Anyone giving up smoking for Lent?

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Count me as another one you fell off the wagon with a great big:

THUD.

I’m so disappointed. So stressed.
Thanks for the prayers in advance… :o

LynnieLew
 
Alright, for those of you who fall, DO NOT STRESS ABOUT IT, it will only make you want to smoke more :eek:

When I quit, I would so crave “just 1 ciggie”, I would have that one and then another and another on the same day and it went downhill from there. If you can get by with just falling once, THATS FANTASTIC. As far as I am concerned, its easy to fall, much harder to rise above it! And you will ALL rise above it because Jesus is right beside you. By the time I got to smoking no cigarettes when I craved one I prayed the Hail Mary and I tell you She came through for me. 🙂

You guys are sooooooooo amazing, I know you can do it… 👍 Do not loose hope.

More prayers coming at you all!
 
It’s a new day – first Friday in Lent – putting my lungs in the hands of the Lord. You folks are such an inspiration. Thank you all for your prayers. I’m praying for you all too. Out the door to work now armed with a rosary, gum, soda straws, lolipops
 
No one is perfect and you can’t except yourself to be perfect either…Remember Peter Deined Jesus 3 times before he got it right! Your not failing…God is seeing that you are trying to bear a cross and he appericates the effort. It’s going to be hard but you can do it! God is on your side…he is there every step of the way…My prayers are with you all!

Beckers
 
I blew it. I had several failures yesterday, but I am not giving up. I am going to do this thing. Everybody hang in there!
 
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kaygee:
wow, I talk a really good show, but all it took was one stray comment from my alzheimers’ afflicted father (who lives with us) regarding my parenting skills, and zip, zam, I’d grabbed a cigarette out of my husband’s pact and smoked it down to the filter in about 30 seconds. mea culpa. I’m now sucking on a straw as I type… tomorrow’s another day. . . starting family rosary in a few. . . remembering you all. . . thanks for listening. KG
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One doesn’t mean failing…just keep on trucking! I will put all of us on the Rosary thread for CAF smokers!
 
Saints are measured not by how many times they fall, but rather, how many times they get back up. Stay strong!
 
Wow…I’m really doing good. I’m not really sure how many I had yesterday (I know it was less than 10), but now I’ve got a terrible cold, and I slept thru First Friday Mass this morning!! I can’t even think straight right now! AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!

I’m a mess!!! Well, at least my first meeting of scripture study went off pretty good last night.

Emphasize the good…forgive the bad…keep on truckin’!

Where are you, Advil???
 
Myangel said:
:rotfl: Should we also pray for the poor souls that cross our paths 😃 I know the people that cross mine DEFINATELY need it. 😛
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You bet. Their in grave danger! 😃
 
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Tonks40:
Wow…I’m really doing good. I’m not really sure how many I had yesterday (I know it was less than 10), but now I’ve got a terrible cold, and I slept thru First Friday Mass this morning!! I can’t even think straight right now! AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!

I’m a mess!!! Well, at least my first meeting of scripture study went off pretty good last night.

Emphasize the good…forgive the bad…keep on truckin’!

Where are you, Advil???
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Cold/allergy symptoms are to be expected in the beginning (or so they tell me) ah chhhooo hack hack because smoking numbs the cough reflex – so while smoking, your body can’t rid itself of poisons – without that numbing effect, your body takes the opportunity to get rid of that stuff in a major way. Or so I’m told. . . I’ve also been assured that it’s TEMPORARY. . . and a definite sign of healing. . . hack hack At least tomorrow’s First Saturday. . . perhaps you can make that. . . Praying for all of us. . .
 
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kaygee:
Cold/allergy symptoms are to be expected in the beginning (or so they tell me) ah chhhooo hack hack because smoking numbs the cough reflex – so while smoking, your body can’t rid itself of poisons – without that numbing effect, your body takes the opportunity to get rid of that stuff in a major way. Or so I’m told. . . I’ve also been assured that it’s TEMPORARY. . . and a definite sign of healing. . . hack hack At least tomorrow’s First Saturday. . . perhaps you can make that. . . Praying for all of us. . .
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Hey Kaygee! Thanks for sharing that. It is so true about all of that hacking…I just surmised this would happen. I coughed so much for so many nights and felt so blah…I said to myself, might as well keep on smoking…I felt better. But I continued and the mucus!!! :eek: Anyhoo…it does pass…I only cough a little nwo. I have so much more breath and energy! Can even walk my friend’s dog around the block without huffing and puffing. It is a joy! It has been 43 days now…doesn’t mean at times I don’t crave for one, especially when I am upset!

Prayers and love for all…we are the champions, we are the champions of the world! 😃
 
I havne’t heard form anyone lately.
What is the progress?
I have slipped myself but am working on it, struggling through.
How about you?
 
