Let's talk about Lent

[lgsdesigner]

What are you giving up this year for Lent? Any big addictions?

I see it starts next Wednesday.

[shmee]

I have given up alcohol for 7 months so far, that's good enough for me

But seriously, I'm not very religious so I don't practice this.

[honeylemon]

I've never practiced that tradition.

[lgsdesigner]

Feb 9, 2015 9:42:08 GMT -5 @gfj48 said:

Feb 9, 2015 9:38:49 GMT -5 alwayslastzz said:

I'm stupid. What is lent? What religion? Huh, Google?

Catholic

ETA - it's more than just Catholics I guess.

It's Lutheran, too. I'm Lutheran. 
I'm not super religious, but I do Lent since my whole family does.

alwayslastzz - Lent is a time when Christians give up something pleasurable for the 40 days before Easter. 

[lgsdesigner]

Feb 9, 2015 9:33:57 GMT -5 @gfj48 said:

Maybe give up hating my MIL...It's only 40 days

@gfj48 = HA! FTW!

[lgsdesigner]

I'm giving up hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock which is DEFINITELY an addiction of mine. I usually hit it 2-3 times each morning. This will be a hard one, for me.
But-- maybe after 40 days of no snooze I can correct myself of this bad habit.

[t1green]

Feb 9, 2015 9:47:57 GMT -5 lgsdesigner said:

Feb 9, 2015 9:42:08 GMT -5 @gfj48 said:

Catholic

ETA - it's more than just Catholics I guess.

It's Lutheran, too. I'm Lutheran. 
I'm not super religious, but I do Lent since my whole family does.

alwayslastzz - Lent is a time when Christians give up something pleasurable for the 40 days before Easter. 

A lot of Christian religions practice this tradition.  It isn't just for Catholics or Lutherans.  I think it might depend on what church you belong to.

[Starbuck128]

I'm not religious, but I do the 40 bags in 40 days challenge. That's where you fill up 40 bags, any size, with stuff to be thrown out or donated. I love to get rid of stuff. I look forward to it all year. Kind of missing the point of Lent, I guess.

[lgsdesigner]

Feb 9, 2015 9:56:56 GMT -5 Starbuck128 said:

I'm not religious, but I do the 40 bags in 40 days challenge. That's where you fill up 40 bags, any size, with stuff to be thrown out or donated. I love to get rid of stuff. I look forward to it all year. Kind of missing the point of Lent, I guess.

Starbuck128 - Very interesting. I might do this, too!

[CTri17]

I dont practice lentas part of my christian walk, that being said we usually fast on good friday ( so Ill fast from technology that day) and break the fast with a dinner with our church family that evening

[lgsdesigner]

Feb 9, 2015 10:00:37 GMT -5 alwayslastzz said:

What is the purpose? By giving up something you're addicted to, you're proving your faith or something? Sorry for the questions. It's kind of intriguing.
I will never fully understand religion. So many rules.

alwayslastzz - 

Lent began as a way for Christians to remind themselves of the value of repentance.

However, Lenten observances have developed a much more "sacramental" value. Many Christians believe that giving something up for Lent is a way to attain God’s blessing. So-- you give up your biggest addictions.

In other words: It’s six weeks of self-discipline, and reflection.

***People used to fast for 40 days, but now as times have changed, people give up more materialistic things or bad habits.

[amelandre]

I was told last time I was pregnant that pregnant women don't have to observe the Lenten "fast". I'm not religious now, and wasn't raised in a church that observed it, but friends of mine have given up sweets, dairy products, alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, video games, and other things of that nature.

[beebe918]

Feb 9, 2015 10:00:37 GMT -5 alwayslastzz said:

What is the purpose? By giving up something you're addicted to, you're proving your faith or something? Sorry for the questions. It's kind of intriguing.
I will never fully understand religion. So many rules.

I don't practice lent but when I was younger and went to church the idea at my particular church was to give something up for lent and to use the time you would normally spend doing that particular thing to pray/reflect/read the bible etc.  If it was something like giving up chocolate then the idea was every time you want a piece of chocolate say a quick prayer.

I think it varies greatly between churches.  

[sunshyneshay]

Will be giving up wine and weed for lent this year...oh wait....

In all seriousness, I don't participate in lent. I'm more spiritual than religious and my dads side of the family really no longer practices their catholic faith ever since my great grandparents passed away.

[sarahbmcd]

As a Baptist, I don't observe lent. But if I did I'd have to give up peanut butter lol

[linegirl313]

I haven't done the "give something up" thing for years, but I try to be extra good about getting to Mass and make some sort of effort to be kinder (e.g. give to charity, etc.). I've always been a Good Friday faster, and I'm pretty excited about getting a pass on that this year.

[kellyfm522]

We don't practice lent, but we do fast the first Sunday of every month (just two consecutive meals) and when you are pregnant/nursing you don't have to observe the fast but you can still participate in spirit.

I am always intrigued by lent, because I always wonder if the purpose to give up something for 40 days is to show that it's not necessary in your life and you can live without it. Has there ever been something you gave up forever?

[staccajaye]

Feb 9, 2015 10:26:09 GMT -5 sunshyneshay said:

Will be giving up wine and weed for lent this year...oh wait....

In all seriousness, I don't participate in lent. I'm more spiritual than religious and my dads side of the family really no longer practices their catholic faith ever since my great grandparents passed away.

