Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Bye Bye Sweets

HELLO LENT!

Lent has arrived....but before I took full advantage of the term FAT TUESDAY and ate ice cream and thin mints for dinner last night.  I have a problem.  Seriously.

I have come to love the season of Lent.  It is 40 Days of reflection, prayer, fasting and ultimately a time of preparation for the most glorious day, The Resurrection Day! (Yes, I may have just been singing Matt Maher as I typed this sentence)

For every person it is different, but the point of giving something up is to make a sacrifice in your life as Jesus made His own life a sacrifice to save us.  In no way, shape or form, does us giving something up come close to what Jesus did for us...is there really anything comparable...No!

So I am saying goodbye to sweets.  Sweets...really...how is this a sacrifice and going to bring me closer to God?  Well, let me just tell you...this is going to be really hard for me.  I seriously have an emotional addiction to sweets and in turn I am abusing the body God gave to me.  They are not good for me...yet I turn to them emotionally for everything.  I eat!  I am happy...I eat!  I am sad...I eat!  The same way an alcoholic drinks...I eat!  And I am going to seriously need some help from above over these next 40 days.  But I think I will definitely come out for the better...with His help!

I have always heard it takes 40 days to form a habit....I am hoping over the next 40 days to form a habit of resisting the urge to eat sweets as much as I do.

And I am saying Goodbye!  See ya!  Hasta Luego!

As an adult, I have also tried to do more during the Lenten Season!  Last year, I prayed outside an abortion clinic during 40 Days for Life, the year before I went to confession more, and this year I am doing a daily Lenten devotional called 'Lord, Open My Heart' by Julie Davis.  Here is the introduction:

Lent is about restoring our proper perspective toward God.  It is a time for sacrifice and self-denial, a time for prayer and forgiveness, a time for spring-cleaning of the soul.  Julie Davis, author of Happy Catholic and the blog of the same name, encourages a practical and personal approach to opening our hearts and souls this Lenten season. 


Just what I need!  And the best part is it was sent right to my Kindle and I am ready to go!

What are you doing this Lenten Season?

1 comment:

Beth said...

Good luck with your Lent sacrifice. I wasn't sure I could do without those Reese's eggs that are in every store this time of year. :) Instead, I've bid farewell to fried foods for the next 40 days.