Lent is the 40-day period of fasting, prayer and penitence before Easter, but those 40 days do not include Sundays. Most people who participate in this practice are Catholic, but my Non-denominational Church observes the season of Lent as well. Usually during this period, participants "give up" some sort of pleasure, material or non-material, that has become too important in their lives. When you give this item up, it allows you the opportunity to reflect and focus more of your attention towards God. It also kinda is sacrificing something in remembrance for the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, which is the reason why we celebrate Easter. Technically you are allowed to indulge in "said pleasure" on Sundays, since your day should already be dedicated to worshiping the Lord, but I always feel like I'm cheating when I do that. So I guess whatever I give up will actually be for 46 days. I don't usually fast during this season, but I will most definitely be praying.
Things I have given up for Lent in the past:
- Candy/sweets
- TV
- Gossiping (it was during HS and MUCH needed haha)
- Coffee
- Drinky drank (during Freshman yr and I desperately needed to loose those dreaded 15lbs)
- Sweet Tea - I did this last year and it was so hard!
! ! ! ! ! ! FACEBOOK! ! ! ! ! !
(among other things)
(among other things)
"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under the sun." -Ecclesiastes 3:1
Everyone throughout life goes through different seasons. There are seasons for college, seasons for relationships, seasons of happiness, of sadness, for good times and for bad. Right now I am stuck in a "bad season" I guess you could say, and I honestly feel that things I read and experience on social networking sites aren't helping this. I almost feel as if my optimism cup is empty, which in turn is only making things worse. Lent is really about regaining self-control, especially in areas that can damage others. In the case of Facebook, I oftentimes find myself getting jealous, mad and even frustrated by things that others post on the site. I really hope that by taking a break from Facebook I will be able to return to a place of happiness and return back to "my old self".
For those of you reading this who are participating in Lent as well, I wish you luck and I will pray for you if you pray for me. :)
OH OH AND OF COURSE IT IS A MONSOON OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. OUR STREET IS FLOODING! I ALSO CAN BARELY SEE 2FT IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE OF ALL THE RAIN. I AM SERIOUSLY ABOUT TO INVEST IN A NEW PAIR OF RAIN BOOTS. I SWEAR I WEAR THEM AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
Xoxo! Jess
Everyone throughout life goes through different seasons. There are seasons for college, seasons for relationships, seasons of happiness, of sadness, for good times and for bad. Right now I am stuck in a "bad season" I guess you could say, and I honestly feel that things I read and experience on social networking sites aren't helping this. I almost feel as if my optimism cup is empty, which in turn is only making things worse. Lent is really about regaining self-control, especially in areas that can damage others. In the case of Facebook, I oftentimes find myself getting jealous, mad and even frustrated by things that others post on the site. I really hope that by taking a break from Facebook I will be able to return to a place of happiness and return back to "my old self".
For those of you reading this who are participating in Lent as well, I wish you luck and I will pray for you if you pray for me. :)
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Also on a completely unrelated note, I drank milk with my breakfast this morning! And no, not milk made from soy beans, or lactose free but regular milk from a cow! Granted it was 0% and I put a TON of ice cubes in my cup to water it down. . . . . . . but hey, I still think it's progress. Of course I had to take a pill to help my body digest the lactose properly but it seems all my fears were for nothing. My stomach does kinda hurt a little bit, but it's nothing I can't handle. I don't think I will be running out and buying a carton of whole milk anytime soon, but who knows!? Maybe I will actually start to acquire a taste for it.OH OH AND OF COURSE IT IS A MONSOON OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. OUR STREET IS FLOODING! I ALSO CAN BARELY SEE 2FT IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE OF ALL THE RAIN. I AM SERIOUSLY ABOUT TO INVEST IN A NEW PAIR OF RAIN BOOTS. I SWEAR I WEAR THEM AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
Xoxo! Jess
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