Lent and other spiritual disciplines...

[Uno-Mom]

I've enjoyed some of our diverse threads about people's different spiritual practices. Tonight was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent for my (more or less) organized religion - Episcopalian.

It's got me thinking how many religious traditions have periods of fasting or similar spiritual discipline (Lent isnt' necessarily about fasting, "giving something up" ... we often add something instead and that's just as traditional.) Properly practiced, it isn't about legalism at all. It's about trying out a new behavior that brings you more in line with your value system. As a behavioral analyst, it makes good sense to me. It's not like a New Year's Resolution - the goal is more modest. Just 40 days, not counting Sundays. You really can learn a new behavior in 40 days. Some of our past lenten habits actually stuck!

Whether you're Christian or some other faith or no organized faith ... do you observe anything like that? I'd love to hear what those sorts of traditions mean for your families.

This year I have decided to start a lent discipline of putting in one full extra hour of work every night after Sprog goes to sleep. I'm doing this because I've felt out of control re my private practice work, like I'm not doing my best. I need to learn more discipline in this area, not just for my clients but to make myself less anxious and more present for Sprog when I'm NOT working.

[kijip]

I saw the ash on my interns forehead this am and felt a pull towards lent. I grew up with lent and like you say it was not about subtracting, it was about establishing a new habit.

[Uno-Mom]

I saw the ash on my interns forehead this am and felt a pull towards lent. I grew up with lent and like you say it was not about subtracting, it was about establishing a new habit.

I like the term "pull towards lent." That's how I feel, too. I honestly think that if I hadn't stayed in an organized religion, I'd have to invent my own replacement practice!

[kristac]

I like this idea of adding a new habit vs "subtracting". I haven't participated in Lent for several years and just feel mildly guilty for 40 days instead. :tongue5: Hmmm. I will have to ponder this.

[bostonsmama]

I joked on FB that after giving up all dairy and soy for DD and going TV-free since last Sept, there wasn't much to give up. That's when friends suggested adding something. I was going to add new testament scripture into my current daily devotional time (I'm reading 1 Chronicles right now, kinda going through the OT two chapters at a time), but I like continuity. If I was really dedicated, I would have done a FB fast (LOL), but instead I commited to 2 computer-free days per week...probably on the weekends so I can spend more time with my family. I'm not Catholic (just protestant Christian--Presbyterian actually), but I love the idea of a season of self-discipline (long lost in our culture of unfettered indulgence), and drawing nearer to the Lord as a reminder of all the great things we HAVE already. Ya know...Sheryl Crow has a song that says "it's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got."

[lizzywednesday]

One of my friends suggested taking Lent as a time to do something kind for someone else every day. I like that idea a lot, too.

This year, DD's first birthday fell on Ash Wednesday. I am not going to deny the family a treat, despite a fast/abstinence tradition in our upbringings, because of the year we've had with her medical issues.

So, I baked cupcakes, but brought the leftovers in to the office today. (I kept 6 - 1 cupcake for each of us for 2 days' worth of desserts.)

I'm thinking about other things I'd like to do as well. So far, I've written a spiritual ispiriation letter for teens/young adults making a Lenten retreat weekend next week. [It's called a "wheat letter", for the verse "A grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain of wheat unless it is dropped to the ground and dies. If it dies, it produces much wheat.” (John 12:24)] I'm looking to become more involved in our local community, but it's hard being a working mom of a very busy little girl!

I am also looking to make at least one meal per week meat-free so that we can continue to better our eating habits as a family. Especially as DD explores more new foods!

[MoJo]

Happy, happy belated birthday, LizzyWednesday's DD!

[Uno-Mom]

Happy, happy belated birthday, LizzyWednesday's DD!

:yeahthat:

In past years, DH and I added "socializing" as a lent discipline. We'd become so obsorbed with our work lives that we didn't spend time with friends outside of work. So we committed to getting together with friends of various generations at least once per week. That was one of our best ones!

One of my friends is doing a FB fast. Wow, not sure how she's going to make it on that one.

Did you know, if you're truly doing a traditional lent ... Sundays are "feast days" and you're not supposed to fast that day. That gets kind of funny if, like DH, you're trying to give up a bad habit like swearing. Last night he said: "well, I could swear all day on Sunday if I wanted to, but that kind of misses the point, huh?" I agree. :)

[bostonsmama]

:yeahthat:
Did you know, if you're truly doing a traditional lent ... Sundays are "feast days" and you're not supposed to fast that day. That gets kind of funny if, like DH, you're trying to give up a bad habit like swearing. Last night he said: "well, I could swear all day on Sunday if I wanted to, but that kind of misses the point, huh?" I agree. :)

That'd be a hard one for me, not b/c I don't want to or already try, but my potty mouth is so accidental--it's never directed AT someone or thing, it's usually just an "oh darn" kinda thing that's been SO hard to nip in the bud.