Mardi Gras

Today is Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, the day to live it up, eat'em up before Lent begins. It is amazing to me all the people partying, and celebrating all over the television, and they admit they don't know what Mardi Gras means. Well, I guess any excuse to party is good.

Traditionally, Lent is the 40 days before Easter where we do a little soul searching, spiritual housekeeping, as it were to prepare ourselves for Easter. People are familiar with the "giving up something" for Lent. But we have three practices to nourish our souls during Lent. That would be prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

To be honest, I have often done the minimum during Lent. Once I gave up, (Fasted from) a different thing each week, so it wouldn't be too onerous. With all that is going on in the world today, and the general climate of things I feel challenged to really have a desert experience this Lenten season.

I feel very blessed, and I feel like a fraud sometimes. What have I done to deserve so many blessings? One thing that my brother , Timothy, said in a sermon in his blog, and I paraphrase, but he said people don't become big sinners overnight. They make choices, they give up their prayer time, they make excuses, ... They gradually fall away from God. ( Sorry, Tim, for the bad rendition)

I really want to spend more time in prayer this Lent. I INTEND TO DO THIS!! Also, the fasting concept is the giving up concept. Fasting from something that keeps you from God, or that you put before God. I am not telling anyone what I am fasting from this Lent until I am sure that I can do it.

With all the money I save fasting I will have more for almsgiving. See how that works?

Well, Lent begins tomorrow. Right now I am planning a steak dinner for tonight. Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we shall fast!