I love this blog, Momastery, and she posted a Lent challenge today to give up ingratitude.
So, starting tomorrow, everyone that follows along is to write down three things each night that they are really grateful for on that particular day. She's going to share one thing each night on Facebook and everyone is welcome to join her in the comments and share their items, too. It's really simple, but effective. I know I need it. I'm a pretty positive, happy person, but I let bad things cloud my brain sometimes, especially right before I go to bed, and make it hard to feel good while I'm trying to sleep.
Anyway! Giving up ingratitude. Going to make more of an effort to be grateful of things each day.
“When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a
thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the
beginning of fairies.” - J.M. Barrie Peter Pan
I have died every day waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years. And all along I believed I would find you, time has brought your heart to me. I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you a thousand more.
Really though, I don't have a clue. I usually do something food related, but I can see that turning ugly, thanks to pregnancy cravings. I do like the idea of giving up ingratitude; people tend to focus too much on the negative side of everything.
“When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a
thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the
beginning of fairies.” - J.M. Barrie Peter Pan
I have died every day waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years. And all along I believed I would find you, time has brought your heart to me. I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you a thousand more.
This year I'm not giving up anything, thanks to GD I am significantly reducing carbs and I think that's good enough. My commitment to Lent is not that great...I'm a slacker Christian.
My Bible reading has been really slacking so I'm making a commitment to read 2-3 chapters after dinner in the evenings. I guess that's giving up after dinner tv time?
Since you're pregnant you don't have to give up anything for lent. Pregnancy is excluded from it. Look it up. I'm not even catholic and I know that!
Some people still give up something when they are pregnant even though it's not required and not everyone who givessomething up for lent is Catholic, I have several friends and family members that are Methodist and baptist that give up things during lent. @bunkgirl dietary restrictions also give you a pass and GD is considered a dietary restriction.
I'm giving up candy so that way the Easter candy my mom insist on getting us still will taste so much better.
When I was young we had a priest who encouraged us not to give up something (god doesn't mind if we eat chocolate) but to do something positive instead. I'm going to put more effort into going to church each week (I've really slacked since Christmas). Although I love the above suggestion to give up ingratitude!
Since you're pregnant you don't have to give up anything for lent. Pregnancy is excluded from it. Look it up. I'm not even catholic and I know that!
From what I can tell you are only exempt from the fasting and the meat abstinence (which I actually didn't know). You can still give something up and make a sacrifice in another way. I'm not actually Catholic (DH is) but I'm still considering converting in the near future.
Yup, I'm Catholic and this is my understanding, too.
I don't like giving things up, I feel like I don't get much out of it. Instead I'm going to try to read a little bit of the Bible each day. Hoping that makes a little more of a difference for me. But no, I won't be fasting tomorrow or on Fridays.
Nada. I used to do it because friends were... but I am not Catholic and now I just try and do nice things for people every day and hope that makes a difference in the world, albeit a small one. When I did it when I was younger, I didn't get the desired effect from it. Just the braggy rights of "look what I gave up." None of becoming a better person or closer to God.
Our Father (I am Catholic) suggested giving up worry. He spoke about how worry is where we let our fears take over when we worry and fail to put our trust in God. I am a worrier by nature, so I am going to pick one thing a week that I am really worried/stressed about and pray and concentrate on letting go of some of the worry.
13 yr old boy with ASD, ADHD and PICA, 11 yr old boy, 3 yr old Girl, & baby Girl.
Oh good, I thought it started last week. Verrrrry lapsed catholic here, but I always give up something. It's more about self control for me. I've already given up tobacco and booze (which I've never been able to successfully do before!) but I think I'll give up unhealthy eating. I'm pregnant, but that shouldn't be an excuse to give in to my every desire. I'm going to start up myfitnesspal again and focus on feeding baby healthier choices...at least for 40 days
I am considering giving up sweet tea, which means I will look forward to Sunday like it's my job.
In addition to giving something up I always like to do something proactive as well. This year I think I am going to commit to getting up early enough to spend some time with a devotional every day before work.
Our Father (I am Catholic) suggested giving up worry. He spoke about how worry is where we let our fears take over when we worry and fail to put our trust in God. I am a worrier by nature, so I am going to pick one thing a week that I am really worried/stressed about and pray and concentrate on letting go of some of the worry.
I'm not Catholic, nor do I observe Lent, but this is a great idea.
Totally forgot today is Mardi Gras - need to go get my paczki tonight after work & pig out!
I'm not fasting but will abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday & Fridays by having fish (the low mercury risk varieties of course).
I guess my Lenten challenge will be to stop whining about work. Trying to keep a better attitude while I'm still here (even though things really do suck here & I'm always super stressed).
Candy and reading pregnancy message boards during the day at work. (Unless I have a symptom that's freaking me out or something like that.) I love you ladies, but I have a lot to get done before July!
I love the idea of giving up ingratitude. I'm definitely going to do that. I also want to give up red meat, and I want to make healthy, whole food choices to nourish the baby. This is something I should be doing anyway, and I am normally a health nut, but the carb monster inside of me has taken over and needs TO GO.
I'm a Lutheran and have never given anything up for Lent, but this year I am going to jump on the giving up ingratitude train. I think I do a fairly good job of being grateful, but I could definitely do better as well.
@SarahVol131, I like your idea as well. I've heard good things about "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young and it's on my list to buy.
Me: 27 DH: 30 Married in 2011 Baby 1: Stillborn at 27 weeks (April 2014) Baby 2: Due May 2016
Since you're pregnant you don't have to give up anything for lent. Pregnancy is excluded from it. Look it up. I'm not even catholic and I know that!
