Better Late Than Never
Okay, it's Ash Wednesday. I was raised Catholic, attended Catholic school for 11 years and gave something up every year in honor of Lent. It was usually french fries or swearing, but never both at the same time, because when I gave up fries, I would usually be walking around saying, "Damn it, why the hell did I give up fries?"
Anyway, I've since turned Lutherlic or Catheran, whichever way you decide it is, and consider myself half-and-half. I think Mary is cool, and I believe everyone should be invited to God's table to partake in his body and blood, but I do not believe it is REALLY his body and blood, cuz, come on, it tastes like pita bread and Berringer's White Zinfandel, not human skin and congealed crimson body fluid!
(Dear God, forgive me for thou hath usedeth a really bad example all for the purpose of getting someone to laugh.)
Today, I didn't attend church, but I am pretty sure Lutheran's do receive the ashes, but I also didn't see anyone with charcoal on their foreheads! However, on the drive home from yoga tonight, I thought to myself, "Okay, Stephanie, why don't you give up something for Lent? What do you really desire more than anything these days?"
Sleep?
Yes, but that would be detrimental to my health for certain, and everyone in my family would suffer from a sacrifice such as that (but, on the other hand, I could quite possibly finish my novel in the first week of the Lenten Season).
So, I have decided to give up...
drumroll please...
Do you know where I'm going with this? Or rather, where I'm not going with this...
I'm giving up Starbucks! Ta-da!
Even though I know that too, would be detrimental to my health for certain, and everyone in my family would suffer, I have chosen that as my act to honor Jesus and to acknowledge His suffering the days leading up to, and the day, of his crucifixion.
Just don't tell Him I hadn't made my Lenten sacrifice until this evening, and a friend had mysteriously appeared at my door this morning with a grandenonfatsugarfreevanillalatte. But, that was before I even hardly remembered it was Lent, and way before I even got a brain spark to say I was giving something up for Lent. So there.
Besides, during Lent, you can break your sacrifice on Sundays, so only three more full days until I can have a latte!*
*Seriously folks, although I have been a latte drinker (not even a coffee drinker, just a prissy latte drinker) for all of fourteen months of my life (damn you Peppermint Mocha Christmas flavor latte for hooking me, and damn you, Barnes & Noble, for having Starbucks chains in your stores!), I still think this will take much willpower on my part, especially because I have promised to bring Lisa a venti mocha tomorrow in exchange for watching my kids. Is it too early to say, "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned"?
posted by MaNiC MoMMy™ @ 9:24 PM
3 Comments:
I used to be Catholic growing up as well, and I always "gave up" something I didn't like anyway. Like raisin bran muffins or peas or pantyhose. So here's my theory. No matter what religion you are, fasting (meaning the giving up of something) in order to honor God has to be a very personal, very well-thought-out and planned thing in your life. I don't condone the whole lent thing because many people (guilty as charged) are guilted into giving something up because that's what the church expects of them. If you have a relationship with God and you want it to grow, don't be so hard on yourself during lent. I feel like if your lent promise is to pray fervently over the next forty days about the changes you know God wants you to make in your life, that somehow God will honor that more than He would bless you for foregoing a latte. Which, btw, I COULD NOT GIVE UP IN A MILLION YEARS. Which is maybe why I don't consider myself Catholic anymore. :) Just a thought. I'm not really a religious fanatic.... but catholicism is an interesting topic is it not? I am now Southern Baptist, but consider myself just a happy Baptist. I love Jesus. And I did laugh. Thou art human.
Christa--your post made me feel better, especiallly because at 10:30 a.m. I divulged in a latte, and the bonus, that proved to me I should not give it up, was that I hit my eighth one at the grocery store, thereby making it a FREE latte! : )
Well, there you go. How 'bout giving up guilt for Lent? I don't think God wants us obsessing over "to latte" or "not to latte". I mean c'mon. It's not like its "to snort coke" or "to make an easy 10 bucks on main street". Let's face it, Catholics should really try phasing out guilt. It's so early nineties. Girl, make yourself some promises and pray about them, and use them to glorify God and His Kingdom and you can't go wrong. I keep praying God will turn me into a morning person, but alas here I am, wide-eyed and restless and even though I promised myself I'd get to bed earlier, I jsut can't seem to do it. So Bible time in the A.M. or P.M. I don't think He cares, as long as I fit Him in. And BTW, thanks for turning me on to the chick lit group. I mean that as sarcasticly as possible as I am now addicted to something else. You darned pusher you.
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