Did you give up chocolate?

I rode the elevator with a girl from work yesterday, she looked at me and said, "Oh, I don't want to give up chocolate, I just can't!".  I smiled at her and told her "Don't! Just be nice to others". 

For the past several years I have not "given up" anything for Lent.  I never really felt like it did anything for me except make me cranky that I was "giving up" something I liked. The idea of not eating my favorite foods/sweets or drinking my favorite alcoholic beverage didn't register with the meaning of Lent.  But all those years I knew I was missing something.  I felt like I wasn't fully embracing the spirit of Lent.  But what was I missing?  Then last year, toward the end of Lent someone or something (can't remember) gave me the idea that instead of giving up something I liked perhaps I could give up negative emotions like jealousy, judgementalness, hate.  WOW.  That idea appealed to me so much that I asked myself, Could it be possible that I am so full of negative emotions that I need to "give them up" for Lent? Could jealousy, judgementalness and hate be so commonplace in my every day life that consciously overcoming these emotions help me embrace the true meaning of Lent? The sad answer is... well, yes. 

As this Lenten season begins I'm finding that it is not so easy to conquer and prevail over these emotions.  I don't feel them everyday but they do come up-- sometimes at work, sometimes at home, sometimes when I'm alone.  But I am excited at the prospect that I can work on "giving up" these awful negative feelings so I can become closer to God and fully celebrate His Resurrection and at the same time become a little bit of a better person.  I think God is with me on this because I have really been feeling his presence in my life lately.  Yesterday I found a really cool website http://www.bustedhalo.com/.  It has a Lent calendar and everyday it features inspiring quotes and ideas on how to carry out the Lenten disciplines of fasting, almsgiving and prayer.  Well, I just LOVE IT!  I couldn't have found it at a better time!

Today the calendar featured a quote from Mother Teresa:

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish the He didn't trust me so much. Whoa, amazing isn't it?

Today's three suggestions for the Lenten disciplines are:

Fast from self pity and complaining

Pray for God's help in handling something difficult in your life

Give a kind word to someone who lacks confidence

I hope you visit this website because it has some really cool stuff-- right now my favorite is the Lenten calendar.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow's inspiration.  Thanks for listening and I hope and pray that your road this Lenten season will also bring you closer to God.