What are you giving up for Lent?

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Marilena

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i don’t know where this thread belongs, so iam going to post it here. if its wrong please move it, and my apologies.

I wanted to know what you plan on giving up for Lent this year?
 
For health reasons I cannot give up certain foods and other such traditional sacrifices. So, I give up sound–TV, radio, DVDs, CDs, etc. for most of the day, until my dh gets home from work in the evening. Since I am alone all day (except for my cats), it means living in complete silence and hearing nothing of the outside world all day long. It’s a good way for me to sacrifice having a sense of being in contact with the outside world, as well as a help to meditation and contemplation.
 
iam going to completely give up some of my favorite tv shows.
not just that, some of my favorite foods, and tea.
 
Books, both buying new ones and reading those that I have, and I’m going to try reading my bible more, at least from the Gospels.
 
Hmm, my psychic sixth sense tells me you’re giving up the cigarettes Marilena, is that right? 😉 How’s the quitting going by the way?

I think tv is a good one for me, and maybe cut down CAF to weekends or something. I do spend an awful lotta time on here.

Last year I gave up sugar and sweets (and mostly stuck to it even) and lost a bit of weight as a pleasant bonus.

Books are a good idea, as long as you do keep up with the scripture and other spiritual reading.
 
Whether its for Lent or selfish self improvement, I gave up meat last week. None has passed my lips since Monday. Now your average vegetarian would find this unremarkable, but I’m struggling to maintain it. I crave burgers, steak and would kill for a bucket of chicken.

Either way, I feel a period of self-denial (and weight loss, hence the selfish bit!) will be worth it.
 
LilyM said:
Hmm, my psychic sixth sense tells me you’re giving up the cigarettes Marilena, is that right? 😉 How’s the quitting going by the way?

I think tv is a good one for me, and maybe cut down CAF to weekends or something. I do spend an awful lotta time on here.

Last year I gave up sugar and sweets (and mostly stuck to it even) and lost a bit of weight as a pleasant bonus.

Books are a good idea, as long as you do keep up with the scripture and other spiritual reading.
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that is correct. iam stopping smoking, biut it sure isn’t easy!
one day at a time. the going is rough friend, really rough.
 
Marilena said:
that is correct. iam stopping smoking, biut it sure isn’t easy!
one day at a time. the going is rough friend, really rough.
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Excellent, Marilena! I too am quitting smoking. 👍

I will also refrain from alcohol, all TV and sweets and fast food. I already do not eat meat on Fridays, so those will be small fast days for me.
 
rpp said:
Excellent, Marilena! I too am quitting smoking. 👍

I will also refrain from alcohol, all TV and sweets and fast food. I already do not eat meat on Fridays, so those will be small fast days for me.
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Prayers for y’all who are quitting smoking, hang in there!
 
I am so proud of those giving up smoking, I can’t think of anything harder because it taxes both physical and mental resources. You are all to be commended. Sticking to my strict medical diet is a discipline and a penance, even harder will be resolution to keep up with the exercise program. hardest of all will be incorporating a period of silent prayer in every day, my goal for Lent.
 
puzzleannie said:
I am so proud of those giving up smoking, I can’t think of anything harder because it taxes both physical and mental resources. You are all to be commended. Sticking to my strict medical diet is a discipline and a penance, even harder will be resolution to keep up with the exercise program. hardest of all will be incorporating a period of silent prayer in every day, my goal for Lent.
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nice post annie! thanks!
 
Could I just get away with doing a lentan fast? You know, 2 meals a day only, dinner and a smaller supper. The supper to have no meat or fish. No solid food between the two meals. Abstain on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays?😦
 
puzzleannie said:
I am so proud of those giving up smoking, I can’t think of anything harder because it taxes both physical and mental resources. You are all to be commended. Sticking to my strict medical diet is a discipline and a penance, even harder will be resolution to keep up with the exercise program. hardest of all will be incorporating a period of silent prayer in every day, my goal for Lent.
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Code:
Well, thank you puzzleannie! Yes, quitting is very hard…almost nine weeks now! 🙂 God luck on your discipline, my friend! 👍
 
Along the same lines as Durendin, I’m debating whether to eat a vegetarian or a vegan diet for lent. I’ll probably end up choosing the vegetarian route since I doubt I’d be able to nourish myself properly on a vegan diet (not that I think it’s impossible! Just that I don’t think it’s a change I could make properly overnight…and I don’t want to end up hurting myself). Also, I plan on doing bread & water fasts each Wednesday and Friday for the Holy Souls in Purgatory; and I hope to round it all out with praying the Divine Mercy chaplet daily for the conversion of all sinners…think I can stick to it? 👍
 
I am thankful I don’t have anything as hard to give up as smoking. Bless you all as you honor the precious gift of breath that God gave you. I’ve watched so many struggle with this, and I will keep you in my prayers.

I will be making the sacrifice to maintain the healthful and balanced eating and exercise program as put forth by Richard Simmons. This means giving up both a plethora of foods, and also the belief that I can’t do it.

Back in the days when I was a practicing Catholic (before my 14 + year hiatus) I would always focus on a scripture to live by. This year it will be the Beatitudes.

Thank you for starting this post, and thank you to all who have posted. I am looking forward to Lent this year more than ever.

Gert
 
LilyM said:
Prayers for y’all who are quitting smoking, hang in there!
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What she said.

I have never smoked in my life. When I first arrived in Alcoholic Anonymous 22 years ago, the smoke-filled rooms almost drove me away. No-smoking meetings were few and far between. I would have said that at least 95% of AA smoked 22 years ago. Consideration for non-smokers did not exist

Nowadays most AA meetings are no-smoking. Consideration for the non-smokers is still not the reason. No-smoking laws are the reason. Much of AA still smokes…outside the meeting rooms.

Which means we still lose a lot of members to heart disease and lung diseases, especially lung cancer. Those who have stopped smoking, or tried to, agree. It is far far harder to stop smoking then to stop drinking.

So I have nothing but encouragement and prayers for those trying to stop smoking. Is there a Patron Saint for this problem?
 
I may not give up anything - I may add something instead. More disciplined prayer and Bilble reading, or daily rosary, or Adoration. If I give up something it most likely be food related, or spending less time on computer.
 
Every year I try to give up my pillow. After 5 minutes on the
first day, I literally become frightened. My head feels like it
is pounding, I know I’ll never sleep, and I ask myself: Does
God really want me to do this, after all He gave me the pillow.
I have never heard of anyone giving up their pillow for lent,
but I dearly love my pillow. How far is too far to go in giving
something up for lent? How do others figure out what would please God for lent?
 
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