Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Season of Lent

We Baptists. We're not big on Lent. In fact, I'm not sure I had ever met a person who did Lent until I went to college. Apparently the Mennonites take Lent pretty seriously. My best friend Margaret taught me all about Lent when she gave up peanut butter for Lent.

It's weird, I know, giving up peanut butter. It wouldn't be a struggle for me, but she really, really loved peanut butter. She put peanut butter on practically everything. She would mix cocoa into peanut butter and make a "dessert spread." She was a peanut butter crazy gal.

I gave up things a couple of times when I was at Bethel. I gave up coffee one year. I didn't make it all the way through, but there were death threats, so it seemed wise to give up. One year, I gave up apples. I figured it would be easy because I don't eat a lot of apples, but not too easy because I really do like apples. It was not the greatest Lent sacrifice ever, but there you have it.

This year, I am giving up anger. I am so tired of being surrounded by anger and getting mad over every little thing. I'm sure I will fail a lot, but this is my goal. To give up anger. Hopefully, it will have an impact, no matter how small, on the world around me.

Next year, I may give up worry.

On a funnier note, my friend Wendy is giving up sobriety, so whatever works for you.

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