What are you doing for Lent? I thought about asking, “What are you giving up for Lent?” but really I think Lent is so much more than “giving up chocolate” or the like.  I know we are not all from church backgrounds that observe Lent.  For those unfamiliar with Lent, here’s how I explained it to some online friends earlier today.  Technically it is a season of the church calendar leading up to Easter which is supposed to be about fasting, prayer, and penitence in preparation for the joy of Easter. In my church we sing no alleluias during Lent. It’s a more solemn time of year at church but I love the ancient traditions. Can you tell I used to want to be a minister? Anyway, for me it is a spiritual exercise — a time to focus on higher things and fasting or giving up something is a way to focus on higher things and/or a way to do away with major distractions. But it is also a sort of experiment in living differently by sacrificing certain things and embracing new things.

I have only been observing Lent for a few years now. I think I started some 5 or 6 years ago, but I’m not sure. I’m pretty sure I started even before I attended an Anglican church while living in England.  I became interested in it while reading the book Girl Meets God (recommended by our own Judith).  The girl of the book gave up reading for Lent (I’ve still never tried that one).  I was so inspired that I in turn decided to try a Lenten fast.  I think my first attempt was giving up TV.  That one was hard because my husband did not give it up with me and I didn’t want to leave the room every time he turned it on, so I ended up just leaving it off if he weren’t home and not asking for certain shows if he were home and watching.  I have also done things like give up sugar and chocolate.  For the past few years I have given up non-essential shopping every Lent.  That means I can still shop for groceries (that’s obviously essential since I have a family to feed as well as myself) and if one of my kids suddenly desperately needs something like new socks, I can get that, but otherwise no shopping.   So no browsing Amazon for books, no waltzing downtown to my favorite little boutique, no traipsing through the mall peering at clothes at The Loft or smelly stuff at Bath and Body Works.

So that’s about the giving stuff up, but as I said, I think Lent should be more than that.  It’s also about adding in more time given to spiritual disciplines, more time to think of others, more time with family.  This year I plan to try something new — something described by the priest this morning at the Ash Wednesday service I attended. He talked about how a good Lenten practice would be to look in the mirror every morning and think about the things you like about the person looking back at you, and also how to make the person in the mirror better.  He said it more eloquently, but I like the idea.  I plan to try that — a little lesson in being merciful to myself.  I have also ordered some Anglican rosary beads so when those get here I’m going to start praying the rosary — an Anglican/Episcopal version I found online.

For those who do observe, what will your Lenten practice be this year?

1. Judith Says:
   March 2nd, 2010 at 12:57 pm

   I wasn’t sure what I wanted to practice for Lent this year. (I am highly indecisive by nature anyway.) The first thing I thought of was the practice of being more mindful and present with my young children. They often clamor for my attention when I am doing tasks, reading, or online. I thought maybe of dropping what I was doing more often to respond in full to them. However, I decided that was probably too much to ask of myself right away and I predicted I would grow less grace-ful, not more, as a result of always giving up my current activity. So, I tried a baby-step instead. I have given up the practice of checking social media sites on my phone numerous times throughout the day. Usually it is a result of boredom or waiting, but lately it has seemed like more of a mindless habit. I especially cringed when I realized I would sometimes start looking at my phone while in the middle of a conversation with a real human! So, I am trying to replace that habit with being more present in general, and using those small moments to offer up short prayers instead. So far, so good…though I may be compensating with text and checking email more frequently!

   As a PS, I used that selection from Girl Meets God a few weeks ago during a service on prayer and fasting. Still excellent words.

2. Judith Says:
   March 2nd, 2010 at 2:52 pm

   Also, Rosemary, I like that you have given up not just “buying” but actually “shopping”–the browsing and desiring activity associated with it. I’m sure that inclination is the more difficult.

3. Judith Says:
   March 2nd, 2010 at 5:48 pm

   Here’s another interesting idea about adding/expanding during Lent: http://blog.sojo.net/2010/02/22/african-lent/

4. anne Says:
   March 3rd, 2010 at 9:50 pm

   I have given up eating all meat, fish, etc. I have also added a Lenten Devotional reading each morning at work. It has been a good experience.