Lent

Yes I am Baptist. I am not Catholic. I went to a Catholic school for eight years. It has been over 25 years since I have stepped foot in a Catholic school. Since then I have been in a Catholic church once.

Some things though are hard to shake. I love the some of the rituals of the Church. I like how some of the priests and nuns give their lives, their whole lives to the Lord. I have no doubt that my pastor has dedicated his life to the Lord but Catholic priest give everything, money, a husband, a wife, children, family. They give it all up. (Yes I realize that not all priest are good.)

So tomorrow is the beginning of Lent. According to Dictionary.com lent is (in the Christian religion) an annual season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting 40 weekdays to Easter, observed by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and certain other churches.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English lente ( n ), Old English lencten, lengten  spring, Lent, literally, lengthening (of daylight hours); cognate with Dutch lente, German Lenz  spring; see Lenten

Growing up I gave up something every year for lent.(I caved to peer pressure)  Usually is was sodas or chocolate and it didn't last very long. Of course after going to public school I didn't have to worry about Lent anymore. As an adult it barley crossed my mind.

Several years after talking to a friend and reading some in a Bible study about how some people were practicing some aspects of Judaism because they felt it added to their relationship to God. (I like bacon too much to give it up.) I thought Lent and how I gave stuff up for it.

This was back in the days of the forty day books. You know Purpose Driven Life, 40 Days to a Better You, The Prayer of Jabez. So my first attempt at Lent was working my way through a Purpose Driven Life. I didn't tell a lot of people because that is a private thing.  And since I didn't finish it no one was disappointed in me.

Since then I have observed Lent. Most of my friends don't know that I do it. I have given up caffeine, meat, my computer. I tried to give up work once and hubby wouldn't let me. This year I said I was giving up cigarettes and beer. He didn't let that fly either.

Now my hubby does it with me. This year we are doing no meat again. I am giving up Facebook. I may give up Twitter but I don't know if I can do without both. 

Why do we do it? I mean we're not Catholics or any religion that practices Lent. Since Easter is the time that we recognize and talk about Christ dying on the cross and his Resurrection. I figure the least I could do to honor his sacrifice was to make a sacrifice of my own, however small. 

I do not expect anyone else to do. I do not expect the Southern Baptist Convention to suddenly say that we are observing Lent. This is part of who I am. I guess that sixth grader at St Edwards who wants to be like everyone else is still there in some way except I am not being like any one else  I am just the sixth grader all grown up realizing what a great and might God she serves and is humbled by the sacrifices that He made for me.