Lent

I am not catholic nor do I know any of the history or tradition associated with Lent.  You are probably asking yourself why indeed I am writing about such a subject.  It is simply this.  I want to share my experience with you. 

The Sunday before Ash Wednesday our church encouraged us to give up something for Lent.  Jake and I came home and talked about whether or not we wanted to participate in this church wide challenge and if so what in the world were we going to give up.  We quickly ruled out food options. Lots of people give up sweets or soda but we decided that if we were going to do this challenge we wanted to give up something that we could look back on at the end of 40 days and say yes that made a difference in my life.  We wanted to do something that wasn't necessarily easy for us to give up but at the same time we knew that if we made it too complicated or demanding we wouldn't stick to it.

What we came up with was this.  We gave up wasting time via the Internet. We still checked email and facebook.  I still looked up a recipe here and there but we did not linger on the Internet cruising the latest news headlines or following those ever so tempting pinterest links.  I then began to use the down time I had, primarily during Z's nap but also after her bed time, to read my Bible.  In less than a week I had finished Genesis and Exodus and was well into Leviticus.  The reality check was setting in hard about just how much time I spend on the Internet.  I had made the decision a long time ago not to be on the Internet while Z was awake but I hadn't realized how much of her sleep time I was wasting. 

I don't think the Internet is a bad thing and I will continue to use it often but the reality check that I walked away with was amazing.  I will be more intentional with my time and I will not let it waste away.  Participating in Lent this year didn't make me a better person but walking away from it knowing I am making a change in my life for the better of myself, my family, and my friends is more than worth it.