I've never practiced lent before, not for any particular reason aside from a lack of discipline, but this year my hubby and I thought lent would be a good way to practice DISCIPLINE (our theme for 2008). We debated on what to give up, finally settling on something that we both agreed would help us focus more on the spiritual disciplines (the purpose of lent), but also something that will help us in all the other areas of discipline we desire to work on this year.
We're giving up television.
I admit it, I enjoy watching TV. I love movies, all the CSIs, Criminal Minds, even Battlestar Gallactica (which fortunately returns to the air after lent ;-) ha ha). I don't even think there's anything wrong with watching TV (although it's getting harder and harder to find anything good to watch), it's just that TV can controls us if we let it. It's easy to lose all sense of time when I get engrossed in a movie. And television is a great way to procrastinate for me. Add to that the fact that TV isn't interactive or social, watching TV means we don't talk as much. It also means sitting on our butts more than we should! With all that in mind then, while in all honestly I was resistant to the idea of giving TV up at first, after compiling a list of all the things I could be doing in place of TV I got pretty excited!
So here's to 40 days (minus Sundays) of playing board games, reading books, going for walks, scrapbooking, journalling, connecting with friends, and being still. It's all part of the journey...
2 comments:
Good for you! I didn't even know it was Lent time until I read your blog. How out of it am I?!
One year our church did Lent, and being the good Christian girl I am, I thought, hmm, I'll give up coffee. LOL. That lasted 4 days, when my friends begged me to give up something else instead.
I was much happier and more productive, and although I can't remember what I ended up abstaining from, I'm sure it was much more effective in bringing me closer to God than the removal of coffee from my bloodstream. :)
:)
Lent amuses me in that we're giving up something we enjoy but almost always benefit by ENJOYING other things more. It's scandalous! Like grace i suppose. I'm giving up sweets and Facebook.
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