LENT!

gisii

I gave up 3 things...one at each level of difficulty ...

Easy: Alcohol (Not a big deal at all, really :drinker: )
Medium: Facebook (I went without it for 27 years, I think I can do it for 40 days )
Hard: Swearing (Sometimes I think I'm a sailor :laugh: ...seriously though, the F-bomb drops too easily)

Good luck to everyone and their Lenten vows :flowerforyou:

wow those should be mine exactly! but facebook is gonna be hard!

mmtiernan

One year for Lent, I gave up on ice cream and thought I was going to die...now, I just give up spinach ('cause I can do that!).

Seriously, this year instead of giving something up, I've decided to try and be more grateful and help to build up others on a daily basis. So, each day I strive to sincerely compliment or thank a co-worker, and especially, I focus on complimenting and thanking my teenaged daughter. I also started a daily list of three things that I'm grateful for each day. I thought it would be better to focus on improving something in a positive way, rather than the typical deprivation which just feels so negative. So far, it's been a very uplifting experience!:flowerforyou:

Reading this post is such an inspiration. :drinker: I think that is awesome that you are focusing on things that you are grateful for! So amazing, because we take for granted so many things and to actually take the time to recognize what we are grateful for is where we all need to be! Personally, I have never partaked in Lent before and this year decide to. I have chosen to "sacrifice" fast food and sweets. So far so good, no fast food or sweets.

Which brings me to my question: What is considered sweets? I personally look at sweets as chocolate, cakes, ice cream, cookies (processed junkie type stuff)? Sweets have always been my weekness, so I have been replacing any type of sweets with Cool Whip and Fruit (2 tbs with frozen blueberries), so is that acceptable? If anyone can help that would be great. This has just started to bug me and I was thinking that maybe I'm not doing what I was supposed to be doing? But I didn't look at cool whip as "sweets". Help...I'm confused!:huh:

Thanks in advance!
EBH1024

My daughter is giving up sweets for Lent and it's proving pretty difficult for her, so I suggested that instead of going completely 'cold turkey' that she just designate one day a week as being her 'sweet' day! So, she has no sweets throughout the week except that on Fridays, along with the usual fish instead of meat, she plans a special 'dessert'. Makes it a little easier to give something up, when you have something wonderful to look forward to in return! Good luck!

ebh1024

Thank you sonjavon!!! That is how I am going to look at this "sacrifice". The cool whip lite is great with just a sprinkle of cinnamon and a pinch of nuts too! I really struggle with the sweets. Especially, chocolate! :grumble: We eat at my in-laws every Sunday and Monday for supper..and let me just tell you...she is a "country cook" (Tennessee) She doesn't just have one dessert, she has a couple. It may be a blackberry/blueberry/peach or other "fruit" pie or a cake or something. She makes her own crust, OMG it is wonderful. Now that is what I call SWEETS! So I'm avoiding the crap like that. However, the cool whip is staying. I've done great on the Fast Food part. I tend to "eat the leftovers" alot from my kids fries or whatever. So, I'm doing good with that one. :drinker:

I know in the end this will be a good thing for me!

FluffnStuff

I am not Catholic...but I started doing Lent last year. I went WAY overboard last year (chocolate, red meat, "white" flour products, soda).... It was ugly.

This year i am keeping it simple.... No fast food (minus Subway...it's not a fav place but in a pinch it works while on the road).

godblessourhome

Since you're the one who made the decision to give something up - you get to decide what qualifies. Just my opinion

i agree. it is your sacrifice, not anyone else's.

ebh1024

Thank you guys so much...it is what I am willing to sacrifice. I can't believe how hard this has been for many, I just hope I can make it through. I like the idea of maybe one day a week, have something "speical sweet" then I won't feel as deprived. But so, far I'm doing okay without the sweets and fastfood. Subway is a great alternative...love them anyway!

Have a great day!!

dujennifer

ok i'm totally late but here goes:
#1 I am giving up the snooze button I am an AWFUL snoozer, 5-6 times every morning, on the weekends I have all sorts of big plans to get things acomplished around the house and I snooze my alarm or shut it off an oversleep. I dont work out in the mornings because I snooze too many times. I will set ONE alarm and get up when it goes off!!!