I dunno.... The weed calms me and baby in the evenings

[lgsdesigner]

Feb 9, 2015 14:22:45 GMT -5 @**** said:

For those that give something up do you also count the 6 Sunday's?

@**** - We do.

[mpiemont]

I'm not sure what I would give up, but I'll observe no meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays.

[Deleted]

alwayslastzz It's also where Mardi Gras comes from, so you can feast before the fasting of lent!

I haven't given up anything in several years but we do abstain from meat on Fridays.

[cosmicav]

I grew up Catholic (I am not any longer) BUT I believe the 40 days aspect has to do with a time when Jesus was wandering the desert and had no access to food or water, and the devil came to him and tried to tempt him into eating/drinking multiple times. The 40 days is supposed to parallel that Jesus abstained during that time and survived off of his faith alone. ((My telling of this story is probably very off, since it has been forever since I heard it, but I think that's where it originates.))

[Deleted]

I usually give up something difficult and noticeable each Lent. Last year was Facebook, the year before that was mindless phone games, the year before that was the bus - it wasn't that cold that winter but I still had to get up super early each morning to walk to work. I never gave up alcohol like my friends often do because I always knew I'd be pregnant at some point and need to give it up (mostly) anyway.

I do plan to still fast from meat on Fridays but not abstain from eating between meals on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, because, as PPs have said, I'm pregnant. But I don't plan on giving anything up this year. I find myself "offering up" enough of the inconveniences of pregnancy all the time anyway.

[smontz]

I've decided that giving up my beloved wine for 9 months definitely surpasses anything I've ever given up for Lent in years past. So I'll just stick with that! It'll probably count towards next Lent too...

[ker9171]

I usually give up all desserts but I don't think I'm giving up any food since I'm pregnant this year and already giving up so much... I've been thinking about this too and trying to figure out what to do!

[yianna]

Feb 9, 2015 10:11:03 GMT -5 @gfj48 said:

Pretty sure since I'm pregnant I don't have to fast or abstain on Ash Wednesday or on Fridays. I'm kind of excited about that this year.

Me, too. 

I haven't decided what I'm giving up for Lent, yet.  Probably sugar?  I really have no clue. 

[beezybaby]

I usually give up a habit, negativity, complaining about co-workers, binge eating, etc...last year it was sugar because I had really gotten out of hand. This year, I feel like I need to break my evening habit of doing nothing. literally hours of sitting on my expanding ass, watching crappy tv, on the computer looking at pointless shit, while my house is always just a little messy, my toe nails need clipping, and my husband needs some lovin. So, that's what I'm doing.

And my participation in Lent is rooted in Jesus' 40 days in the dessert, with out food and water, only prayer and meditation to sustain Him. It reminds me that I could never do what Jesus did, in the dessert or on the Cross, that I can't give myself repentance, I can forgive myself, but only He can forgive my sins. And, so then I give thanks for that forgiveness, and try to rely more on my faith and His strength, than on the frivolous vices that try to sustain me. Pah-raise Jay-sus! That sounds really preachy and serious, but by the time it filters down from foundations to actions, I barely walk the walk.

[seventythree]

Feb 9, 2015 10:11:03 GMT -5 @gfj48 said:

Pretty sure since I'm pregnant I don't have to fast or abstain on Ash Wednesday or on Fridays. I'm kind of excited about that this year.

I'm pumped about this, too! That said, I think I will still try to go easy on the treats. Growing up, Easter candy/chocolates were an absolute no-no until after church on Easter Sunday, pretty sure I can stick to that. Not that I won't eat ANY junk during Lent, but I will still try to limit it. I think the pregnancy exemption applies more to things like meat or dairy, for instance on Good Friday we (Eastern Catholics, never sure how Roman Catholic rules might differ) don't eat any meat or dairy products and aren't really supposed to eat any large meals (more like snacks through the day), we also abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays and during Holy Week, pretty sure none of that applies to me this year though! 

[seventythree]

For Eastern Catholics, Lent actually begins two days earlier! So for me, it starts on Clean Monday. Byzantine Catholics don't observe Ash Wednesday. That said, if you think I'm not still having pancakes for dinner on Mardi Gras then you have another thing coming!

As far as giving something up, it doesn't always have to mean abstaining from something -- it can mean giving more of your time (ie. to charity), donating money, etc. It is supposed to hurt a little, if it's too easy then you're not really all that mindful or reflective and you're kind of missing the point. That said, I haven't yet thought about what my Lenten sacrifice will be for this year. I don't know that it will be food-related, like I said above I do intend to be mindful of junk but there is also a reason why pregnant women and the elderly are exempt from fasting! Guess I have a few days to come up with something good.

[seventythree]

Feb 9, 2015 9:56:56 GMT -5 Starbuck128 said:

I'm not religious, but I do the 40 bags in 40 days challenge. That's where you fill up 40 bags, any size, with stuff to be thrown out or donated. I love to get rid of stuff. I look forward to it all year. Kind of missing the point of Lent, I guess.

I actually know some fairly religious people who look forward to Lent and other periods of fasting/reflection/preparation, so I wouldn't even say it's entirely missing the point! It's supposed to be a spiritual journey, some people get really into it and are refreshed and renewed in their faith by the end.