What (if anything) are you giving up for Lent?

[ourbabygirl]

I saw that an old high school acquaintance is giving up Facebook, which is actually quite a sacrifice for him since he's on it and posts on it a lot. I'm tempted to give up that and/or this board :crying: (for 40 days) since that *would* be a major sacrifice! :tongue5: Chocolate would also be hard to give up, though I don't eat it quite every day. The whole no-meat on Fridays thing is hard for me, since I'm a really picky eater as it is and I need my protein or I get a headache, plus I'm pregnant and already feel like my appetite and stomach are all messed up already, due to ms. I guess I like the idea of doing something extra (for someone/ a group/ volunteer/ give more money) instead of giving something up, but not sure what are some good ideas.

With Ash Wednesday tomorrow, if you follow (Catholic) Church guidelines, what do you give up? Do you switch it up each year? Also, do you fast? Why or why not?

[Reyadawnbringer]

Thanks for posting this... I haven't given a lot of thought to what I am giving up and I need to get a move on it! I will get back to you later :p

[edurnemk]

I have no idea if I'll give something up for this year... but once I gave up coffee. the first few days were he!! afterwards it wasn't so bad, but the first thing I did on Easter Sunday was drink a humongous cup of coffee!

I might have to do that again, but because of Dr's orders, do you think that can count for Lent? LOL

[Glizmo]

I usually try to "pray, fast, and give alms" for Lent. So for "pray" I make sure to pray a rosary every day or learn a new prayer in Latin (that was fun!), or pray through scripture etc. Fast by giving something up, most recently I've done all sweets and the internet(!) except for work. Alms is easy, I either give more money to Church, or pick a charity like Operation Rice Bowl.

I do try to fast on Ash Wed & Good Fri, but the past few years I've either been pregnant or nursing, so "fasting" just meant no snacks, my meals weren't really affected :)

Thanks for the reminder though, I really need to think about what to do this year!

[Roni]

I'm pregnant, too, so I'm going to abstain from meat tomorrow, but I may not be able to fast. Although a liquid diet in between meals will probably sustain me. There are exceptions allowed, though, & I'm pretty confident that pregnancy applies.

I'm not sure if I'm going to give up anything food-related, besides meat on Fridays (I know, I really need to decide soon)--being pregnant is enough of a challenge. I gave up chocolate the past couple years, but then I couldn't eat the Thin Mints that came in right before Lent, and they went to waste. So, I think I'll give up alcohol, this year. (Don't worry, I don't drink, anyway.) My mother has always emphasized that you should focus on doing something positive, rather than giving up something, so I'm going to try to go more in that direction. For prayers, I have a little book that my mother is sending me that has prayers and reflections for each day during Lent. I'm also going to try to go to Stations of the Cross once a week after I drop the kids off at school. I think as a family we are going to do Operation Rice Bowl. Also, my kids have been talking about a web site where you can do math problems, and for each problem that you do, 10 cents gets donated to the poor. (So, that's for them to do, not me.)

[kayte]

What I need to give up is Amazon Prime. Seriously.

But DH and I have decided to give up some bad parenting habits we have fallen into and hope 40 days is long enough to build some strong new habits and have DD react to a new consistency.

[maylips]

I'm not Catholic, but do follow a Lenten sacrifice ritual.

One of the hardest years was the time I gave up shopping. Actually, I found that the TRUE sacrifice was going to the mall and not shopping - it was fairly easy to follow if I was just avoiding stores altogether, but a few times I went with friends or with a group of work people when we had some downtime while traveling on business. That was really tough. Of course, that was pre-kids when I actually had a body that made shopping more fun.

Not sure what I'll do this year. Coffee is pretty tough when you still have a baby who doesn't sleep through the night all of the time!

[TwinFoxes]

I'm not sure what I'm giving. Once I gave up French fries which was surprisingly hard! Alcohol was surprisingly easy.

FYI, the Vatican says pregnant women don't have to fast or abstain from meat. I would have passed out if I had fasted in my first trimester pregnant with twins! I was doing good making it through mass without a snack! ;)

[AnnieW625]

I haven't decided yet. I won't eat meat tomorrow and like I have always done I will eat three small meals and try my hardest not to snack or have sweets. I also won't eat meat on Fridays and I have no problem with that. I need to up my veggie intake anyways.

This year I have been really good about updating my check book (stopped using duplicate checks on purpose!) and have been trying to save more money too. Rather than giving up something I often try to work a little harder to do things I have always been meaning to do.

