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I've been mulling over a Lenten observance and am feeling particularly uninspired. What are you doing to observe this season?
I'm taking a rather dramatic approach this Lent. I've given up TV in the past, sugar, high fructose corn syrup. This year I'm giving up my DH.
The time has come for a "recalibration" of our relationship. So, I have taken a 6-week rental and I intend to really focus on myself and my prayer/meditation life.
Wow, Catherine. I pray God's peace and direction for you.
But you've given me something to think about. Since DH and I don't have the dynamics that you have alluded to having in your relationship, I don't know that I would give him up. But perhaps there may a Lent in the future where I or we go on an extended retreat and shut the world out.
I'm now contemplating giving up recreational Internet surfing. I have a compelling reason in that I'm trying to finish my thesis but I also am not happy with how much of my life energy it is taking up. On the down side, this would include the Simple Living Forum.
I have been feeling uninspired this year too. I'd imagine that has something to do with late pregnancy and bedrest forcing me to give up pretty much everything. :)
I've had two ideas. The first is giving up complaining. I would really like to be the kind of person who confronts all of my challenges cheerfully. I'm not a huge complainer, but lately I think I've fallen into the habit a bit. It's time to put a stop to it.
My second idea was actually based on a joke Zach made the other day. Due to the baby's impending birth any minute and the subsequent 6 weeks of restrictions, he joked that we were giving up sex for Lent. :) Since there is some actual truth to that, I think it might be nice to use it as a positive thing.
We want to use it as a chance to increase emotional intimacy by focusing on other ways of showing each other love and affection. For example, he really likes it when I do fun things he enjoys with him. Stuff like playing one of his video games or rollerblading or going on a bike ride. Sometimes I say no to his requests because I feel like I have more important things to do. I want to start saying yes more often.
He is already working on other ways of showing me affection. He has started bringing me flowers every week because he knows that I love the way flowers brighten up the kitchen. He's having fun changing things up and finding pretty things he knows I'd like. Both of us are looking for ways to be more thoughtful and kind to each other.
earthshepherd
3-4-11, 10:19am
These are really inspiring ideas!
I am adding some meditational readings every day during Lent. And, since I am in good practice from the first few months of the "Cook at Home" threads, I plan to completely avoid restaurants for Lent. I know a family who gives up "screens" for Lent: TV, computer, etc. But I am not yet that spiritually mature! :0!
Catherine said "This year I'm giving up my DH."
I hope you are not offended but you provided my morning laugh.
I've never done Lent but I'm considering giving up Facebook for it.
I found an app, getcoldturkey.com, to block websites. Facebook is one of the default websites, plus you get four custum ones. You block the site for up to a week at a time. It blocks the site system wide unlike a browsera pp, which means that even if you use a different browser you still won't be able to access it. For example, I blocked SLFN on my work computer for a week. Not only can I NOT access SLFN at work, I can't update the app to add new sites or dial back the restrictions. It's pretty serious.
I'm actually not Catholic, but I do like the idea of fasting from things in order to strengthen my faith. Some sisters from my community (the Order of St. Francis) are encouraging the public to give up plastic bags for Lent as a sign of good environmental stewardship. I thought that was a neat idea.
I'm not Catholic either (anymore). My church actually is not liturgical at all, so it does not observe Lent. I observe Lent just because I like the idea of having an extended season of intentional spiritual discipline, whether that be "fasting" i.e. giving up something or adopting a new discipline or practice.
These are all very inspirational.
Earthshepherd - I don't think I could give up screens for Lent either. It's something to put on the list though...
Stella - That complaining one is a hard one, isn't it, especially when you find yourself in adverse circumstances. It gets away from us so easily.
Floaton - You go, girl. I enjoy FB and will miss it but I too think a short break will be a good thing. I'll make a note to email the people I will miss the most during Lent just to keep in touch.
Kat - How cool! That sounds like a cool group of sisters.
Catherine said "This year I'm giving up my DH."
I hope you are not offended but you provided my morning laugh.
Not at all offended! Whatever "purifies" us during Lent, right?
I'm enjoying reading everyone's ideas! Zach and I talked about a family plan for Lent this year and decided to take a character quality a week that we want to work on together as a family. We went through and made a list of things we feel we do well and things we need to work on. We tried to pick some things the kids need work on and some things we need work on. The six we picked are Gentleness, Contentment, Self Control, Patience (I'll freely admit this one is mine), Flexibility and Gratitude. I'd imagine this time with a new baby will provide a few opportunities for working on patience and flexibility. :)
I'm not Catholic either - I'm Orthodox. Our Great Lent (so called to distinguish the fast before Pascha/Easter from the three other fasting seasons of the year). Orthodox Pascha and Western Easter are the same Sunday this year. Lent begins on Monday, known as Clean Monday. Ash Wednesday has never been a part of Orthodox tradition. There are also five preparatory Sundays, and due to the amount of time given to pre-Lent and Lent, this time is known as "the tithe of the year" in some of the ancient Church Fathers. If we fully observe Great Lent, then we will be living as we're supposed to all the time.
If one is observant, our Lenten observance is, to be frank, rather strenuous. We go essentially vegan (although shellfish is allowed - some speculate this goes back to when shellfish was food for the poor in the Mediterranean). In my parish, which is rather representative of Orthodox parishes in the US, we have services every night the first week of Great Lent, aside from Friday (my priest gives gives us a day off). Then every Wednesday and Friday, thereafter.
Locally, we have services each Sunday evening, that rotate amongst a different group of parish each year. I love these as you get to visit other parishes, I get to sing with different choirs, lots of interesting ethnic food, and friends I don't often see. :)
During Holy Week, there are again services each day, with at least two services a day, beginning on Holy Thursday.
