Can You LENT Me a Hand?

I always forget about Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras until it is right up on me, like the day of. There is always cake and candy and colors everywhere, but what really gets me is the complete desire I get to have a drink! I don’t know what it is about Mardi Gras, but as soon as I realize what day it is, I want to start celebrating! I want to drink odd drinks out of oversized cups, wear colors that only match on that one particular day and eat flavored marshmallows, which may I add I will not even do on Easter with the peeps…..sick.

Forgetting Mardi Gras also brings with it the fact I have not thought about Lent. I was raised Episcopal and we always give something up for Lent. Now I know I have given up all the typical things like soft drinks, candy, fast food, etc. I remember one year mom really regretted ever teaching me the value of what you give up for Lent. She taught me it was to be something really hard to give up and every time you want to give in you need to pray about it. Well, one year I gave up meat and I think mom was doing more praying than I was. I was in high school so mom had to make all of our meals for 40 days (or however long it is) without meat. Actually, I think it was Dad who was the angry one. We never really talked about Lent after that.

Now that I am grown, I have noticed I may give something up for Lent but I end up picking it back up once Easter arrives. If I am going to make a change, I am going to make a change. I don’t want to change my lifestyle for the better for a temporary moment. If it’s a good change, why not let it stick? So, I started to give up things that would enhance my character. Last year I gave up complaining. I will say it was pretty hard and I didn’t do so hot. So, I decided to make that a life long goal and I am still working on that one. I am by no means claiming I am good at that goal, but it’s a goal.

So, this year I have decided to make another life change. It seems I am really in to life changes lately, so why not some more!!!? For Lent this year I am going to give up feeling sorry for myself, break down the limitations I have placed on myself and make the life I want and need a reality. Easier said than done, yes I know. But if I’m not going to do this, who will?