Lent 2009

I am not Catholic. But, I do like the idea of sacrificing something for a period of 40 days, ending on Easter. A few years ago, a friend asked me to give up Marshmallows for Lent. To some that is laughable, but to me it was unbearable. Instead that year, I gave up itunes and buying music. The next year (last year) I took the most drastic lunge and gave up sugar. I gave myself some rules and survived by eating sugar free jello puddings. My husband (then boyfriend) did the same and we somehow made it to Easter. It was horrid.

This year, before Lent even came, my husband sat me down and told me NOT to give up sugar again. He smiled and told me to think of the children I teach and to think of their well-being. Kindergarten should never be a place of anger due to a lack of sugar on my part.

So, this year, my Lent challenge is to give up candy. I can have desserts, but since I tend to snack on candy, chocolate, and little gummy things, I decided to take the plunge and sacrifice. This will be hard because everyone knows the best candy comes out at Easter time. Cadbury chocolate eggs, malty ball robin eggs, and of course the ever loving peeps.

But, I have always loved the idea of Lent because it is satisfying to go without something for a while.
Recently I read a wonderful book called Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel. In the chapter, "Cookies" Toad makes a bunch of cookies and brings them over for Frog. They sit and eat together until they realize they are eating too many. Frog decides to help the situation by putting the cookies in a box and then tying them with string and then putting them on the highest shelf so neither Frog nor Toad can eat the cookies. But, Toad points out that each of these safe guards could be undone. Finally, frustrated, Frog does the most wonderful thing. He take takes the cookies off the shelf, unties the string and takes them out of the box and goes outside. He then calls, "Hey birds! Here are cookies!" Birds come from all over and fly away with cookies in their beaks. Toad says the following line, "Now we have no more cookies to eat. Not even one." Frog responds by saying, "Yes, but we have lots and lots of will power." In the end, Toad leaves and says he is going to go home and make a cake. This story really made me laugh.

In my point of view, Lent and fasting (as a Latter Day Saint I try to do this monthly), is a way for us to practice obedience to God and to try sacrificing for a greater good. And maybe that greater good is for me to recognize what an abundance I have. I love Easter and I love recognizing the true glory of the resurrection. And though I am not Catholic, I have family that is and I'm sure they would approve of my sacrifice. Even the greatest sacrifice.... of peeps.