GIVING UP FOR LENT

TODAY: Have everyone in the family write down something to do that costs nothing: Hold hands, sing a song, take a walk, whistle. Be creative. Put the cards in a box and pick one of them. You must do what it says.

I was raised in the Deep South in a town so small that everyone even knew when you went to the post office, grocery store and, for sure, church. Lent was discussed fully but never practiced in Jackson, S.C. I was in college before I ever saw someone with ashes on their forehead, and luckily that ritual was explained to me before I embarrassed myself by saying, "You have a smudge on your face between your eyes!"

When my sons were old enough to realize what Lent was, I decided that we were going to practice giving up something during Lent. We discussed everything and were clearly getting nowhere. My friend, Evie Andres, a wonderful reading specialist who was raised a Roman Catholic in New Jersey, suggested giving up television. I liked this idea.

The biggest problem with giving up television was the NCAA basketball championships. Stuart loves basketball more than eating and has since he was about 4 years old. Zachary also loves basketball and loves sitting with his big brother rooting for certain teams. I quickly realized that we would have to compromise during the tournament to allow all Duke, UVA, UNC, USC games, etc. to be seen. After two years, I gave up on this idea.

For the past 10 years, we have given up drinking sodas. Plus we have started adding things. I add drinking more water, exercising longer and daily writing in my journal; Stuart adds exercising more and getting more rest; and Zachary adds different positive things every year.

From Ash Wednesday to Easter, my sons and I discuss Lent, the Bible and God while reminding each other that we are giving up something that is not good for our bodies and adding things that make us healthier. In Romans 12:1, the Lord tells us to offer our bodies to him as a living sacrifice. But there is more. In the next verse, the Lord tells us the importance of spiritual growth as well. While we build our physical strength, we are transformed by renewing our minds. This is our Lenten journey. I look forward to it each year.

— Pam Rawlinson

Courtesy of The Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist