Ash Wednesday

Today is the day celebrated as Ash Wednesday. Now, I am not Catholic, Methodist, or Lutheran by religious training, but I love ceremonies and traditions and am somewhat intrigued by them. The past couple years I have been "dabbling" in lent, (don't even ask me to report about last year when I gave up road rage for lent - oh my!) and this year, I might just be a full blown participant. As I understand the season (in a nutshell), this is a time we are to sacrifice or give up something that holds some type of meaning for us, in order to spend that time (or money or whatever) on a spiritual event (such as praying, meditating, reading, Bible study, etc.) instead; of course, all the while remembering the symbolism of Christ's 40 day fast and his consequent sacrifice for us. So this year I have decided to give up my evening "snack" - yes, it has become a ritual in my home to eat something before I go to bed. I know, I know, bad habit - don't judge me, you all have your own bad habits, too - lol! Whether it's ice cream, Girl Scout cookies, chocolate covered raisins, peanut butter and crackers (are you hungry yet?) or the ever popular (at least in my family) coffee mug cake, it has become customary for me to snack on something while I'm watching the news and weather before bed. This season I will skip the snack, turn off the tv and participate in some type of spiritual event - reading, praying, studying, whatever. I think it will be a good thing for me on several levels, and who knows, it might just become my new habit??? In the world where we now find ourselves living, I dare say it might do each and every person, religious affiliation put aside, to find something and purposely sacrifice it for a period of time. We live in a society where no one tells themselves (or their children or grandchildren) no for any reason and our world is suffering because that habit has bred entitled, self indulgent, non-accountable human beings. Just food for thought. Are you participating in lent this year? Let me know what you're giving up and how it's going.

On a side note, I saw on the internet that Ash Wednesday in the year 2020 will fall on my birthday. Hmmmm....wonder what I'll be giving up by then? Aging?