I also really try and exercise daily and unfortunately I have been a little lax about that with this pregnancy and I know I shouldn't be.

[SpaceGal]

I'm not Catholic, but do follow a Lenten sacrifice ritual.

One of the hardest years was the time I gave up shopping. Actually, I found that the TRUE sacrifice was going to the mall and not shopping - it was fairly easy to follow if I was just avoiding stores altogether, but a few times I went with friends or with a group of work people when we had some downtime while traveling on business. That was really tough. Of course, that was pre-kids when I actually had a body that made shopping more fun.

Not sure what I'll do this year. Coffee is pretty tough when you still have a baby who doesn't sleep through the night all of the time!

I should give up shopping. Maybe I will do that...and only do grocery shopping. Sounds like a good plan. :) It helps to cut back on excess.

[elliput]

I friend of mine said he was giving up sarcasm for Lent. Knowing this friend, it lasted about as long as it took to type out the comment.

[bigpassport]

I'm not Catholic, but I'm going to "play Lent" (no disrespect meant whatsoever)...just the fasting part. DH and I are giving up sugary treats, i.e. cookies, cake, brownies, ice cream, chocolate, etc. For Fat Tuesday, we are trying to polish off the pan of brownies I made yesterday.:wink2:

[MelissaTC]

I normally don't give something up but rather try to implement something in my life that will continue beyond Lent. For the past two years, it has been patience and controling my temper, especially with my family. This year, I am giving up Pepsi One. I drink at least one can a day and I need to let it go. I walked by the twelve packs today at the grocery and had to run. Really. I love my Pepsi One. :(

[soontobe]

just wondering what Lent is all about and what it is based on.

thanks!

[spanannie]

just wondering what Lent is all about and what it is based on.

thanks!

This is my daughter's Kindergarten teacher's take on it, copied from her weekly newsletter:

"It is time for us to get ready for a new season in our church year…Lent! During Epiphany we focused on ways we can help spread the light of God’s love in the world. During Lent we will shift our focus to listening to God…in our hearts…through the words and actions of the angels God puts in our paths…through the stories in that special book, the Bible…and by being still and remembering that God is right there beside us all day, every day! Lent is for listening, with our ears and minds, but more importantly with our hearts.

One of the ways we practice listening with our heart is to “pack away” our Alleluias. Last Thursday we packed away our “alleluias.” “Alleluia” is an angel word. All day long the angels sit around the throne of God singing “Alleluia! Alleluia!” We LOVE to sing “Alleluia” as well! Look in the mirror and say “alleluia!” You can’t say it without smiling!!! ☺ When we say “alleluia” we are remembering how wonderful God’s love and heaven are. We are bringing a little piece of heaven down here to earth. During Lent we “lock our alleluias inside.” We lock our lips and don’t let the word come out so that we are forced to say the word…AND LISTEN FOR IT…it our hearts.

This Wednesday we will celebrate the beginning of Lent during Chapel. The day is called “Ash Wednesday.” On Ash Wednesday, we remember that we are “made of dust and to dust we shall return.” I will explain to the children that on this special day, the first day of Lent, we remember that God gave us these bodies we live in right now as a “home” here on earth. These bodies are perfectly suited for taking care of us here on earth. BUT, one of these days, we will go to heaven to live with God and Jesus. In order to get to heaven, we have to leave these earthly bodies behind...we have to die. When we get to heaven, God will give us brand new “angel bodies” that will last for all eternity. On Ash Wednesday, we remember that one day we will all have to die and leave these earthly bodies behind in order to go to heaven.

During the chapel service on Wednesday morning, the children will be invited to come forward and Father X, Father Y or I will “draw” a small cross on their forehead with ashes as we say the words “remember that thou art dust and to dust you shall return”. I will explain to the children that the mark will wash right off, but the love from the cross will stay with them always. If a child prefers NOT to have a cross marked on his or her forehead, they will simply cross their arms {or put their hands over their foreheads! ☺ } and we will say a little prayer with them instead.

