It's Ash Wednesday - are you giving anything up?

are you making any sacrifices for Lent?

growing up catholic, i always had to give up sweets. not a catholic anymore, but still look at this as a time to test myself. last year, i gave up drinking. ( )

i'll prolly do that again this year. it wasn't as hard as i thought.

Nope, not a Catholic.

I'm not Catholic, either.

I'm not Catholic either.

I'll think of something to give up though...

I gave up smoking about three months ago. That's good enough for me.

If I was Catholic I would probably give up drinking cokes.

Sadie, I don't know if you could make it 40 days!

I used to be Catholic, also. But you don't have to be Catholic to consider Ash Wednesday, which isn't about "giving up something." It should be about acknowledging our sins and sacrificing something to demonstrate our repentance and committment to live a more Godly life. If you dont' need personal repentance try sacrificng for the sins of your family, your community, your nation. I consider this a day of mourning and repentance for sin and we can stand in the gap for others and ask God to forgive and draw family, friends, and our nation back to him in humility and obedience. If you can't give something up try maintaining an attitude of repentence and need of God's mercy for the day. I agree it's hard to make sacrifces but consider what Jesus did for us.

VERY well said, Trailhiker.

I repent for my sins daily. I, personally, don't need a specific day to thank my God, but I do respect those who take part in Ash Wednesday.

I am giving up being Catholic for Lent

@ bbs

I'm giving up "giving up stuff".

Two years ago I gave up meat for the whole shebang, not just fridays. It's getting harder to pick something out for me... I quit smoking 3+ years ago, hardly drink anymore, and have never been that into sweets. Last year I just committed myself to a better lifestyle, physically and spiritually. I think I will try that again this year.

Not actually giving up something, unless you consider time. I'll just make a daily effort to add an extra 1/2 - 1 hour of scriptural meditation, like the last 7 words of Christ, or one of the parables like the Prodigal Son.

The no soda, or no candy thing is just to silly to me. They're no good for you anyway. And the give up this sin thing is totally screwey, since you ought to repent and strive to turn away from such daily anyway.

Internet purchasing.

I gave it up last year, and what a diffence it made in my budget.

I'm going to mass at noon - hopefully (we're expecting 10+ inches of snow) to get my ashes.

For those of you that aren't Catholic or don't believe, I will resect you and your views, but please don't poke fun of mine. Please.

3 years ago on Ash Wednesday I was laying on an operating room table, giving my daughter a sencond chance at life with a new liver. Jesus came into my life, like never before at that moment, and I've never been the same.

For the entire season of Lent, I've decided to open up and let God into my life more and more. I'll avoid people who will drag me down. I will avoid watching, listening, and reading materials which could be considered "sinful". I'll watch my words more, and repent for my sins because I know there will be times when I am not strong enough to keep all of my promises.

I think giving up BOL would prove more difficult than giving up most anything else...

Good for you, but that should be everyday of your life.


I'm Methodist and I'm giving up fast food. That may not sound big to some, but as a busy mom that means cooking 7 days a week. I see a menue in my future.

That's a good one Cheek!

You need a Dinner by Design!

http://www.dinnerbydesignkitchen.com

We have a place called Pass Your Plate here in the city and it rocks! If it was just me and my girls I probably would, but my neice eats entirly too much for that to be economical.

I dont understand giving up something for lent when what most people "give up" is something that is unhealthy anyway - so why 'give it up' for lent and not just 'give it up' period. If you are just 'giving something up' it doesnt have anything to do with religion so you should use Lent as an excuse.

I agree with trail hiker.

I think I'm giving up dieting and working out! This is going to be a tough 6 weeks!

And through you and your struggles and successes since then, Christ has come into many others' lives and hearts as well. Amazing, isn't it?

I hear what your saying. I should just be done with fast food for the health of me and my kids. I guess more of what I'm giving up is instant gradification.

My kids will just have to wait while I make something and i'll have to accept that there is nothing wrong with soup and a sandwich for dinner if that's all we've got time for and they are happy.

Is "instant gradification" like when colleges give people honorary degrees?

Guitardude, as a Christian Headbanger, I must charge you with sacrificing listening to the wholesome and tranquil spiritual tunes of Slayer this Lent. King Diamond too.

It's not about giving up something "unhealthy", it is about giving up sacrificing something you enjoy. Most people don't get serious about it and give up something that hurts, they give up something they should have given up anyway. I'm not Catholic, but I follow this tradition anyway. This year I'm giving up reading fiction for Lent. Instead I intend to read my Bible more each evening.

I don't listen to King Diamond and I'm not Catholic, but I suppose I could try to give up Slayer for Lent. That is if you give up Judas Priest!

Can I still have a Slayer lyric as my tag line?

