Thoughts about Lent

During this week, I've found a few different sites which talk about Lent, mainly playing with the idea of Lenten sacrifice. Here's a few of them:

• Anita sent some of our class a link to an NPR program about Lent -- Father James Martin does not decide what he'll give up for lent; he lets his college roommate pick for him. It's interesting how in this story, Lenten sacrifice is viewed as penance.
• Andy Bryan, in his blog Enter the Rainbow, talks about Lent and how it is a time to rid ourselves of whatever is distracting us so that we can focus on God. I especially like his statement that Lent is not a self-improvement program.
• Anita's devotion discusses becoming a peace-bringer during Lent.
• Lorna, at See Through Faith, quotes sacred space, "Lent is about regaining control of my own life, especially in those areas that damage other people."

Apparently, a lot of people are thinking about Lent this week -- what people should "give up" or "put down." I've come to the conclusion that a Lenten discipline should be a decision reached personally for each person and is related to where each of us is in our faith journey.

For example, my older son, G, decided to give up Club crackers for Lent. He had thought to give up caffeine, but decided that this would not be hard enough -- he really only drinks caffeine on the weekend, and he wanted, as he put it, something daily. For him, deprivation of Club crackers is a big sacrifice. He snacks on crackers instead of potato chips when he gets home from school. Would giving up Club crackers improve my relationship with God? Probably not. But G decided to do it because he felt that it would be pleasing to God. And you know what? I think it would be.

So maybe that is the litmus test for Lenten discipline. Is it pleasing to God?

When I got home the other day, he had been eating Club crackers. "I thought you were giving these up for Lent," I said.

"Me, too."

Oh, well, he's 12. Even so, I'm still learning from him.