Lent penance

[rocklobster]

I was wondering if anyone here's ever done Lenten penance. I do it every year. This year, I am limiting my Internet usage. I will be only on 1 hour Monday-Friday, and no time on weekends (meaning you shouldn't expect to see me then)

[Nate]

I once lent penance, but I never got it back.

[ShiroiHikari]

I once lent penance, but I never got it back.

sadtrombone.mp3

[Okami]

I'm observing Lent this year for the first time. I'm giving up negativity in exchange for positivity for these forty days. I began this challenge last week, and it's extremely difficult but it's been so beneficial so far! I just feel better about myself in every possible way!

[Hansha]

I always give up soda....I drink a lot of soda

[bkilbour]

I never really thought about it.
If I did, I'd wanna do an old-school fast, and try to abstain from foods for lent.
Of course, between working and working is usually about 3 hours every day, so I eat for the energy.
Perhaps when I have a good 40 days of leave racked up, I'll have a go ahead. Otherwise, I think I'd need to look into other avenues of fasting.

[Atria35]

I never really thought about it.
If I did, I'd wanna do an old-school fast, and try to abstain from foods for lent.
Of course, between working and working is usually about 3 hours every day, so I eat for the energy.
Perhaps when I have a good 40 days of leave racked up, I'll have a go ahead. Otherwise, I think I'd need to look into other avenues of fasting.

Some of my friends who are in sports for Lent (and therefore can't fast) do something along the lines of making sure to only eat very healthy foods- no carry-out, no burgers, no soda. It's a bit of a pain for them, but they always feel good about it.

[Lynna]

I want to observe lent this year...though I'm not sure what to give up. Any ideas? (I don't drink or eat a lt of Junk food....I do have Hot Chocolate every night, so that might be it...)

[Atria35]

I want to observe lent this year...though I'm not sure what to give up. Any ideas? (I don't drink or eat a lt of Junk food....I do have Hot Chocolate every night, so that might be it...)

Um... well, you could give up the hot chocolate. If you know you spend too much money on something (like me and manga ) you could make a vow to spend less and save more. You could limit how much time you're on the internet, like Rocky will. Limit your goof-off time, so you have more for studying/homework.

[Lynna]

Um... well, you could give up the hot chocolate. If you know you spend too much money on something (like me and manga ) you could make a vow to spend less and save more. You could limit how much time you're on the internet, like Rocky will. Limit your goof-off time, so you have more for studying/homework.

Well, I don't spend much money...but Limiting my fun time would be good, as I am so far behind in my homework, I think the pile will crush me somedays....I know! I'll give up hot chocolate AND try to study more

[Cognitive Gear]

I've never done it before, but recently I have become more interested in the traditions of Christianity, so I am going to give it a shot this year.

I decided to give up political discussion. It's always been something that caused me to get needlessly upset, but I simply "could not stop" because it is "important". I'm not sure what effect giving it up will have on me, or if it's even lent-appropriate, but it will be an interesting experiment at the very least. This unfortunately has meant that I will have to stop watching some of my favorite comedy shows, and some of my favorite blogs/twitter feeds that aren't focused on politics, but bring it up often enough that it will be a problem.

Wish me luck, it will likely be difficult to avoid.

[samurai10]

I'm doing it this year. (I've done it every year actually, but whatever XD)

I'm giving up everything that has to do with computer except school stuff, email, (I'm not gonna survive without email. O.O) and RPing and PMs on here.

Which means you won't see me in the chat room anytime after today until Easter, and you're not gonna see any posts in any forums other than RPG forums.

So...yeah. XD

[ADXC]

I did it last year by giving up soda and sweet tea. It was really one of the hardest things I had to do despite of all the other challenging papers and tests I did.

Honestly, giving up sweet tea was the worst part about it. In the South, it really is a part of daily life. XD


As of now, I don't believe I'll be participating this year. XD I have enough stress as it is. If I could give up stress, I would. But I'm not quite sure how you just give up stress. Maybe by becoming a monk and praying under a waterfall, but I don't believe that would do much. XD

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Going to an Ash Wednesday mass as soon as I finish this post.

Last year I gave up sweets/desserts, and this year I am broadening the umbrella to include junk food. I eat a lot of drive-thru and/or gas station foods, so this will definitely be a change. I will be praying and meditating on Christ's suffering/sacrifices quite a bit to get me through, but, well, that is the point of the season of Lent.