The infamous "they" say that it generally takes 30 days to change a habit. The 40 days of lent is a good time to re-evaluate and choose an area of life you want changed. I like the idea of giving up fast food. If you can break the habit for the entire 40 days of lent, then you've created the new habit of cooking well for your family. Most of us try to change too much at New Years which is why we don't succeed.

If you choose to study your Bible more for the next 40 days, you've created a new habit that should stay with you. I'm not Catholic, but I choose to take this time for a good hard look at my life and what I need to do to effect the desired changes.

GIVE UP PRIEST OMG

I'll try, ok, but I am leaving the Love Bites Tag Line and avatar of the Metallion. But that means no Slayer for you, no Ghost of War, no Raining Blood etc, for 40 days. Th etag line is ok, I guess. No human sacrifices or allowed either.
You will become a Heaven Metal rocker LOL.

Hey now, just because I listen to metal doesn't mean I'm not a Christian! I like Slayer and other bands with dark themes, I just never bought into their image.

OK, it's a deal! I have quite a bit of "Heavenly Metal" I can listen to. Besides Stryper , there is Mortification, Sacrament, Rez Band, Deliverance, Living Sacrifice, etc.

OH SNAP! I am going to have to change some of the ringtones on my cell phone to non-Slayer tunes.

I'll give up meat. It was beginning to annoy me anyhow.

Or an online degree from Sally Struthers!

Don't befriend the cow before you eat it! Then it can't annoy you.

I am giving up a certain vice...

all the lucky ladies and dudes posing as ladies out there in cyber land will surely be upset(sorry Pale)


also going to smile more....
especially as I walk past homeless people and try to ignore their cries for help...

Poor Baily

he's gonna kick your bum for leaving out the "e".... run while you have the chance.

pineapples?

yeah, it's the lack of an "E" that makes me want to smack him...

Opps! Did forget the 'e' again?

my bad

it DEFINITELY wasn't the implication that i'm a dude posting as a lady...

::SMACK SMACK::

I think I'm gonna give up making up false names and tricking people... even though it is kinda fun.

But WHY?!

This is an excellent explanatation of why people give up things such as fast food, smoking, certain types of entertainment, etc.:

"When done conscientiously, giving things up is an excellent way for us to reflect on our life and develop our spirituality. By giving up certain excesses, we are assessing what the physical pleasures really means for us. We realize that bodily pleasures are only temporary and that they cannot bring us lasting happiness. Giving up excesses helps us to focus on the more important things in life–our relationships with ourselves, family, friends, the poor in the world, and God."

So yes, while giving up fast food or not engaging in certain "sinful" activities come as a "No Duh!" viewpoint, by giving these things up it allows you to focus on the important things in life.

You know, some people just don't appreciate all the hard work that goes into something that.

I will continue to chain smoke, drink like a fish, and eat as much fast food as possible though...

Not reaching a goal that one sets for oneself can be frustrating.

That's why I don't set any for myself, I can't be let down.

As a result, I'm a perfectly sane and well adjusted individual.

say again? HA!

I don't get ashes anymore, as I don't consider myself so much "catholic" as I do "christian". But, I do fast. Whenever I feel hungry, I remember it is a small discomfort compared to the 40 days of fasting Jesus did, and the pain He endured on the cross.

I also try to remember to do something more positive, rather than giving up something. Giving up stuff turned out to be too easy, so it was really not much of a sacrifice. But, for instance, the other day, someone brushed me off, and I was really insulted. I started to get angry. Then I just talked myself into letting it go. I figured I was just over reacting, and maybe he just had a bad day. Today, that same person called me up. He did have a bad day, but could feel my hurt and apologized for being so short with me. I feel much better.

Ha! I gave that up for Lent about 12 years ago. Just about the only resolution I've ever stuck to!

I'm going to give up being so nice

Well said neo.... I am giving up fast food, which will prove difficult since we eat it so often, and I LOVE it.. No tto mention my husband will still want it (I got him Taco Bell last night).

I am giving up all soda, and recommitting myself to more daily physical activity. Lent is a wonderful opportunity to look inward, make sacrifices by giving up something enjoyed, and/or make changes for the positive. As someone else said above, 40 days is a long enough time period to truly purge a negative habit as well as make new positive things a habit. For those of you who think it is silly and stupid to "give up" something, that's your right to that opinion, but kindly have respect for those of us who take this season very seriously in our religion. Thanks.

I'm giving up celibacy.

The sacrifice is supposed to be on your part, not on everyone else's.

I'm giving up sanity. Oh, wait, I did that years ago.

I gave up anger. I found alot of things annoyed me and it turned into anger or being mad. I was going to give up my Starbucks addiction but after a lecture from my Priest, I decided that giving up coffee wasnt as tough as letting go of being grump, angry and mad.

I seem to recall from my cathiolic school days that if you tell everyone what sacrifice you are making, it is no longer a sacrifice. so, mums the word here...

I think you are thinking about Birthday wishes Happy..