We don't have a tradition of individually deciding to "give something up" as many Catholics and some Protestants do. We already give up a great deal. I grew up Catholic, and not having to decide what to give up was a rather freeing experience for me.
Our Lenten observance rests on the tripod of spiritual practices from Matthew, chapter 6 - fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. The money you save from not eating animal products and eating more simply should be donated to the poor, in any way you choose. You could do anything from helping out someone you know (perhaps sending a grocery store gift card anonymously in the mail) to donating money and/or canned goods to a food pantry or anything similar. Spending more time in prayer, both at home and attending extra services. We also tend to take on some special spiritual reading. Some people just spend more time reading the Bible (more daily readings are assigned during Lent than the rest of the year), other pick other spiritual reading. I'm currently in a rather demanding class on Dogmatic Theology that extends into early April, so my Lenten reading is going to consist of more Bible reading.
If you would like to read more: go to the link below and just keep going forward through the sections. Some basic info about how the Orthodox observe Lent.
http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=65
It might be difficult to believe, but Great Lent/Holy Week/Pascha are my favorite time of the year.
My second idea was actually based on a joke Zach made the other day. Due to the baby's impending birth any minute and the subsequent 6 weeks of restrictions, he joked that we were giving up sex for Lent. :) Since there is some actual truth to that, I think it might be nice to use it as a positive thing.
It's traditional for Orthodox couples (and I believe Catholics, as well, at least from what I've read) to give up sex during Lent as it allows them to concentrate more on spiritual things. How many actually observe it, I've no clue, but it's definitely part of the tradition and has been for a long time.
It's interesting reading everyone's posts. Catherine, you will definitely have to let us know how Lent without your DH works!
Me too on the spouse. I'm thankful it is peaceful. Divorce can be an amazing opportunity for acceptance and renewal. My future X will make a great friend, I know.
A 6 week rental huh? Hmmmmm, I never thought of that.
Interesting to note how many sacrifices are material.
Isn't the body and materiality transient? (remember (wo)man that you are dust ...)
So I'm not sure I get why you would want to give anything up (material things that is).
If you want to give up something like facebook one must wonder why go there in the first place?
What is faith? I mean ... what does it comprise?
How does one tell the difference between faith and conditioning from an early age?
And at the end of Lent .. do you hit the sweets jar (which is now swollen with all those sacrifices) with a vengeance?
I'll do my best to answer your questions from my own perspective. Others might have a different perspective.
Interesting to note how many sacrifices are material.
Isn't the body and materiality transient? (remember (wo)man that you are dust ...)
Speaking from a Catholic perspective , no. Not exactly. It's 5AM at the moment and my memory is rusty, but I believe that would be closer to a gnostic point of view. Catholics believe the body is sacred, a temple to be used for the glory of God, and that it will one day be glorified.
So I'm not sure I get why you would want to give anything up (material things that is).
If you want to give up something like facebook one must wonder why go there in the first place?
Lent is a desert experience. It can be useful to give up even good things for a period of time for a variety of reasons. One might be that one's use of them is out of balance, but another may simply be that for the moment we are attempting to focus on something else and that material thing is a distraction. For a secular example I'll point out Thoreau. He wanted to go into the woods to have, essentially, a desert experience, but the plan was to come back to society and apply what he had learned, not to stay there indefinitely. Facebook is a great example of this. It can be an excellent tool in building good things like friendship and community. Not things most people are called to give up for a lifetime, but there are periods of time even in the lives of social people where a step back from the noise of community may help one to focus and, ultimately, be a better member of that community in the future.
What is faith? I mean ... what does it comprise?
from the Catechism, article 1814. Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. By faith "man freely commits his entire self to God."78 For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God's will. "The righteous shall live by faith." Living faith "work(s) through charity."
How does one tell the difference between faith and conditioning from an early age?
In my experience faith, seeking to know and do God's will instead of my own, usually requires me to do all sorts of things that are outside my natural inclinations and conditioning. It's not a comfortable path in many ways, but it constantly leads me to something better.
And at the end of Lent .. do you hit the sweets jar (which is now swollen with all those sacrifices) with a vengeance?
Sometimes. We all make mistakes and I'll admit that for myself sometimes I do fall back into old patterns, but each time I attempt to correct them I learn something more about myself, my motivations and my weaknesses and over time I have been able to conquor or lessen my propensity towards sin in a particular area. It's a lifelong process.
Beautifully written answer Stella.
I did give up Facebook for Lent, so did my husband, and one of our teenage sons. So far for me, and this is my first time to 'do' Lent by giving something up, it has been good. I'm spending those minutes (which can add up to an hour or so a day) that I'd normally spend on Facebook by either praying for the friends I'd normally be chatting with, reading a little extra in my bible, or spending a little extra time on business chores (that I was complaining about not being able to keep up with since I first got on Facebook). It is an opportunity to reflect and refocus. 40 days is good because isn't it usually said that it takes 30 days to break a bad habit? I'm looking for balance and to improve my attitude about my responsibilities and hopefully when this Lent season is over I will have better time-management when it comes to the time I spend on Facebook. It is also a bit of a sacrifice on our part because we do use Facebook for business contacts, I make an extra few thousand a year by sales we make to people that follow our fan page.
domestic goddess
3-20-11, 1:44pm
I don't usually give something up for Lent, but rather try to add something that I think will enhance my religious practice, and keep it up after Lent is over. In the past I have added things like Fixed Hour Prayer, and am doing more devotional reading this year. So far, it has been a good experience for me, and there are an abundance of books to choose from.
Now, this is not to say that I couldn't benefit from a fast from screens, but there you go. If I add enough other spritual practices, surely at least some of the non-beneficial things will be squeezed out, right?
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