Lenten fasting: report

This year I did something I had not done before. I gave up some stuff for Lent. Specifically: chocolate and swearing. Attribution: I am indebted (??) for the latter idea to my friend Jeff DiGiovanni.

I think that next year I need to do a better job of preparing for this discipline. Multiple times, especially in the first two weeks of Lent, I found myself thinking. Oh, that was chocolate I just ate. I gave that up for Lent, didn't I? (And yes, there were similar problems with swearing.)

So I fear the somewhat haphazard nature of my renunciation meant I did not derive full spritual benefit. Nevertheless, it was, I think, a useful thing to do. Our Pastor (on ya Paul) says one gives these things up ("fasts") so one can focus on what is really important, and not let them come to dominate one's life. It's not like chocolate dominates my life, but I found that I eat more of it, and expect to be able to eat it when I want to to a a greater degree than I would've thought.

Actually, I chose these two because I knew they would be hard, but not so hard as to be well, really hard. Coffee would've been in that category. Maybe next year. Although we should send Talinn away for the first week of Lent if I do that. No coffee makes Daniel grouchy. (See...things that control you.)

Chocolate was actually harder than I had expected (see also above). There was a point on Maundy Thursday where I really wanted a biscuit (OK, cookie) with my tea and all we had in the house were chocolate ones. Too bad. And c'mon, if that was my worst Lenten suffering it's not very bad, is it? Certainly not like eating beans and rice for a week.

Now we did allow ourselves what I am told is the Catholic grace: one relaxes the fast on Sundays. In the case of swearing this meant that we could cuss as much as we liked on the Lord's Day. Somewhat ironic, huh?

Anyway, lenten fasting is now done. And we have a large haul of chocolate in the house. (On which, more in a little while.) I have to say, that first bit of chocolate on Sunday tasted pretty good.