Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Fat Tuesday

63/365


It's that time of year again. 
Lent.  
Each year I try to give up something or take something on. 
Kathleen and I have developed a few traditions.  We usually go to Starbucks while the little ones are in school.  Since they weren't in school today, we took them with us.  That was an interesting twist.  I'm sure they had a great time, but the people around us, on their computers and phones, probably didn't appreciate it as much.  Though Kristin and Sam were extra adorable dancing in the bank that attaches to the Starbucks.  I'm giving up Starbucks for Lent.  I've been there just a bit too often lately.  
But is it enough to just give up coffee?  No.  It's only a minor sacrifice.  Still it's a vice, something I've become too reliant upon lately, and it's something I want to back down.  Though you wouldn't like me if I gave it up altogether.  I'll swear off the spending $$ on fancy coffees, and make my own at home, so that no one wants to kill me. Sometimes, I like to try to kick it up a notch during Lent.  Some say it's all about the Suffering of Jesus, that we give up something, a sacrifice, to remind us of the Greatest Sacrifice, Jesus' own life.  I agree.  A sacrifice is good.  But My Jesus lives.  And to take something extra on in your life, to bring me closer to Him sounds better.  I've been so tired and busy lately, I've barely made it to church, and although I talk to God every day, I'm missing being surrounded in His Word.  I got an invitation to a bible study last week, one I can't attend, but it got me thinking, how much I miss having some close time with Jesus.  I am still in such a sleep deprived state, that I have trouble committing to bible study early in the morning.  But there has to be something.  I came so close this weekend to making it to church.  My friend Hope was doing a 3 week sunday school for grownups aimed at parents of young children.  I missed week 1 because Sam puked.  I've been lucky to make it to church once a month over the last few months.  And even then, it's Interrupted.  But then another friend on FB refreshed my idea of taking something on.  Today, a friend's home church posted this schedule on reading the New Testament during Lent.  


As I read the assignments, I thought, I can do this! 

I've never read the whole New Testament front to finish.  I've read most of it, here and there.  But not all the way through.  I've tried starting at the beginning of the bible more than a couple times, but I poop out in the begats.  The furthest I got was when my friend did a Bible in a Year blog I followed, but we both pooped out in Chronicles.  This isn't as long, and there won't be as many begats.  I really think I can do this! 

Tonight we continued our Fat Tuesday celebrations with dinner at McDonald's since the Daddies were both gone on work trips.  Man, am I feeling it.  Today, I put the fat in Fat Tuesday.  I don't think I've had that much fat in one day in a while.  I feel bloaty and sore.  The sore comes from yesterday, but not helped by the salt and fat and carbs of today.  Good thing I'm going to be staying in for a while.  Time to drink more water, and do some reading!

I'm already getting really excited about this Lent. 

Are you going to give something up, or take something on? 
Maybe you'd like to join me.  

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