LENT (not the belly button kind)

So I have been pndering the whole idea of lent this year and I think that God has placed in my heart what he wants me to offer up for him.

First off let me tell you that I love my faith and I am not a holy roller but would STRONGLY suggest that everyone, Catholic or not, do something a little special for God during the Lent season. For those who do not know what LENT is, it is a time of 40 days where Christians (key word CHRISTIANS not just catholics) prepare themselves for Easter. Fasting is a big part of lent.

Why fast some might ask? well fasting serves as a penace or sacrifice that strengthens us. You fast from food, you get hungry (which sucks but hear me out), you get hungry and that heightens your sense of awareness, it gives us a feeling of alertness. (Cause when you eat you get sluggish and tired right? i sure as hell do) Fasting is an awesome excerise whenever we want to ask for some serious graces from God. No it shouldn't be something to get attention. And you know, it doesnt always have to be giving up food. You can give up a bad habit. Sometimes instead of giving up something you can ADD something to this 40 days to give to God. I met this one woman for lent decided to go to morning mass (that is 6 am people) everyday for 40 days. That is somethin serious right there. Man I don't know if I could do that, but I bet God has her set in line for a YACHT for something that big,,,dang.

No but anyways, why not right? Do you pray enough? I don't, I used to though. Used to say my prayers every night before I fell asleep. Bad habit getting out of that. That can be a good lent goal. Making an effort saying prayers with 100 percent attention and being sincere.

Not talking negative about people. Thats a good one. How easy it is to laugh behind someones back at someones expense? I catch myself doing this sometimes because I like to joke. But it would be wonderful for 40 days to train your mind and mouth how to be nice in front and behind someones face. Even if you can't stand their guts.

Giving up food is always classic. I don't like doing this one for myself though. See I like to lose weight and I would be doing this one more for myself than God. So i avoid this one, not because I think it is too hard...but because I get wrapped in in the weight loss part than the whole point of strengthing my prayer life.

So I have been thinking of what I want to do for lent. I was sitting in the tub and it hit me like a bag of bricks randomly. I thought "Naw...that is too hard..." But is has not left my mind for 3 days. And I think it won't unless I sit back and embrace it.

I have my priorities all wrong right now. I have had them wrong for the last year and I just need to face the facts and get my shit straight. I have certain important categories in my life, and these are the order I have them in as we speak.

Work
Friends
School
Zac
Family
God

Oh yes, I am so serious. Some of my friends are probably like "WHAT??? WE NEVER SEE YOU!" But hey if my work schedule permits I do see my friends. I talk to me friends on the way to and from work everyday, from leaving the parking lot all the way to pulling into my driveway. On the phone all the time. This causes alot of fights for me and zac cause I don't pay any attention to him.

Needless to say this order cause me to sleep in on Sunday thru church (or work thru church), fight with zac cause i don't have much one on one time as much as I should, I pick my friends over family sometimes which is a major mistake cause it is easier to cancel on family than it is to break a commitment to a friend (at least it is to me), I am behind in school cause i am more concerned to talking,planning or hanging out with friends sometimes.

So for Lent, I think I am going to take the friends out of the mix for a while and put my work priority in place. Also I am going to put Sunday as a priority day over a monday work day. So these are my rules:

I am going to make sure my prayers are said, I fast on the appropriate days and make Sunday priority. Communion is a must, if not it is confession time.

Work is 40 hours a week, I will work maybe 1-2 hours of OT, no more. I usually work more than that but I need to keep a lid on it, i have too much on myu plate.

Zac and I need to spend anytime free with each other as possible. He will be in Pharmacy school full blast, I am in school and working full blast so having 20 minutes with him will be a lucky break. I need to value that.

School has to be done, it is just as important as work. Before even thinking about fun stuff, school has to be done. I am too close to finishing and I am taking 16 hours, I don't have time to poot around.

Since friends are my biggest temptations, hanging- calling- visiting etc, I am going to have to put them on hold.  NOT SAYING I AM PUTTING MY FRIENDSHIPS ON HOLD, HELL KNOW I GOT TOO MANY AWESOME FRIENDS.

But I tell ya, not talking to my friends to and from work and saying a prayer or sitting in silence everyday will help my prayer life out alot. Coming home and not having company to plan for or even events to plan to go out to but having 40 days for God, prayer, school, work zac and immediate family will be something good for me and my life and also a BIG GIVE-UP to God. Cause I sure love friends and hanging out. And going out. And I sure love doing that before studying, or praying or hanging out with zac.

So to my friends, I am doing this because I love you guys SO MUCH that I would do just about anything for you. So starting Ash Weds into Easter, I am not going to chit chat on the phone, not going to hang out. I was trying to think of exceptions to these rules you know? One of them was I am in a friends wedding and will be going to some functions for that. I count that seperate. Anything having to do with her wedding is something that I have commited to and think that is okay. Emergencies? If a friend is on the side of the road? I can see that. A friend pissed at a co-worker? Nope. There is too may other people to call for chit-chat. The only hard one that I can forsee is Lindsey. Her man is getting deployed and she is going to be left high and dry for a year. That is a long time to be missing a boyfriend in my opinion. So what should I do about that? That is the one place i need advice. I want to be there for her.

But other than the above, in a nut shell

I am only using my phone for IMMEDIATE family and Zac.
My 40 days is going to only include God, work, school, zac and immediate family

And I am going to have a BIG ASS EASTER PARTY FO' SHO.
I am going to get on facebook every once in a while, but not much.

So friends, don't be offended. it isn't a bad thing.  Abraham was going to give up his son Isaac right?


Give me some support buds, I know yall will support this if i truly beleive it.

So tell me, any of you guys giving up or doing anything for lent??