As with any of our chapel experiences, Ash Wednesday is intended to help the children realize just how much God loves them and that God has a special plan for each one of them . . . I have to tell you that, as a mother, Ash Wednesday is one of the most difficult services for me to attend. I have had ashes placed on my forehead for more years than I can remember, and I have no problem understanding and accepting my own mortality. But to this day, when the ashes are placed on my grown boys’ foreheads and I hear those words “remember that thou art dust and to dust you shall return”, the tears start to roll. I like to let myself BELIEVE that X and Y are MY children...I forget that these are God’s children that I have been give the opportunity to raise...and what a blessing it is, every single day! Ash Wednesday is a wonderful reminder for me to slow down and enjoy my own children…and YOUR children...and this life."

This is what my daughter's teacher has the Kindergarteners do for Lent:

"During Lent, many people “give up” something or “take something on” to remind them of God’s love and blessings and to develop a discipline that will help them grow closer to God. In our classroom, we will adopt the tradition of “blessing ribbons” as our Lenten discipline. Each day, on the way to the playground, we will stop for just a moment to think of a blessing in our life and to thank God for that blessing. We will tie a bright, cheerful ribbon on the playground fence to represent our blessing. As we move closer and closer to Easter, the old ugly fence will gradually become a beautiful reminder of God’s presence in our daily lives."

[soontobe]

that is beautiful! why is Lent during this time of year?

[spanannie]

that is beautiful! why is Lent during this time of year?

Lent is 40 days before Easter.

Further explanation here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent

[lmh2402]

I won't eat meat tomorrow and like I have always done I will eat three small meals and try my hardest not to snack or have sweets. I also won't eat meat on Fridays and I have no problem with that.

same for me

and i'm planning to give up AT LEAST one instance of vocalized criticism directed toward DH, DS and myself each day (so a total of at least three instances - one each) - i'm really trying to work on my negative attitude...though i think i need a lot more therapy and possibly some meds to really help

[wolverine2]

Not Catholic, but going to try giving up Diet Coke for Lent with the hopes of trying to pray a bit every time I want one (which is going to be a lot!) Hoping it might lead to quitting for good!

[jenfromnj]

I am giving up caffeine, in hopes of permanently getting rid of caffeinated beverages altogether. I gave it up when PG with DS and when I was first BFing, and felt so much better drinking water instead of coffee or Diet Coke, but it's slowly crept back into my diet, and now I'm a full-on caffeine addict again.

[sarahsthreads]

Good question. I'm not giving something up this year, but planning to do a couple of things instead. I want to clear out the excess in our lives - we have so many things that we don't need and someone else could use, and I plan to go through our house room by room and donate what I can. I'm also going to try to work on my parenting skills with my five year old. I feel like I do a lot of yelling and that much of our interaction is negative, and I want to change that. I don't like yelling, and I'm pretty sure there has to be another way to get a five year old to the bus on time, I just haven't found it yet!

I don't fast. I do abstain from meat and do not eat in between meals. I think I have blood sugar issues, because if I start out intending to fast, by mid afternoon I have a terrible migraine - this has been the case since I was old enough to not be exempt from fasting. I also have issues with the rule of not eating meat on Fridays. We typically have simple meatless meals at home on Fridays during Lent, but if I have leftovers that have meat in them we might eat those instead because I strongly dislike wasting food.

I'm not an especially good Catholic.

Sarah :)

[spanannie]

Good question. I'm not giving something up this year, but planning to do a couple of things instead. I want to clear out the excess in our lives - we have so many things that we don't need and someone else could use, and I plan to go through our house room by room and donate what I can. I'm also going to try to work on my parenting skills with my five year old. I feel like I do a lot of yelling and that much of our interaction is negative, and I want to change that. I don't like yelling, and I'm pretty sure there has to be another way to get a five year old to the bus on time, I just haven't found it yet!

I don't fast. I do abstain from meat and do not eat in between meals. I think I have blood sugar issues, because if I start out intending to fast, by mid afternoon I have a terrible migraine - this has been the case since I was old enough to not be exempt from fasting. I also have issues with the rule of not eating meat on Fridays. We typically have simple meatless meals at home on Fridays during Lent, but if I have leftovers that have meat in them we might eat those instead because I strongly dislike wasting food.

I'm not an especially good Catholic.

Sarah :)

I am giving up yelling for lent, too. I haven't found the way to get a 7 year old out the door on time w/o yelling either, but I'm about to have to come up with something!

[KpbS]

I am aiming to give up staying up late. It will be tough!!!

[Jen841]

I said it, I am giving up Target. We got a new one and I am there 1-3 times a week for random things and other 'deals' just fall into my cart. I will need to plan better.

I will only go there for Rx's if needed (hopefully not since we do most via mail order.)

