I grew up a non catholic and started catholic school in 7th grade. To be fair, I wasn’t just non Catholic. I’d been baptized Lutheran and had been to church a handful of times before the age of 6 and then never again. Religion wasn’t our family’s thing.  With this as context, one can imagine being thrust into a religion full of ceremony and tradition at the age of 13. In a word. It was jarring. Needless to say when the subject of Lenten sacrifice came about I wasn’t interested. I believe my first try at giving up something was “mowing the lawn,” my dad countered with “giving up my allowance.”  That was the last time I tried that. 

Adult-ish me gets it and supports you giving up cake or

soft drinks and alcohol. Though Louisiana me thinks your sorry ass sacrifice of eating shrimp and crawfish as a form of fasting is total hullshit and I’m calling you out on it now. “Come sacrifice over at our crawfish boil.”shouts T-bob over the roar of the crawfish pot. “We’re having shrimp poboys and seafood gumbo for the next 6 Friday’s! Come join us in doing some Jesus work.” Said Thibodaux. I digress...

This year I challenge you to do one of two things. Up to you. 

1. Give up something for lent then commit to quitting it forever (soft drinks, smoking, fast food)

Or 

2. Start a new habit or exercise program that you’ll stick to past the 40 days. 

Didn’t see that coming now did you?  

But seriously. How great would it be to say “I started a walking program for lent this year and I now continue to do it 3-4 times a week.”  Or, I finally kicked my Diet Coke habit.”

I’ve written before how the problem with diets is that people go on them and will eventually go off. Making lifelong adjustments to be more balanced is a better goal and will reap actual benefits vs. a small “sacrifice” that you can’t wait to quit. 

Make it count this year.

#hugsandhi5s