Happy Ash Wednesday!

Well, today starts Lent, and of course that means it's Ash Wednesday.  Also known as "The Day I Drag My Ass Out of Bed at a Ridiculous Hour to Attend Early Mass So Everyone I Encounter During The Day Can Tell Me I Have Dirt on My Forehead."  Seriously.

I went to 7:15 am Mass this morning, mainly to get it out of the way.  Also, because all the later Masses were being held with the high school students or kids from the parochial school, and would take AGES to be over.  As usual, the early Mass had no music, and was incredibly dry (which is a struggle when you woke up before dawn to be there!). 

Anyway, the priest got up to deliver the Homily, and said something kind of profound to me, and put into words what I was thinking for this Lenten season. 

DO NOT GIVE UP ANYTHING.

Strange.  This kind of the opposite of what they generally teach - give up something, recognize the sacrifice, etc.  The priest talked about most people who give up something like dessert, for example, you're not doing it for God or Jesus or the religious reflection.  You're giving it up because you want to lose weight/have a better diet/whatever personal reason.  And that made a lot of sense to me.

Earlier this week, I had mentioned to Buttons I hadn't decided what I am giving up this year.  I said I don't want to give anything up (food wise, especially, as coming across something that is actually appetizing is hard enought! And yes, I know that pregnant women are exempt from the fasting and giving up).  At first I thought I would give up complaining.  HA.  I enjoy complaining!  It's my stress releif - I complain, I get it off my chest, and chances are, it doesn't bother me any more.  Besides, I wouldn't have anything funny or witty to say if I wasn't whining about something.  And I would become incredibly boring.  I can't handle that.  I suggested rather that I would try to make a list of things I am grateful or thankful for. 

And so that's what I am going to try to do this Lenten season.  I am going to think about something I am thankful for grateful for each day.  I am going to try to post it here, time permitting.  I am already thinking of thoughtful things to say about who and what I have in my life, and I am really looking forward to this exercise!