Lent

We are way into Lent. I had no idea. Usually there is something in the news about it or Mardi Gras or Ash Wednesday - something that reminds me it is coming up. I think I basically know what it is about. For most of my life its one of those things on the calendar that I know the names but don't really know what they are. I'll get curious and look them up, but by the time it comes up again a year later I've forgotten. Things like Rosh Hoshana, Purim, Boxing Day, etc.

I haven't participated in Lent until lately. I haven't researched it much, but the idea, I guess, is to give something up, or I've been told you can take something on, in preparation for Easter. I don't really give it the full treatment anyway. I like to do a little something I call half-lent. After all, forty days is a long time. Twenty days is more to my commitment level. Is that bad? I've gone with quarter-lent some years. I've still got a little over 20 days left, so maybe its a half-lent year.

I just looked up a site that has top 100 things to give up for Lent. A lot of these I don't do anyway. That feels like cheating - giving up something you don't do. Here they are.

1. Social networking - I don't do it
2. Twitter - Don't do it. Not 100% sure what it even is.
3. Alcohol - Don't do it.
4. Chocolate - I don't eat very much chocolate, but I still don't think I could give it up.
5. Swearing - Don't do it.
6. Meat - Same as number four. Plus I would feel like a hippie.
7. Sweets - Same as four and six.
8. Soda - Its my addiction. I am NOT giving you up.
9. Coffee - Don't do it.
10. Fast food - No. It's where I get my soda.

Then they start getting "Funny" with things like "Lent" and "Donald Trump"

The first 10 were good ideas, I suppose, but they were all things that I don't do or refuse to give up. I scanned through the other 90. Nothing seemed that good.

I looked for websites for things to DO for Lent. Mostly strictly Catholic things. I was in a Catholic church yesterday. Maybe that counts. One they had was to read through the book of Mark in one sitting. That sounds intriguing. By definition its short-term, fitting right in with my lack of commitment, so maybe its the one.