I got a jump start on it cuzz if I would just do it for Lent I might put too much of a load on my weakness - so its three weeks for me.
Reading everything everybody has told about their struggle is amazing to me - first of all a lot of the posters names - I never imagined they were smokers too! They sounded too smart to be like me. I have had a lifetime of it with years of abstaining several times but smoked more than not. I quit cigarettes and “closet smoked” a pipe - then quit the pipe and rather than buy another after I failed to stay quit - I would buy the pipe tobacco cigars - the “mild mild” was my choice. They cost five for $3.80. I’d smoke them a little, stub them out in aluminum foil and wrap it up till the next time. Probably get three smoking sessions out of one. Of course I had to smoke outside and not let DH and the rest of the bunch catch me at it.
I dedicated a lot of time and effort into managing my habit. Woe is me! Breathing got to be a little troublesome especially after having a cold that went to my bronchial tubes immediately. I definitely had that incessant, non productive cough. I would strangle myself to avoid coughing in the presence of family.
After three days of no smoking, the cough let up considerably.
Whats scary is the junk that has been gotten out of my system!
Psychologically - the part of not smoking that lasts FOREVER is where I can fail at any moment. The physical cravings are tough enough but I got past them, its the darn mental department that haunts me. I even dream that I fail and smoke - its awful! Then I say to myself - “Someday when you are old and alone (if you live that long) you can get another pipe to keep you company” then I think, “Hey, don’t be looking forward to being old and alone just so you can smoke you dweeb! Yeah, how could I be so stupid!”
So it goes. I have learned to knit and have made several scarves.
I’m trying to make a hat now - keeps my hands busy. I hate the idea of putting on weight because I had managed to loose 20# over the last year (when I smoked with abandon). So I am trying not to eat breads and stuff. I figure the more time I can get past the easier it will get and am looking forward to weather that lets me get outside.

I think one of the things I invented about smoking was the idea that I was doing a comfort thing while I was doing something else.
Even when I hated the burned, dry, stinking mouth I would go for it again. Help me if you can please…
 
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grotto:
Someday when you are old and alone (if you live that long) you can get another pipe to keep you company" .
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I love your username grotto! It makes me think of Our Lady of Lourdes when she made her niche in a grotto at Massabielle. Maybe it is symbolic of you being a grotto also! 🙂

I found it interesting that you equate smoking with company. I thought I was the only one who thought that way! We smokers do think strangely, don’t we? 😃

Anyhoo…God bless you and we pray on the thread of the rosary for CAF members for all those who are trying to quit! 👍
 
Hello, all.

Grotto, glad you’ve shared your experience – always helpful to hear from someone who’s a few steps beyond. . . yeah, I too thought of my cigarettes as my companion on the way. They’ve been there at all the really stressful moments of my life, offering something of a respite – an excuse to leave the silence of a post op waiting room when my parents were in thier various surgeries to go outside to the designated smoking area and chat with strangers also under stress – ofttimes worse than my own. Smokers know deep down inside that we’re sinners and we’ve got this visible tag on the outside that creates an instant comraderie … Standing out in knee-deep snow 17 floors down from the workplace to catch a drag with fellow sinners during coffee break time. . . Standing in an alley beside a restaurant with strangers between the main course and dessert to get a nicotine fix . . . Don’t know if I’m making any sense, but that’s the part of smoking that I really don’t want to lose. Not smoking will force me into developing a whole new set of social skills.

But then, my smoking has separated me from good health and it has separated me from many good and holy and interesting people whom I’ve missed because I was out smoking. . . I’d sort of developed a prejudice against non-smokers thinking, “do I really want to hang with the holier than thou crowd?”

Anyway, it’s been three and a half days. I’ve smoked two and one half cigarettes in that time. I’m coughing up a storm. I went to confession this morning to confess my total lack of charity with my family and co-workers (who have all been very supportive). I was given absolution and a hefty measure of support and 7 Hail Mary’s. The cravings aren’t all that bad right now. I’ve discovered the nicorette losenge works well for me.

Am continuing to pray for all of you. I ask your prayers.

KG
 
I might add: I used the nicotine gum too - had some left over from the last time I quit. Boy that stuff is expensive too! All out now and don’t think I’ll buy anymore. About smoking keeping one company during stress/life&death times, lonely times, or just plain times when “thinking” was happening - that is when it will be hardest.I make a deliberate thought take place that its a lie about filling my lungs with smoke being helpful or enjoyable and then a deliberate thought to not think about it. So I have to change the subject now - g’nite.
 
I am not smoking at work and cutting down at home. I am trying to be responsible about my bad habit. I admire all of you that are quiting and am praying for you.
 
Good evening everyone!

Well, after staying home from work yesterday due to the cold and basically coming this close to giving up, I’m happy to report that I’m getting back on track…I’m not beating myself up as bad as I used to when I do fall, and the cigarette intake today is definately considerably less, thank God!

I was doing a poster-count on this thread - we have about a dozen people here who have committed themselves to stop smoking for Lent. I kinda see this now as a process, just like how your spiritually life during Lent is a process - at the end of it, you become more enlightened, more closer to God.

As long as we keep our sights on the Lord, we can be assured that he’s with us through this sacrifice.

Prayers to all of you today!
 
You all are in my prayers. Quitting cigarettes and staying off of them is difficult, but can be done. With God’s help I quit smoking nearly 8 years ago. I had smoked a pack a day for 15 years. I tried cold turkey, but couldn’t handle the withdrawel process so I opted to use the nicotine patch. The gradual reduction of nicotine kept me comfortable while I dealt with the other aspects of quitting as well as life in general. It took a long time for me to stop missing cigarettes, especially at certain times, like after a meal, etc…but now I don’t miss them at all. A family member of mine who quit 10 years ago after a 30 year 2.5 pack a day habit used the patch, SSRI anti-depressant medication and counseling. Do whatever it takes for you, no matter what it takes. Some can quit cold turkey, but I couldn’t. And don’t worry about weight gain. Do your best to eat well while you are not smoking. If you gain weight, tend to being concerned about it well after you have quit the nicotine addiction. I wish you all the best.
 
:crying: I already have had 2 ciggies today :banghead: Need to get back onto the patches.

Doing so crappy I cant believe it! 😦
 
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