Be Prepared (like the Boy Scouts said)
Lent is here, y'all! I love Lent. It's probably my favorite season of the Church year other than Advent. I especially love Ash Wednesday, where we're told "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." For someone who constantly strives for perfection at any cost, those words remind me that all God expects of us is to try our best. Whatever we gain in life, we can't take it with us to the next one. We may feel like we are constantly stepping back or failing, but we're doing a pretty good job considering that we're dirt.
Growing up in Catholic school, the hot gossip in class around this time of year was always "What are you giving up for Lent?" Inevitably, someone would always think they were super original and say "Oh, I love school soooo much, so I'm going to give up homework." Hilarious. Pretty much everyone gave up the big things: soda, sweets, social media. I think it may have been in college or later in high school that I realized that the point of Lent is not deprivation, but preparation.
We prepare for a lot of things in life. Right now, my family is preparing for my brother's wedding next year (so, so, SO excited), and sure, we are giving up things. My entire family has given up drinking soda. My dad has stopped eating carbs. We want to look our best for this event that we know is bigger than eating a dinner roll or buying a Coke. However, we're not just giving up things. We're also giving things. My mom has given her time to help scout wedding venues. The bride and groom-to-be have given invitations to their wedding party. Heck, part of wedding tradition is to have "something borrowed." We are all going to be giving gifts and lending things to make this day special. We're also doing things. We're going to be giving time over the next year to plan seating charts, to make centerpieces, to mail invitations. We're going to attend this awesome wedding. We aren't just sitting back and letting things happen, we are actively making things happen. We don't push back against any of this. We don't complain about how we need to do these things, because we know that there is a greater reward at the end of it all. And we know how sweet it will be to know that all of our hard work came to fruition in this beautiful start to a marriage.
And honestly, if we're working this hard to prepare for a wedding, shouldn't we work just as hard for the resurrection of Jesus? So, in preparation for that, I'm putting my own Lenten goals here, because there's no accountability quite like writing it on the Internet.
To Give Up: No soda, road rage (if I wouldn't feel comfortable saying it to someone's face, then I probably shouldn't say it at all)
To Give: $1 for every day of Lent ($40) to be split among four different charities
To Do: Go to the gym at least three days per week, read and reflect with my daily Lenten reflection book
If you still aren't sure what to give up for Lent, or you totally spaced that Lent started last Wednesday, here are some unique things to do (or stop doing):
Growing up in Catholic school, the hot gossip in class around this time of year was always "What are you giving up for Lent?" Inevitably, someone would always think they were super original and say "Oh, I love school soooo much, so I'm going to give up homework." Hilarious. Pretty much everyone gave up the big things: soda, sweets, social media. I think it may have been in college or later in high school that I realized that the point of Lent is not deprivation, but preparation.
We prepare for a lot of things in life. Right now, my family is preparing for my brother's wedding next year (so, so, SO excited), and sure, we are giving up things. My entire family has given up drinking soda. My dad has stopped eating carbs. We want to look our best for this event that we know is bigger than eating a dinner roll or buying a Coke. However, we're not just giving up things. We're also giving things. My mom has given her time to help scout wedding venues. The bride and groom-to-be have given invitations to their wedding party. Heck, part of wedding tradition is to have "something borrowed." We are all going to be giving gifts and lending things to make this day special. We're also doing things. We're going to be giving time over the next year to plan seating charts, to make centerpieces, to mail invitations. We're going to attend this awesome wedding. We aren't just sitting back and letting things happen, we are actively making things happen. We don't push back against any of this. We don't complain about how we need to do these things, because we know that there is a greater reward at the end of it all. And we know how sweet it will be to know that all of our hard work came to fruition in this beautiful start to a marriage.
And honestly, if we're working this hard to prepare for a wedding, shouldn't we work just as hard for the resurrection of Jesus? So, in preparation for that, I'm putting my own Lenten goals here, because there's no accountability quite like writing it on the Internet.
To Give Up: No soda, road rage (if I wouldn't feel comfortable saying it to someone's face, then I probably shouldn't say it at all)
To Give: $1 for every day of Lent ($40) to be split among four different charities
To Do: Go to the gym at least three days per week, read and reflect with my daily Lenten reflection book
If you still aren't sure what to give up for Lent, or you totally spaced that Lent started last Wednesday, here are some unique things to do (or stop doing):
- give up using Instagram filters
- write one affirmation note for every day of Lent
- give up using plastic
- give up sarcasm
- give up animal products
- start composting
- find 40 things in your house (apartment, dorm room, etc.) to donate or throw away
- give up disposable straws
- give up elevators and escalators
- go to counseling
- give up talking about yourself
Google is your friend when finding great things to do for Lent, awesome Lenten reflections, and also finding nearby opportunities for mass, confession, and adoration.
Happy Lent, everyone! Enjoy the preparation!
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