What is Lent? 40 Days of Whoops!

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Lent is always an interesting time around my house. We throw around ideas of what to give up. We sacrifice some small pleasure in honor of God. Determining what is small enough… or should I say what’s not too big… is what makes this funny around the Damonte household. I suggested to Domi he give up his Xbox. After one second of thought he said, “No way!! That would kill me to go 40 days without my Xbox!!” See, there’s an example of something clearly too big. I mean I want my kids to suffer during lent… but not die!

After an entire dinner conversation didn’t provide any decisions we continued the next day at breakfast. Finally, both kids decided on gum. This is funny to me because I always gave up gum when I was a kid. Now, let me tell you how this is going to play out. About 7 days into lent one of their friends will unknowingly offer them a piece of gum. They will accept. And just as the gum is getting good and soft and perfect for bubbles, they will suddenly remember and scream out loud, “But I gave gum up for lent!!!!” Eva will run to the nearest trash can and start talking God’s ear off about how this absentminded mistake couldn’t possibly be her fault. Domi will shrug his shoulders and say “Well? I already messed up! I might as well finish out the stick and try again tomorrow.”

Lent is supposed to slow us down and bring our focus back to God. So whether we stick with our sacrifice yet crave it daily… Or mess up and ask for forgiveness… What does it matter? Aren’t we still talking to God more on a daily basis? In my household, that’s the answer to “What is lent?”

 

Comments

  1. Carmen says:

    Hi Wendy, I’m so glad you shared this post. I didn’t know what to give up for Lent this year, we might just fast a lot! lol -Carmen

  2. Beck says:

    This year, my kiddos are donating something every day to charity, so by the end of Lent, they will have four items each to drop off or give away. It is really fun! This year for me, I decided to give up alcohol and cussing. Lets just say, it’s been a fun start of lent, in our household. Though, I am not a big drinker, I love my red wine with dinner a few nights a week and, the day before ash Wednesday, my wine from Ste. Chepelle’s wine club showed up on my doorstep. It’s been mocking me since. Now for the cussing, yeah, lots of “Good Golly” and “Gosh darn it” or “Fudge!”. Being married to a potty mouthed cop does not help things.

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