Lent

THE SEASON OF LENT BEGINS TODAY. 

EARLY IN OUR MARRIAGE JEFF BROUGHT TO THE TABLE THE IDEA OF GIVING SOMETHING UP FOR LENT EACH YEAR, AND IT HAS SINCE BECOME SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO, A TIME OF SACRIFICE AND DISCIPLINE.  TYPICALLY, JEFF HEADS UP THE BRAINSTORMING DEPARTMENT, AND I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HIS IDEAS WHICH CAN BE QUITE CREATIVE.  WE HAVE NOT ALWAYS GIVEN UP THE SAME THING FOR THE DURATION OF LENT, BUT IN RECENT YEARS I HAVE APPRECIATED SACRIFICING THE SAME THING, AS IT PROMPTS US TO ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND GROW TOGETHER.  IN THE PAST WE HAVE GIVEN UP SECULAR MUSIC (NO SMALL TASK FOR MY MUSIC LOVING HUSBAND), TELEVISION (ALLOWING  VIEWING ON ONLY CERTAIN OCCASIONS),  BREAD (POSSIBLY MY MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE, AND MORE.  THE YEAR I WAS PREGNANT WITH THE LITTLE MAN, JEFF TOSSED OUT THE IDEA OF SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR, GIVING UP THE COMFORT OF OUR BED.  ALL BE IT CREATIVE, I WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT SUGGESTION.  

THIS YEAR WE ARE GIVING UP MEAT.  AGAIN, MY HUSBAND'S IDEA.  SO, FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS I HAVE BEEN SCOURING MY COOKBOOKS AND LOOKING ONLINE FOR MEATLESS RECIPES THAT WOULD SATISFY OUR SOULS DURING THIS TIME OF SACRIFICE AND DISCIPLINE.  I'M EXCITED FOR THE CHALLENGE AND HAVE BASICALLY FILLED MY MEAL CALENDAR WITH NEW RECIPES FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKS.  (I will post those that prove to be especially delicious.)

LAST NIGHT WE INDULGED IN ONE LAST MEAT-FILLED MEAL, GIANT TAKE-OUT GRASS FED BURGERS AND FRITES FROM JAC'S, A COMPLETELY SATISFYING MEAL. 

WE KNOW THAT WE WILL BE TEMPTED BY THE TANTALIZING TASTE OF MEAT OVER THE NEXT FORTY DAYS, BUT KNOW FULL WELL THAT OUR TEMPTATION IN NO WAY COMPARES TO THE TEMPTATIONS FACED BY OUR LORD IN MATTHEW 4:1-11.  OUR DESIRE IS THAT THIS SMALL SEASON OF SACRIFICE IS MORE THAN SIMPLY GIVING UP THE LIKES OF BURGERS, CHICKEN AND STEAK.  BUT, SERVES AS A TIME OF REFINEMENT AND RENEWAL AS WE REFOCUS OUR THOUGHTS ON THINGS ABOVE.  

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON LENT SEE - www.churchyear.net/lent.html