Lent

First of all, I am in no way bragging by posting about Lent, and I also don't want to push anything on anyone. I never really knew much about Lent growing up in only one Baptist church. I remember the first year we were at our new church, hearing more and more about Lent. Our Sunday School teacher mentioned it in some lessons our first Lenten season there, and it has always somewhat intrigued me since then. It is amazing to me how people stress over the decision of what to give up for Lent. No matter what the sacrifice, it is so small compared to what God sacrificed for us.

Our Sunday School teacher had always talked about how giving something up really makes you realize what is important in life. It prepares your heart and mind for the celebration of Easter. A girl that attended our women's retreat in January told us about how her church group would always join together and give up the same thing for Lent. She said that last year, they fasted completely for one week, and the outcome was amazing. How awesome would it be to become spiritually stronger from an experience like this? I didn't participate last year, but want to this year. Just a simple act of giving up a virtually meaningless thing for 40 days can make a difference.

I have been looking into the subject online, and found one website with a lot of info: http://www.spirithome.com/lent.html. One thing that stood out for me was this:

Jesus is not looking for self-torture, self-hatred, woe-is-me thinking, 40-day starvation and oceans of tears...Lent is for soberly looking into yourself and getting down to what's real. Self-hatred is not being real. How could it be right to despise someone who God loves and treasures? The Sundays aren't counted in the 40 days of Lent, because every Sunday carries with it a part of the glow of Easter Sunday. So it's not all gloom and doom. But even on the Sundays, the theme of repentance (turning from our ungodly ways) holds true. When you repent, you please God whether you fast or not, and that is what most counts for Lent.

This particular website also mentions adding something for Lent. Whether giving something up, adding something different, or just researching the subject, it really gives you something to think about.