Anyone giving up something for lent?

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  • JulieRyanWalker
    JulieRyanWalker Posts: 1 Member
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    Giving up wine, chips and french fries!!!:laugh:
  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
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    Church!
  • lq022
    lq022 Posts: 232 Member
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    Being Catholic and attending Catholic schools until college, I can attest to the pressure to "give up" something during Lent. In school, most people would say that they were going to give up soda, chocolate, chips, etc; I followed suit -- giving up carbs, TV, etc. Until one year, I heard the Priest say that Lent isn't about giving up something .... it is about making sacrifices for OTHERS. He mentioned that while it is all well and good to give up a "vice" that will make you healthier, but the TRUE meaning of the sacrifice is to DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS. He mentioned to go volunteer at a food pantry, donate clothes, help someone through a crisis. It takes a bit of the pressure off to say that you NEED to give up something in order for Lent to be meaningful ..... You don't ..... You need to sacrifice your time, your energy, and your heart for others.
  • granturismo
    granturismo Posts: 232 Member
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    Being Catholic and attending Catholic schools until college, I can attest to the pressure to "give up" something during Lent. In school, most people would say that they were going to give up soda, chocolate, chips, etc; I followed suit -- giving up carbs, TV, etc. Until one year, I heard the Priest say that Lent isn't about giving up something .... it is about making sacrifices for OTHERS. He mentioned that while it is all well and good to give up a "vice" that will make you healthier, but the TRUE meaning of the sacrifice is to DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS....

    I stopped observing Lent when I left primary school in the '70s but the emphasis did change from giving up a treat to doing something for others as above.

    I'm giving up wine for Lent - I tried it for the Month of November 2013 and lasted 2 weeks. I now try restrict alcohol to Fri and Sat only and limit it to 0.75 litres wine or equivalent over these 2 days. I will have to have one beer if I cook a curry or have a pizza at weekends.
  • MaggieTor3
    MaggieTor3 Posts: 49 Member
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    Best of luck to you Dapunks!

    Last year, December 8th, was the first day I can remember that I didn't put salt on my food. I used to put salt on things like fried eggs until they were crunchy with the salt.

    Giving up salt was harder than quitting smoking after 47 years, lol. But I did it and I'm very glad I did because I don't have to take my high blood pressure pills any more and I'm feeling really good. At first I put a lot of pepper on my food, then some Mrs. Dash, but now I don't put anything at all on things at the table - not even fried eggs!

    You can do it - it might not be easy but by gosh when you realize you don't need to salt your food any more you will feel SOOOO triumphant!

    Maggie
  • Lizabelle1212
    Lizabelle1212 Posts: 252 Member
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    I'm a complete Diet Coke fiend, so I'm giving up pop in general (not trying to replace my Diet Coke habit w/ a Diet Dr. Pepper habit lol) This is actually probably the most challenging thing I could think of to give up. I usually have about 2-3 Diet Cokes per day, so this will be tough but I think I can do it!
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
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    Oh here come the snarky comments. All of which are totally respectful, completely original and have never been heard before. :|

    Agreed. Some people cannot be silent on matters that they have neither anything neutral or positive to say or add to in a meaningful way.

    I am not a member of the Roman Church or a Protestant denomination that participates in Lent; but I am respectful of other peoples' practices, and make at least a point of understanding the significance of it. I have a number friends for whom Lent is a time of giving up something, devotional prayers and meditation, to setting aside time and charity for those less fortunate.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
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    I'm going to challenge myself to cook every week night. I was doing good but then I've kind of been giving up recently and just going through a drive thru or what not. This gets expensive fast with a family.
  • pathlite
    pathlite Posts: 1 Member
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    Something very tough for me - I stop purchasing to feel good . No clothes, shoes, cosmetics, magazines, perfume, etc. The first four weeks are difficult and I feel quite sorry for myself. By week five, something magical happens and my perspective on life and what's important shifts.
  • Jackson4590
    Jackson4590 Posts: 145 Member
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    alcohol.
  • blindedbyawesome
    blindedbyawesome Posts: 56 Member
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    I'm giving up fried food, making excuses why I should not exercise an any given day.
  • DonPendergraft
    DonPendergraft Posts: 520 Member
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    Being an Orthodox Christian means being a vegan for about 40% of the year. Being on a lenten diet can be a challenge, but you can still very easily over eat. Beans/rice/Ezekiel bread all pack a a caloric punch, so log carefully and stay within your plan. Good luck.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
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    I give up stuff all year round, I'll stick with doing that.
  • wenshel7
    wenshel7 Posts: 19 Member
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    Being Catholic and attending Catholic schools until college, I can attest to the pressure to "give up" something during Lent. In school, most people would say that they were going to give up soda, chocolate, chips, etc; I followed suit -- giving up carbs, TV, etc. Until one year, I heard the Priest say that Lent isn't about giving up something .... it is about making sacrifices for OTHERS. He mentioned that while it is all well and good to give up a "vice" that will make you healthier, but the TRUE meaning of the sacrifice is to DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS. He mentioned to go volunteer at a food pantry, donate clothes, help someone through a crisis. It takes a bit of the pressure off to say that you NEED to give up something in order for Lent to be meaningful ..... You don't ..... You need to sacrifice your time, your energy, and your heart for others.

    I did not know this at all. Makes me re-think a bit, considering Jesus gave His all for us, that makes sense. I will make it a goal to do something extra for someone else each day along with my other commitments. :smile: Thank you for posting this!
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I used to give up something for Lent, then a very dear friend of mine suggested instead of giving something up why not do something special during Lent. We had a very long discussion about it, and it totally makes sense. Giving something up for Lent (i.e. sugar, coffee, booze) is a sure fired way to set yourself up for failure (similar to New Years Resolutions), but if you decide to do something simple, like take time out every day for a simple prayer.... How simple is that? And it opens you up to so many different options.

    The first year, I decided to say thank you every morning for something. Most people only stop and pray when they need something. I thought this was a great way to show my appreciation for anything and everything... even the simple thing like seeing a butterfly. The difference it made was amazing. I started my day with a smile every day during Lent that year. And amazingly, it stuck. Every day on my way to work I think of something good to help me start my day and I say thank you.

    This year I have decided that I need to get back to basics, and work on making my kids smile about something every day. My oldest just moved out on her own, and is really having a hard time with her new job. She is quite unhappy about it. My son is struggling with his GFs mom. The baby, well she smiles every day, heck often times she is the reason we all smile. So it is going to be challenging, but I think it will totally be worth the challenge.
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
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    Yeah, 30 more lbs hopefully LOL
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
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    religion . . . Wait, does that count if I already gave it up? Meh, it will have to do.
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member
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    What is lent!?
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
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    What is lent!?

    The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the New Testament beginning on Friday of Sorrows, further climaxing on Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member
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    What is lent!?

    The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the New Testament beginning on Friday of Sorrows, further climaxing on Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

    ^hahahahhahahaha



    I thought it was the stuff from the dryer and you people were weird...

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