We are a Presbyterian family. Well - my husband "converted" from Episcopalian many years ago. And when I say "converted" - it's not like he had to take classes and jump through any hoops, fill out paperwork to do so. But we found a church we all like - after a year of "church shopping" back when the boys were still real young...
Presbyterianism aside - I decided to take on "Lent" a few years back. I started "giving up" something that a lot of gals couldn't/wouldn't fathom to give up. Fingernails. I quit getting my nails done every 2-3 weeks with the acrylic stuff. I have paper thin fingernails to start and was a nail biter until the boys were all born. Then I didn't have enough time to bite them anymore. But even so, if the wind blows, I sneeze, turn on the TV, or think about folding laundry - they'd split or break. They peel, they split, they are stupid fingernails. So I had fakies for a very long time and I gave them up. It's not like it's a daily thing, but it was a start... So that's what I gave up. And I've never gone back. I had 3 really great years with my own nails and some supplements that seemed to help - but after my last "girl" surgery - and my once again messed up hormonal "system" - they're back to shit. That's right... shit. Left hand nails are longer than right hand which can't catch up because they split/peel/bend/break/snag more than the left. But - I don't bite them and that's when they looked their worst. So, they're short as shit, but they're there. Shout out to my mother for giving me her genetics on these. Better that - than her pronunciation of the words: measure, pleasure and treasure.
After I gave up my fingernails - the next three or four years I followed suit of a family friend of ours and gave up pop. That's a pretty big feat - and I succeeded at it every year. It got to the point that when the time came I could have one, I didn't really want one - and when I had one, it was too sweet and didn't satisfy me. I'll have a pop occasionally now - but it's certainly not like it was when I had to have it to sustain myself to deal with three teenage boys, The Dad and however many animals we had at the time.
I never drank coffee - and technically I still don't drink coffee... as it were. But 7 years ago - when we had morning workout buddies (The Kinns) we would go to Starbucks after our workouts where Tami got us hooked on lattes... There haven't been many days since then, that we've gone without. If I were smart - I'd give up lattes and start doing my fingernails again... it would save me money! So a few years ago I tried to give up my daily - tall, nonfat, with whip (what's the point of nonfat if you're still getting the whip?), cinnamon dolce latte. And I went about 3 days before Jeff (and I) found my mood to be... ummm... well, like really bad pre-menstrual syndrome... which I hadn't had in a gazillion years due to my fairly regular girly surgeries. So - my "Lent" suffered that year. And I think the following year after.
Now last year - I didn't partake because by the time I remembered Lent, I was nearly halfway through it. That's uhhh... pretty pathetic. And brilliant!
But today - I remember. And today I am "forced" to give something up. I could take the easy way out of this blog goal and give it up for 40 days, but then I technically don't reach that goal... in November. I can tell you now - I REFUSE to give up my latte... it's not worth it - to anyone around me. I don't have any shopping "issues" on a consistent basis, because I hate shopping. So, I'm stuck. What will it be. Or what can I take on that I haven't done or don't usually do?
I think I've got it - and it's going to take some work. I'm going to take something on versus waxing the only thing that I could really remove from my daily schedule... which would be tough. But so will what I take on. I am not going to disclose what it is right now, though I will tell The Dad - so he knows, and I'm going to have to ask for an exception for the days we are on vacation, because we will be out of the country and I will be unable to perform this "task" while there... But by then I'll give it up, because I'll either be doing really good, or have failed miserably. And while it might not seem like such an undertaking to the outsider, remember, to each of us, things are often differently perceived.
So... Happy Lent everyone!
Got anything you will give up? Or better yet, take on?
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