#2 I am giving up getting take out for brekfast/lunch. I wont be oversleeping so I'll have plenty of time to make breakfast and I dont care if i leave my lunch at home, I keep extra food in the office so I shouldnt have that excuse. I waste a horendous amount of money on Panera & Arbys & Chipotle and I have a beach vacation to save up for!

hopefully between those two I can cut down on the extra money I spend, cut down on the extra calories I eat & workout more and get more acomplished at home.

You are a genious. While I am a few days behind....I am going to give up both Coke and my snooze button too. It will lead me to making breakfast in the mornings and also working out just by getting up when I intend to.

yay another anti-snoozer! good luck with the coke i gave up all pop once for lent and didnt drink it for about a year! keep me posted on your snooze button

I haven't beaten my snooze button yet....but I did go from hitting it 4 or 5 times to once. I have been early to work, able to get my breakfast together because I am not in a rush, and because I am early, I get to leave early. This lent resolution is appearing to be more of a reward than sacrifice. Good thing I gave up soda too. How is your experience with snooze going?

dothompson

I haven't beaten my snooze button yet....but I did go from hitting it 4 or 5 times to once. I have been early to work, able to get my breakfast together because I am not in a rush, and because I am early, I get to leave early. This lent resolution is appearing to be more of a reward than sacrifice. Good thing I gave up soda too. How is your experience with snooze going?

That's why this is referred to as a Lenten "Journey". It's not a Lenten "I'm perfect now". It's a long time until Easter, just working on your journey.

trishp1

Good for you! I used to hit the snooze but when my fiance' went to Iraq I got two springer spaniel pups who sleep on the bed and do jumping jacks across my stomach between 5 & 6 a.m. Gives a new meaning to "wake up mommy"!! :laugh: I hope I can stick to my convictions as well but our best friend is dying of liver cancer (at 63 years young) and has 2 days to 2 weeks so I'm hoping I'm not going to stress eat or break my wine committment.

sometimes, i think there are extenuating circumstances and it is okay to break your lenton fast. my dad is dying from metastic prostate cancer (he has been in hospice since september and we have been called home several times now, but he manages to pull thru and recover) and i will hop on facebook when he dies to let my friends know without me having to call them. try to keep your commitment, but know that it is okay if you don't. don't beat yourself up during an already tragic time!
dawn

Thanks and prayers for you and your family.

Nikiki

ok i'm totally late but here goes:
#1 I am giving up the snooze button I am an AWFUL snoozer, 5-6 times every morning, on the weekends I have all sorts of big plans to get things acomplished around the house and I snooze my alarm or shut it off an oversleep. I dont work out in the mornings because I snooze too many times. I will set ONE alarm and get up when it goes off!!!

#2 I am giving up getting take out for brekfast/lunch. I wont be oversleeping so I'll have plenty of time to make breakfast and I dont care if i leave my lunch at home, I keep extra food in the office so I shouldnt have that excuse. I waste a horendous amount of money on Panera & Arbys & Chipotle and I have a beach vacation to save up for!

hopefully between those two I can cut down on the extra money I spend, cut down on the extra calories I eat & workout more and get more acomplished at home.

You are a genious. While I am a few days behind....I am going to give up both Coke and my snooze button too. It will lead me to making breakfast in the mornings and also working out just by getting up when I intend to.

yay another anti-snoozer! good luck with the coke i gave up all pop once for lent and didnt drink it for about a year! keep me posted on your snooze button

I haven't beaten my snooze button yet....but I did go from hitting it 4 or 5 times to once. I have been early to work, able to get my breakfast together because I am not in a rush, and because I am early, I get to leave early. This lent resolution is appearing to be more of a reward than sacrifice. Good thing I gave up soda too. How is your experience with snooze going?

i've been good, only hit it once this week! (well there was the day that my husband hit it for me... but we wont count that!)