Giving It Up

Lent 2013

 

 





 

OK I t is the first Sunday in Lent, some of you may say so what others may say yes I know but so what.

There are those that Lent is as important as Advent to their Christian Journey.

EVERY year abut February 2nd the day I take the Nativity down, my mind wanders towards Lent and I ask myself what I am going to sacrifice this year.

You See being a good Anglican I have been bought up in the culture that Lent is a time to abstain from something. Now let me see what have I given up in the past ?

 

 

Yes I have given up wine this was a bit of a cheat really as I can take or leave alchohol

Biscuits are an obvious one , one year I tried to find out if a Jaffa Cake was a biscuit how sad is that

 

 

Next comes Chocolate I really do not know anyone who does not like the odd nibble of chocolate.Can you believe one year I researched if Caramac was a chocolate bar at the time it was not because chocolate is defined as having cocoa in it Phew another cheat

 

 Next comes nail biting now this one I did actually succeed at and loved my new hands but very soon after Easter Sunday they were all gone. That is so Gross I mean look at all the dirt and germs get under the nails.

Now to Tea and Coffee you may notice that all these things that I and various other people choose to abstain from are consumables.Tea and or Coffee are often abstained from but guess what I replaced it with fruit tea.

 This Year I have chosen to abstain from Facebook .
I am addicted I can spend / waste hours on it .
I love reading about what people are up to. seeing photographs from friends as well.
So this year It is going well actually it has been deleted from ALL my Internet access gadgets.
Guess what I am not missing it .

 

 

I have been asked by many christian non Anglican or Catholic friends why I choose to give something up.

 

Every year I have the same issue myself and I ask myself this question .

 

 

Is It Biblical?

 

I really do not Know the answer is the answer I give.

I think back to Jesus in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights. During that time he was tempted by the devil .

To be honest I have never really got the answer I guess I am guilty of being a sheep

and just following what my fellow Christians have done.

 

But this year this is going to change. I am reading

 

 

Ok I am on day five but all ready I am feeling that what I am doing is biblical. I hope on Easter Sunder I will be able to share with you what I have learnt.

Meanwhile I will leave you with this question from the end of week one

 

What does the Lord require of us?How can we keep Lent in a way that serves the community rather than improving ourselves?

 

I do not have the answer to this question/reflection yet but I hope by Easter Sunday I will indeed understand .

 

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