If you know me, you know I love Lent. I love this period of quietness, of reflection, of barrenness, even, before the great joy of Easter. I look forward to Lent all through Advent, when that quiet time of spiritual preparation is overshadowed and even lost in the more commercial preparations for Christmas. With its days of fasting and days of abstinence, I have to think ahead, to keep our sacrifices always in mind. And at the end of the quiet days of love and prayer, there is Holy Week. I think if anybody wonders what it is to be Christian, those three Masses are the very essence of what we believe, of Him that we love. They are so rich and so powerful, I can just breathe in God. I have loved those Masses from even before I believed.
But on to those sacrifices. For Lent this year, I am giving up chocolate, to which I am very attached and of which I just recieved two very nice boxes. I tucked them away till Easter. I am giving up being annoyed with my husband, which will be much harder than giving up chocolate. He knows I’m giving this up and may go out of his way to be irritating, but I will smile sweetly anyway and say a little prayer for him. Or, at least, I’ll try. And I’m giving up forty bags in forty days. I’ve already got six to take to Goodwill this afternoon after Mass and I haven’t even started trying. I also get to patiently suffer my back pain, which has its own rewards, though I wouldn’t mind giving that one up at all. 
Oh Jen… you are right… as a christian, this is a beautiful time… My husband and I always comment on how it isn’t sacrifice, but cleansing… (= … Good luck.. I can see chocolate.. a test of will power, the 40 bags in 40 days, a testament in giving… but…. the not being irritated at hubby??? for 40 days??? You are stronger than me sister… lol.. and your husband is a lucky man XOXO
Ha! I already rolled my eyes behind his back this morning. Had to pray for BOTH of us.
I love Lent too. Holy Week slays me, I cry a lot. But it’s cathartic. I’m giving up complaining particularly regarding my pregnancy. This is going to be hard!
Admirable! I always have to remind myself of Proverbs 19:11 – “A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.” One translation I like says, “It is the glory of a man to overlook an offense.” And I think, if I “overlook” something, it’s as though I didn’t even notice it – it didn’t even register on my conscious mind.
I like the idea of 40 bags in 40 days. We may have to try that!
I’m loving 40 bags in 40 days. I’m totally doing that. Most years, I give up internet message boards for Lent, but this year, it’s arguing with my husband (I got that idea from a friend who did it last year and totally recommends it. It seems to be popular!)