Shrove Tuesday

I got my fill of pancakes and breakfast food tonight at the youth-sponsored pancake breakfast in honor of Shrove Tuesday (ie. Fat Tuesday) tonight.  I always forget where the word "shrove" comes from and what it means.  My husband tells me it's from the word "shriven" in the sense of one having been shriven of their sins (after confesion and forgiveness).  It's still not a word that I add to my everyday vocabulary.

Today I got a call saying I was accepted into the National Children's Study.  Have you heard about the study? It's a huge government supported study getting under way around the nation that will study the effects of the environment on children's health from before birth to age 21.  There are 105 locations around the US and they plan to enroll 100,000 kids in the study.  If there's a site in your area, you can find out if you are eligible as well.  The call told me that I was eligible and I consented to participate in the first phase of the study. One of the requirements for the second phase is to get pregnant, of course....ha, ha. If only it was that easy.  I think it's exciting to be a part of research (I'm also a study participant with my Napro doctor) and I'm all about helping others to find out more about health issues.   

On to Lent....for me participation in Lent is not a requirement, but something I voluntarily do to further enhance or develop my spiritual life. The 40 days  (not counting Sundays) from Ash Wednesday to Easter are a great time for me to meditate on the life of Jesus, reflect on my sin and shortcomings, and journey with Jesus to the cross and the tomb.

My prayer buddy must be working over time already because I have come up with my plan for Lent, and I'm so excited.  For me, I enjoy participating in Lent because it's a short amount of time and I do fairly well being focused for a short time.

I found a Lent devotional online (for free!) that looks at the whole Gospel of John through the season and talks about light shining in darkness. I have a lot of darkness in my life, so the light of Jesus shining through is much needed, and it's a great visual for me to think about.

I also decided I'm going to give up something and add something. I decided to "add" reading a book that I've started several times.  The book is "A Graceful Waiting" and talks about the "gifts" waiting brings- from wondering to wallowing to wrestling to widsom to worship (there are 11 w's- 1 for each chapter). Waiting and patience are not things I'm very good at and reading through the book will help me to reflect on how I've dealt with waiting (not very well) and the attitude I've had towards God as a result (not a very good one).

What I wanted to give up was a little harder to come up with. I thought about giving up caffeine (no, I might need to be extra alert for my job), facebook or the internet (no way, couldn't do that), sugar (too hard to eliminate), and dessert (nope, I'm heading to New Orleans next week and I want beignets).  But then I started thinking....I don't have to give up something food related.  How about giving up complaining and grumbling. And it was as if a lightbulb went off...ding, ding, ding.  That's it! I'm such a pessimistic person, while my husband is the eternal optimist, it will do me some good to give up complaining (and it'll also be a challenge).  So that's what I'm giving up.  No more complaining or grumbling about work, people, etc.  In fact, Psalm 118:24 is the positive take on what I'm giving up- "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."  Hopefuly by giving up complaining I'll be more full of joy (Easter joy, perhaps) at the end of this Lenten season.