OT: Anyone giving up anything for Lent?

>Haydee, good lord, cut that out! Why do you have to give up
>the thing you love the most? Sheesh! I mean, I don't know
>the true meaning of lent myself, but maybe you could pick
>something you love but that you know you can stick to, that
>way you can have your beloved bread & not feel crappy about
>yourself.

From the recovering Catholic (me):

The whole point to Lent is to symbolically give up, or sacrifice, something you love the most. In this way, you are reminded of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for mankind. In addition, you are suppose to give up something from which you will not benefit, i.e., giving up sugar in order to lose weight, cut back on calories, etc. It has to be a sacrifice made from the heart. For example, giving up buying new exercise DVDs and giving the money to the poor instead.

You may laugh at my example, but you see my meaning.

I am not a practicing Catholic (or anything) anymore and I really don't care who gives up what for anything ;), but I thought I could help clarify the point. The purpose of Lent is to point your mind and heart towards the last days of Jesus' life and to meditate on his death and the meaning of His resurrection.

Don't mean to sound holier than thou, true heathen that I am - LOL!!!!
 
This is funny, on Monday I told my husband I was quitting sugar until Easter "I'm giving it up for Lent" I said...but I had no idea what it meant. Thanks for the explanation! I simply had decided that enough was enough and eating sugar in moderation wasn't working for me.

Here's a question for those in the know - Is "Giving it up for Lent" only a Catholic thing? When does the 'giving up' start? When does it end?

Trish
 
Let's see if I can remember my brainwashi...er....catechism... Lent starts on Ash Wedesday (today). Yesterday was Mardis Gras, you know, Fat Tuesday, where you have your last chance party like a whore before you have to behave Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday, when all bets are off and you can eat the ears off all the chocolate Easter bunnies you want.

Hey! That makes me think!

It's PEEPS season!!!!!!:9 :9 :9 :9 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7
 
Good descriptions of Lent. It is actually even worse here in New Orleans where we celebrate Mardi Gras. Lent is just an excuse to eat as much seafood as possible in 40 days. Between now and Easter, I will attend about 15 crawfish boil parties.

So, we roll straight from Christmas into Carnival into Lent, we finally get a holiday break after Easter.

Michelle
 
OMG, you guys are too funny. Aquajock, I was LOL!

Hmm, I don't debate religious practices or purposes with anyone because I think spirituality is a personal thing, but I do like the concept of having the discipline to give up something that is not easy.... and judging by the number of times I had to slap my creeping fingers out of the cookie cupboard last night, this one will be tough! :) :)

Cheers,
Marie
 
Well i'm not catholic, and never have been... i pretty much have developed my own religious denomination ;) haha but i do observe Lent. I find it is a good exercise in both faith and self-control.

This year I'm giving up meat, and all junk food (chips, fast food, sweets, anything overly processed... you get my drift). I do not however consider pure dark chocolate to be junk food, so i do get to have that. :)
 
You guys are too funny! :D

Completely non-religious here, but I'll take any excuse to give up this damn COLD! x( Of course it had to come during Hardcore season.
 
this is really interesting and funny!
I'm catholic and I decided instead of "giving up" something I really love...I'm "sacrificng my time". My husband I did this last year and we are doing it again this year.

WE are doing the STATIONS OF THE CROSS every Friday during LENT and say lenten devotional prayers every day. Now, that's in addition to my daily prayer.

That's my sacrifice and I actually feel pretty good about doing it and I LOVE the sense of renewal come EASTER SUNDAY!! to tell you all the truth... I LOVE EASTER as much as CHRISTMAS!! lol...

happy lenten season!:)
gloria
 
Haydee!

Oh my goodness! Not sure why, but the paragraph about you punching your MIL had me laughing OUTLOUD! Forgive me because I know punching a MIL is NOT a good thing but just the way you said it!! BTW, I am blessed with a wonderful MIL who loves it when we go up and cook for them! How cool about your gym. Give us details! Lots of machines, balls, steps, free weights???
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
For anyone who is curious - "doing" the Stations of the Cross is when you go to church and stand in front of twelve separate pictures that depicts a stage in the final hours of Christ. You observe what is happening (out loud or silently), and say a prayer regarding that particular station. Then you go to the next station. After you are finished visiting each station, you sit in a pew and can say a Rosary (prayer beads) if you choose.
 
I surpose giving up my "virginity" is a BIT late..........oh well!..........biting the head of chocolate bunnies it will have to be then...............but not the Egg shape ones

Marion





You have to stay in shape. My Grandmother started walking when she was 60. Today she is 97 and we don't know where the hell she is! - Ellen DeGeneres
 
Thank you for the compliment - The Pope (Papa John, as I like to call him) would be proud (?!?!?! - LOL)

Please, the tour of the martyrdom of the Saints begins in 45 minutes. Please line up behind the velvet cord next to the batismal font. We'll be providing scapulars for everybody, prayer cards optional. After the tour there will be wine and communion wafers for everyone in the sacristy.


It's strange because growing up Catholic, I only grew up around other Catholics. The only other major religion where I lived was Dutch Reformed, no Jews and certainly no Muslims. It was only when I got to college I encountered all kinds of stereotypes and prejudices against Catholics. Even though I don't practice it still gets my back up when people make cutting remarks about religions they don't understand, whether it is Catholic or any other religion.

However, I love to listen to George Carlin's riffs about growing up Catholic - I laugh every time!

P.S. Shows how much I know - there are traditionally 14 stations of the cross.
 
Damn! you had to go and say "Papa John"! NOW i want that pizza so bad my mouth is watering!:9

i have to say, i am the BIGGEST dumbass! i was completely oblivious to the whole lent thing (i know what it is, i just didn't realize it was that time again) and so yesterday, i am at a mexican resturant w/ teh dear grandma and we go to check out and the lady had this big black smudge on her head and i said " hey, Maria, you got something on your face!" DUH! she lauged at me and said, " so your not catholic then huh jes?" oops!


jes
 
On Ash Wednesday, the ashes from the burned palms from the previous Palm Sunday are traced in the form of a cross on the forehead to remind us of our mortality, "ashes to ashes and dust to dust, from whence you come and where you shall return."

Another beautiful catholic tradition. Please don't make fun of it.
 
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