[Mouse2010]

I always do Lenten penance; sometimes it's a thing I give up, and sometimes it's a thing I do. This year I'm doing a two-part Lenten penance. I'm giving up something pretty minor, and I'm doing something. The doing something part is that I'm going to do some religious reading every day. I used a lot more theological or devotional books than I do now. In fact, I don't really read much of anything spiritual now, so I'm hoping this will help. My theme is going to be "love," so I might start reading C.S. Lewis's The Four Loves. I read it years and years ago and don't remember much about it.

Some years in the past I've given up a favorite forum or something like that, but I don't think I've ever tried to give up the internet entirely. I'm not really good at doing big Lenten penances . . . just small things! (For instances I find the thought of giving up coffee to be a bit scary, but I know that my father has done that more than once.)

I want to observe lent this year...though I'm not sure what to give up. Any ideas?

Just in case no one's said it already, a Lenten penance doesn't have to be something you give up. You can also choose something to do everyday that you don't normally do. It might be a certain amount of prayer, or a certain act of charity. (Example: giving words of encouragement to at least one person EVERY DAY. I don't know about you, but I'd find that to be hard.)

If you do give up something, you can try to give up a habit rather than a luxury. One year, my husband decided that instead of grumbling at drivers who annoyed him, he would bless them. I think he found it to be surprisingly difficult to change that kind of habit of mind.

[aliveinHim]

List of ideas to give up for lent:

1.)Facebook
2.)Computer time
3.)Soda
4.)Fast food
5.)Desserts
6.)TV/movies/YouTube/Hulu, etc.
7.)Alcoholic beverages
8.)Video games

Here are some things off the top of my head. If you really want to do a for real lent fast like what Jesus did in the desert, don't eat for 40 days. The problem with lent is that you're giving up but what are you replacing it with? When my best friend was over last night, we came up with the idea of stop/start. You stop an addiction but replace it with prayer, Bible reading, etc.

[Okami]

The problem with lent is that you're giving up but what are you replacing it with? When my best friend was over last night, we came up with the idea of stop/start. You stop an addiction but replace it with prayer, Bible reading, etc.

This is precisely what the Bible says, the example given being that of a theif replacing his theft with the work of his hands. This is what I am doing in taking out negativity in my life and replacing it with positivity. I actually had a friend yell at me for being positive the other day (and she is like queen-of-positive, so for her to say that and for me to out-positive her was hilarious. )

Im also doing a mirror fast (this week and moving beyond if needed) so I can take time out to throw out negative body image issues I have and learn some self-control in messing with my acne and learn to take care of my skin.

[Nami]

This is precisely what the Bible says, the example given being that of a theif replacing his theft with the work of his hands. This is what I am doing in taking out negativity in my life and replacing it with positivity. I actually had a friend yell at me for being positive the other day (and she is like queen-of-positive, so for her to say that and for me to out-positive her was hilarious. )

Im also doing a mirror fast (this week and moving beyond if needed) so I can take time out to throw out negative body image issues I have and learn some self-control in messing with my acne and learn to take care of my skin.

Wow, that's a good way to observe Lent. O_O I really should considering doing that. >>; I'm so negative. XD It'd be a real struggle *hums* But that's incredible~ ^_^

[LadyRushia]

Last year was the first time I participated in Lent. I gave up anime, meaning I didn't watch it, took all my pictures and stuff down in my room and hid them, and took all the anime/Japanese music off of my iPod. At the same time, I went to a Lent Bible study every week in my building. It was a really cool experience and it's nice to prove to yourself that you can go without something you really like.

This year, I'm participating in this thing on Tumblr with a friend of mine where we write a psalm each day.

[aliveinHim]

[quote="Nami (post: 1464351)"]Wow, that's a good way to observe Lent. O_O I really should considering doing that. >>]

I've struggled with negative body issues for years. I've finally learned how to accept myself for who I was and not try to make sure that other people think I'm pretty. Now, I don't care if the whole world thinks I'm atrocious because I know I'm pretty. Mirror fasting is a great idea though. We do seriously get OCD about how we look.

[shooraijin]

One year, my husband decided that instead of grumbling at drivers who annoyed him, he would bless them.

