My computer(s) have been yucky for the past few weeks.  Tonight, I fixed one of them, this excites me and I decided I needed to post…anything at all.  So, here is my ramble on Lent.

I went the first twenty-one full years of my life before I knew what lent was.  Growing up in an evangelical church, you just don’t participate in  the same religious activities as those who are Catholic or Lutheran.  I’d heard the terms, Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and such.  I literally had no idea what they meant.

When I moved to Seattle at 21, I began working at a coffee shop where a family of five Catholic girls also worked and hung out when they were not working.  We became friends. Soon after the discussed whatvice to give up for forty days.  What?!  I’s never heard of such practices, but it fascinated me.  So, I asked questions about Lent and the Catholic religion.  Knowing nothing, they taught me much.

When I was a kid, we were taught not that Catholics were in the wrong, but that they develeoped a lot of religious hoopla that was unnecessary in the church.  Now, I think about the Baptist school I went to and the hoopla they practiced that was completely non-biblical. ie wearing skirts past the knee, never going to movies etc.

So, I have decided to cross over and do something for Lent.  I was thinking of giving up going to the coffee shop, as that would certainly save me some money.  But, I will be on vacation in next forty  days and though I don’t mind my own percolated brew from home, I don’t think I can stomach hotel coffee.  I don’t think I drink enough alcohol to warrant giving that up.  There’s no way I am sacrificing my computer or the internet because, you know, I NEED it for communications and I just cannot miss an email or a facebook Wall post, you know?  (This is not working, Lent is about sacrifice…is it not?)  Hmm…

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I wrote this yesterday.  After much thought I decided that I am going to give up “lazy dinners”.  By that I mean I am not going to serve The Max a hard boiled egg, a hunk of cheese and broccoli and call that supper time.  For the next forty days (if we are indeed at home during the dinner hour) I am going to fix supper just as they suggest on Public Service Announcements.    It still feels like a resolution, and oh well.

I think the hardest part of this will be keeping my cupboards and fridge stocked with enough ingredients to make a meal 7 days of the week.  Of course, we have food in the house, but we  are grazers and a big meal is not the norm.  Eating all night long, however, is.

So, eat a “family meal” for 40 days.  Should be fun.  If you want to come over I will totally add another place setting to the table, just let me know.