[Reyadawnbringer]

DH and I are giving up Eating out. This includes ALL eating out (fast food, restaurants, coffee houses, etc.)... We have both become so unhealthy and have wasted a bunch of money on eating out, so this should hopefully help us start a new habit.

We also plan to implement exercise to our daily routines. I have already been building up to this, so hopefully some good ol' Catholic guilt will help me stick to it.

There are also some other small family changes I am planning to implement, but I don't need to go into detail on those. They are just minor things that, if done, will have a huge impact on our family life.

As for meat, I am perfectly willing to give that up. DS and I don't eat a ton of meat anyway, and this is the perfect opportunity to get DH on board with a little cutting back. DH doesn't fast because he is Diabetic, and I don't fast because that triggers massive migraines for me.

[shawnandangel]

Not giving anything up this year, except maybe my attitude! I just wrote a paper for my Moral Theology class on the beatitudes and have decided to further my research and knowledge of them as a path to happiness. I will especially be working on being pure of heart. This will be really hard. I have to focus and not only not say something negative but not think it as well. Hopefully this will lead me to truly forgive those in my life who I have spoken forgiveness to, but still harbor resentment in my heart.

I will also read my Bible every day, even if just one verse.

[AnnieW625]

Last night I decided that I am going to give up wrapped store bought candy, and sodas. I am also going to try and be on time to work every morning.

[lizzywednesday]

...

With Ash Wednesday tomorrow, if you follow (Catholic) Church guidelines, what do you give up? Do you switch it up each year? Also, do you fast? Why or why not?

I grew up Catholic though I married a Protestant and will be raising our kids to be decent human beings of the Christian-flavored variety.

Give up something: I haven't given anything up the last few years because there's nothing I do often enough that it would be a sacrifice to do without it. Giving up chocolate, sweets, treats, even TV, wouldn't be a big deal to me because I've been limiting a lot of that due to my pregnancy anyway (HFCS makes me sick) and, while I do watch TV every day, I can skip a day and not have it shatter my after-work routine. I once gave up apples & applesauce, not because I liked them, but because I hoped it would discourage my mom from giving me an apple in my lunchbox. I was 8.

If I were to give something up, I would be more likely to choose Facebook over anything else, but, even then, I can go several days without it and not feel like I am making a sacrifice. It's actually pretty relaxing sometimes!!!

Fasting: I don't fast and haven't since high school. I found then that it messes up my blood sugar to the extent that I will make myself ill. During college, a bad breakup sent me into a quasi-anorexic tailspin because I was too depressed to eat. Since then, I have to carry snacks in my car everywhere I go just in case I get a drop in blood sugar. No, I am not diabetic and no, I am not hypoglycemic; it just makes me ill to skip a meal. I trust that the Almighty understands.

No meat on Fridays: This one, I try to do as much as I can. It's meaningful to me for reasons other than religious ones as well, so I don't mind it so much. I would prefer to have fish or another vegetarian option at least once per week during the rest of the year, too, but that's not always an option for us. DH, on the other hand, will only go meatless on Good Friday. (Frankly, I can live with that.)

[lizzywednesday]

I am giving up yelling for lent, too. I haven't found the way to get a 7 year old out the door on time w/o yelling either, but I'm about to have to come up with something!

Maybe try a whistle? I used that to great effect while corraling my brother's 1st grade class (thirty 6-year-olds) during recess when shouts would either be ignored or carried away by the wind. They thought it was hilarious; I thought it was better than screaming myself hoarse. The teachers thought it was weird, but what did I care? I was 12.

[spanannie]

Maybe try a whistle? I used that to great effect while corraling my brother's 1st grade class (thirty 6-year-olds) during recess when shouts would either be ignored or carried away by the wind. They thought it was hilarious; I thought it was better than screaming myself hoarse. The teachers thought it was weird, but what did I care? I was 12.

Hey, that's a great idea! Do you think it works on husbands too?

[giavila]

I am giving up yelling for lent, too. I haven't found the way to get a 7 year old out the door on time w/o yelling either, but I'm about to have to come up with something!

I decided last night that I was giving up yelling too. With 3 kids.. I lose my patience too quickly. I've been closing my eyes and counting slowly to 10.. it's been helping.

[lizzywednesday]

Hey, that's a great idea! Do you think it works on husbands too?

I'd love to see someone try. (Though, I can't complain. My DH has been a good skate lately as we get closer to Baby's arrival.)