee? Are you giving it up because you want to have some pain to remind you that you don't need coffee to survive but you need God. Or by giving up coffee, does it remind you every day that Jesus suffered in the desert and you use this a way to bring you to a closer understanding of Jesus? Then by all means, give up the coffee.

In recent years there has been movement in Lenten times to do something positive, like work at a soup kitchen or volunteer at a nursing home. Or similar acts of kindness. These are always good things to do and I encourage everyone at anytime to do so. But if you are doing it for Lent, then I ask why? Are you doing it because it is truly what Jesus would do and you want to understand his ministry? Are you doing this so you can seek Christ in all people like we are all called to do?

So for Lent, I encourage you to choose one or many changes to your behavior (stop drinking coffee or helping the needy) but do so with the thought of what purpose is this for and where God is in it.

Ok, so that's a little taste of how my dad writes sermons and I kinda paraphrased a lot of that, but I'm completely telling you that I didn't plagarize his sermon and I'm giving him credit.

His sermon brings up a good point. Actually a lot of good points. Why do we give up things? What purpose does giving up chocolate have with our relationship with God? By giving stuff up like material items or food items, are we really getting closer to God?

Ok, I'm not really into giving things like certain foods up for Lent. Actually I never have been into that. I try to give up something else like you've seen earlier in this blog. This year, I decided on Sunday a little earlier than I usually think about what to give up for Lent, that I'm giving up complaining. Actually let's make this a little more specific. I'm giving up complaining about youth group. I've also started doing morning devotions. I need to give God more of my time.

Last night, my dad and I were talking about what we were doing for Lent. He plans on praying every day. I thought he was talking about the kind of praying I do, but he was talking about his Episcopal prayer book, which is still prayer, so that's good. He thought my idea to give up complaining about youth group is a really great idea.

Hopefully you won't hear me complaining about youth group too much in the next couple of weeks. I'm trying to not do so and think positively about it even when I don't want to. You know I also have this craving right now. Maybe it's because I haven't gone on a mission trip in a while, but I have a craving to go help people paint or do some short term type mission in some town. It doesn't have to be out of the state. It doesn't even have to be out of my town. I just want to do something to help people. I would really like to go to Flint Eastside mission though because I haven't been there in such a long time and I think it would be a great place to go for a short mission trip adventure type thing.

So what are you doing for Lent? You don't have to give up anything. You could just work on doing something. Whatever you decide, you should definitely do something, but also make sure God is involved in it.