Lent... we are getting deep here.

For the past few years I have not given anything up for Lent. I had stopped going to Catholic Church and have found myself learning and using more of my faith from a new church. When H was 16 months old we discovered HOPE. Even better, it is 3 minutes from our house, and on a Sunday morning with sleepy eyes you can’t beat that distance. You run out of the, “it’s all the way in Cary" excuses. This year, since I feel we have been so blessed to make it through the first year of law school, and law school budgets, giving something up seemed really important to me. I mean hello, when I think about God giving up his son, then I look at mine, it makes a much bigger impact.

I wanted to give up something I felt like I indulge in. Something I take for granted, it left me 3 things. 1. Starbucks, just 5 dollars wasted on a Sunday on my way to my nursery shift, or at lunch on a Target run. (Maybe next year I can give up Target). 2. Meat. I had dabbled in vegetarianism, right before H was born until I needed the iron from meat. Meat isn’t eaten much by the kids so why not. And 3. Celebrate the small things in my life. So often I find myself on the negative train and miss out on the small things.

I think Lent went great. Some people asked me why are you doing this if you are not a practicing Catholic anymore? But, right before the question was asked I read something. It said Lent wasn’t about giving up something, it was about when you are feeling weak in your 40 days and you seek God to give you the strength. And let me tell you when I saw my family eating seem Chick-Fil-A nuggets I prayed. HARD.

Since Lent is over I have had meat 2 times, both times it has made me sick. I am super excited to do some work at a Starbucks and drink a coffee. And, I see the light in my son’s eyes when he smiles, when B lays her head on my shoulder and when Adam tells me thank you.
Finally, I do feel restored in my faith.

So Lent. I liked it, and I can’t wait until next year.