I think I would have liked to have seen that. o_O

[ShiroiHikari]

I don't really observe Lent.

[Adorima]

Great thread Rock Lobster!

This lent I gave up excessive time (more than 1 hour about) on internet friendsharing websites (which is this one too)/forums. It's been successful for the most part, I check my facebook sometimes, but I don't comment. First I wanted to give up all non-school related websites, and I did it for 2 weeks but I realized that was unrealistic for me because most of my hobbies have to do with the internet (music and writing or drawing namely). So I'm limiting my time on non-school related websites, though I still enjoy them for a time.

Though during the Holy days the (Thurs-Sat before Easter Sunday) I only think it's appropriate and moreover to give up all music and my other for-fun things and instead spend that time in prayerful consideration about Jesus' suffering and how it's unavoidable as his disciples that we suffer too. You get a taste of that when you spend some time in prayer even if you'd rather be doing something else. In a very practical way this disciplines our run away-desires who want to run our body, and in a more mystical way, this will convert your heart to turn more towards Jesus' will and will knock on the hearts (in God's time) of others you meet and pray for too.

I think my efforts haven't been in vain even though I changed my sacrifice half-way through lent. I found out I've been posting a lot of things in order to glorify myself. If someone attacks me, I corrected them with the hopes of shaming them and making them impressed with me, which I think is not up for us to hope for or control. It's pride really.
Going to have mass at the Planned Parenthood helped and having people give us the middle finger, or give us the thumbs up in support, having some people attack my faith without retaliating was really instructional in what my attitude as an evangelist should be - sharing my faith, and correcting misrepresentations, but never with the intention to hurt back.

[TopazRaven]

Um...wouldn't you die or in least become very seriously ill if you didn't eat anything for 40 days? I don't think I'll be doing anything this year, though I'll keep lent in mind for next year. Gonna be honest guys. I kind of forget about this holiday. My mom reminded me.

[Atria35]

Yes, you would indeed die if you didn't eat for 40 days. That would be incredibly unhealthy and dangerous. The fasting varies from church to church- some allow only one full meal during the days you 'fast', or you fast only one day a week and Ash Wednesday. If you do several days in a row, you still need to drink water, and perhaps have liquids such as juice with honey (no soda) or veggie broth.

But you never go completely without food.

[Davidizer13]

Fasting for that long (or close to it) is possible - my parents mentioned there was a couple at a church they went to who did it for 30-40 days, surviving on a Tabasco-honey concoction and water (maybe juice too?), and they ended up having to make themselves eat, just because they had gotten used to not eating. I wouldn't do something like that myself, but it can be done.

[TopazRaven]

*Shudders.* I could never imagine doing such a thing. If I fast from something next lent it's definitly not going to be from food. Even the thought of fasting for a day gives me nightmares. I'm so selfish. *Shakes head at self.*

[Roy Mustang]

Yes, you would indeed die if you didn't eat for 40 days. That would be incredibly unhealthy and dangerous. The fasting varies from church to church- some allow only one full meal during the days you 'fast', or you fast only one day a week and Ash Wednesday. If you do several days in a row, you still need to drink water, and perhaps have liquids such as juice with honey (no soda) or veggie broth.

But you never go completely without food.

This is true. The fasting for Catholic church is to fast on Fridays and Ash Wedesday and it is one full meal that day or two small meals and those meals for Friday and Ash Wednesday is that you don't eat meat that day other then fish. But this rule is up to the person as the church is now rethinking this idea about the no meat on Friday other then fish.

Down the road, it maybe just one full meal a day for fasting and that you can eat meat those days or they change it to that you can't eat fish on the days that you fast.

[Atria35]

Fasting for that long (or close to it) is possible - my parents mentioned there was a couple at a church they went to who did it for 30-40 days, surviving on a Tabasco-honey concoction and water (maybe juice too?), and they ended up having to make themselves eat, just because they had gotten used to not eating. I wouldn't do something like that myself, but it can be done.

But from a nutritional standpoint, they would be suffering from vitamin and mineral deficiencies. There's no way they'd get all the nutrients that they needed from that diet- again, something that's very unhealthy and could potentially cause death.

It would have provided the calories they needed to keep their bodies from eating themselves.

I would still not recommend ever doing that.

[ADXC]

So I guess this is where we get the term "Fish Friday" from.