Lent

Today is Pancake day (yey!) and that means that tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and people have started thinking about what they want to give up for Lent (boo!)...
Different people have suggested different things that they could give up and things that I could give up and I have many reasons for dismissing them...some better than others!

- Chocolate (possible but I'm already limiting my chocolate, not sure I could eliminate it!)
- Alcohol (definitely do-able but I don't drink enough for it to really be counted)
- Biscuits (don't eat many biscuits but I do enjoy them alot so definitely a possibility)
- Work (haha I wish I could!)
- Bread (no...I'm a carbs girl unfortunately...bread just can't be replaced)

and the ultimate option:
-Facebook
I'm sorry but I can't do it....one of my best friends T is doing it and all credit to her, she is potentially on it as much as I am, which is partly my fault since I peer pressured her into getting it, and I'm impressed she is doing it and will support her all the way. But I can't do it...for a whole host of reasons...ranging from 'what would happen to my farm??' to 'How would I know what events were happening?' to 'how would I know what my overseas friends were doing?'

That last one is slightly more serious, my friends in the UK could text or email me and I would be able to see them. But what about my friends overseas who can't send me a text message...or actually even my friends who are away at uni in the UK, I like to know how they are getting on without them having to text me or call me all the time.

But I suppose I could deal with that...
However the one thing I can't deal with is the fact that I have assignments due throughout Lent...during assignments I get stressed out and I use facebook as a way to let out that stress, to distract myself with silly farm-based games, to cry out to my uni friends for help...

I wish I could give it up, and people will say that I shouldn't be so reliant on a social networking site, but right now, which assignments hanging over my head and stress in my life, I want to keep the small pleasures in life (facebook, chocolate, bread...) and I don't think there's that much wrong with that.


So what to give up for Lent? I might try the biscuits thing...but ultimately I was thinking about what Lent is about, and part of it is about giving up something like alot or spend too much time on, in order to focus more on God. I think that might be the key actually...rather than trying to give something up (because I like all my small pleasures) I think I'm going to decide to take 15 minutes each day to just focus on God. This is possibly something I should be doing already, but I'll be honest and admit that I'm not.
But for Lent I'm going to...I'm going to find 30 minutes each day and spend some time with God, sometimes praying, sometimes reading the bible...and sometimes to lying alone in his presence...I think that it is also important for me to take some time each day for me too :)

This is a long blog but an important blog :) not giving something up but gaining something instead...I like that.
Much love xxx