Friday, February 08, 2008

Lent - What are you doing for Lent?

Seriously, folks, I'm interested in what your Lenten "discipline" is. Leave me a comment, please

9 comments:

Nina said...

Any time I find myself doing inner self-censoring or thinking "can't," for any reason, I'm going to find out why I'm thinking that. In other words, I'm going to take on presuppositions more consciously.

PseudoPiskie said...

I've given up alcohol - the drinking kind. I used to do that regularly but haven't for years. It is more for the discipline than anything else.

Thought about setting time aside for study or scripture but realized that I forget to set aside time for eating on a regular schedule so gave that idea up.

Jane R said...

I'm still pondering, but I think what I am going to do is take a half hour walk first thing in the a.m. (Once I've dressed, of course ;-)) It will a) get me outdoors in nature (I live near some beautiful trees and don't hang out with them enough) b) give me some time for quiet prayer c) exercise my body d) in general, start my day in a contemplative way and not at my desk (not even saying the Daily Office online). It's small and simple but I think it's what I need. And it's not so huge that I can't do it. Also, it will probably affect the rest of the day. So it's doing something with body and mind and spirit and changing the gateway to the day. It will involve some discipline -- even something that small is going to take some rearranging, perhaps as much inwardly as outwardly.

Jane R said...

P.S. A few Lents ago the practice I took on was not speaking ill of anyone, including myself. The self part was as hard as the others part. It was a Christian Lenten form of the Buddhist practice of Right Speech in some ways.

Missy said...

Usually as a family we give up sugar. Except breakfast cereal and juice. I just don't buy sweet treats or pop at all during this season.
But I've been thinking of it in a more challenging way this year. Not as giving up something or taking on something for a temporary, 40 day period, but rather how can I make a permanent change. I really see that as the area I want to focus on this lent. How can I die to self and be reborn in Christ? To be reborn as a new person on Easter morning I need to make a permanent change of some sort; I need to take an honest look at myself and ask what I need to work on.
So, uh, I'm thinking about it. ;)

Anonymous said...

I'm giving up Lent.

Jane R said...

Lindy, I once preached a first-Sunday-of-Advent sermon in which I recommended giving up guilt for Lent... But you're really going all the way.

Mary Beth said...

Morning Prayer and readings from Bread and Wine (RG lent book club selection).

Have given up swearing which means I still do it in provoked moments but then take some time to apologize to myself and God.

Also trying to give up snarky comments about others. Aloud, not so bad. In my head, they are still there.

Jeanine Byers said...

No discipline this time.

Well, I am adding something that may count. I am doing reiki every day (sometimes I slack off, so every day is a big thing) as a part of my spiritual practice in an effort to be more spiritually connected.

But I just wasn't up for giving anything up this year.

I am also reading The Last Week by Marcus Borg and Dominic Crossan.

Jeanine