Lent

Well, Lent has arrived and I had my annual dilemma over what to "give up." Now it's not that I don't have a whole litany of bad habits that need changed (watching too much sports, not praying enough, caffeine addiction, etc.), it's just that I always have to weigh what I can sacrifice for an entire Lent without caving-in along the way.

Shannon and I talked about a homily we had heard last Lent that challenged the congregation to not only find something to change for Lent, but find an area in your life that needs to be changed permanently and let Lent be the stepping-stone for that change. Now the usual modus operandi is to give up something like sweets and then to indulge in them once Easter rolls around. But the priest made a good point; we often give up something that is a vice, a guilty pleasure, a detriment to our relationship with God. If that's the case, isn't it best to eliminate this vice for good and not just for a month and a half?

And so, I've decided to choose one such thing and to do away with it permanently. Soda (or "pop" for you weird Chicagoans), specifically Coca-Cola, will be eliminated from my diet starting today (I had one yesterday). I hardly drank the stuff during my college years but my wife, a minion of Satan, got me hooked right after we were married. I was up to nearly a Coke a day recently until I curbed my intake somewhat for a New Year's resolution. But I've decided it needs to go for good. The nutritional value of Coke is negligible at best and I think I'll be in much better health if I drink water in its stead.

Now I'm sure there will be an occasional party or get-together where I'll indulge in one for old-time's sake, but you heard it here first: I'm done with it.

Maybe there's something in your own life that needs to be changed, that is affecting your relationship with yourself, others, and/or God. Maybe Lent is the impetus you need to make the change . . . I shall pray for your success as I hope you'll pray for mine.