From what I can tell you are only exempt from the fasting and the meat abstinence (which I actually didn't know). You can still give something up and make a sacrifice in another way. I'm not actually Catholic (DH is) but I'm still considering converting in the near future.
Yup, I'm Catholic and this is my understanding, too.
I don't like giving things up, I feel like I don't get much out of it. Instead I'm going to try to read a little bit of the Bible each day. Hoping that makes a little more of a difference for me. But no, I won't be fasting tomorrow or on Fridays.
I'm not Catholic but I used to give up something for lent because my BFF and ex-H are both Catholics and it was just something I used to do.
I am Lutheran and used to read the bible every day, which I gave up the past few years when I got lazy. I want to get back in this habit, so I bookmarked this site on my phone that has short daily devotionals that take less than 5 minutes to read. It's such a short time commitment that I really have no excuse for slacking. I can pull it up anywhere, even in bed. I really have enjoyed getting back into this habit and it makes me feel good to reconnect with my faith before LO arrives. I want to baptize the baby once she's here and I felt strange doing it when I was getting disconnected myself.
Anyway, I just thought I'd throw out the phone bookmark idea if something like that will help you achieve your goal.
I don't think I'm going to give anything up for Lent this year. I have been meaning to start reading the Bible again, so I think that I am going to read a little bit every day during Lent.
I like the PP idea of easter candy. I ate 4 cadbury eggs in one sitting the other day and loved every moment of it. That will be a nice thing to look forward to on Easter
I am giving up fast food. But I am also trying to do somethign as well. I pray with my son nightly but it's more just to teach him. I am goign to make more of an effort to take time and pray on my own daily
I Love the idea of giving up ingratitude too! I'm going to be following and keeping a journal for the next 40 days. I'm also giving up chocolate though (or going to try) I've been eating way to much and the sugar isn't great for the baby, so i'm going to attempt it! Should be interesting...
I thought strongly about giving up candy. I'm normally not a sugar eater, but this little guy has turned me into a chocolate eater. Would have been a great healthy choice, but I just ate half a bag of snickers bites before reading this and realizing lent starts today... So I'm thinking of giving up complaining, which will be way harder than candy.
So, I figured out what I'm doing. I just saw it on Facebook and I'm excited! It's 40 bags in 40 days. You pick a spot in your house every day of lent and declutter/toss. Tonight, I'm starting with the cabinets above our washer and dryer.
Re: What are you giving up for Lent?
So, starting tomorrow, everyone that follows along is to write down three things each night that they are really grateful for on that particular day. She's going to share one thing each night on Facebook and everyone is welcome to join her in the comments and share their items, too. It's really simple, but effective. I know I need it. I'm a pretty positive, happy person, but I let bad things cloud my brain sometimes, especially right before I go to bed, and make it hard to feel good while I'm trying to sleep.
Anyway! Giving up ingratitude. Going to make more of an effort to be grateful of things each day.
“When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.”
- J.M. Barrie Peter Pan
married on the sweetest day 10.20.12
Chicken - 07.08.06 | Bubsy - 02.24.09 | Sunshine - 07.16.14
Your siggy is killing me. I can't stop watching it.
“When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.”
- J.M. Barrie Peter Pan
married on the sweetest day 10.20.12
Chicken - 07.08.06 | Bubsy - 02.24.09 | Sunshine - 07.16.14
5 DIUI - BFN
IVF#1 - BFP - AJ 7/12
FET#1 - BFP Due 7/24/14
Some people still give up something when they are pregnant even though it's not required and not everyone who givessomething up for lent is Catholic, I have several friends and family members that are Methodist and baptist that give up things during lent. @bunkgirl dietary restrictions also give you a pass and GD is considered a dietary restriction.
I'm giving up candy so that way the Easter candy my mom insist on getting us still will taste so much better.
I don't like giving things up, I feel like I don't get much out of it. Instead I'm going to try to read a little bit of the Bible each day. Hoping that makes a little more of a difference for me. But no, I won't be fasting tomorrow or on Fridays.
Have to and want to are two very different things.
13 yr old boy with ASD, ADHD and PICA, 11 yr old boy, 3 yr old Girl, & baby Girl.
I am considering giving up sweet tea, which means I will look forward to Sunday like it's my job.
In addition to giving something up I always like to do something proactive as well. This year I think I am going to commit to getting up early enough to spend some time with a devotional every day before work.
Totally forgot today is Mardi Gras - need to go get my paczki tonight after work & pig out!
I'm not fasting but will abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday & Fridays by having fish (the low mercury risk varieties of course).
I guess my Lenten challenge will be to stop whining about work. Trying to keep a better attitude while I'm still here (even though things really do suck here & I'm always super stressed).
@SarahVol131, I like your idea as well. I've heard good things about "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young and it's on my list to buy.
Married in 2011
Baby 1: Stillborn at 27 weeks (April 2014)
Baby 2: Due May 2016
I am Lutheran and used to read the bible every day, which I gave up the past few years when I got lazy. I want to get back in this habit, so I bookmarked this site on my phone that has short daily devotionals that take less than 5 minutes to read. It's such a short time commitment that I really have no excuse for slacking. I can pull it up anywhere, even in bed. I really have enjoyed getting back into this habit and it makes me feel good to reconnect with my faith before LO arrives. I want to baptize the baby once she's here and I felt strange doing it when I was getting disconnected myself.
Anyway, I just thought I'd throw out the phone bookmark idea if something like that will help you achieve your goal.
DD 1 10/2012
CP 9/2013
DD 2 6/2014
CP 3/2016
BFP 12/8/2016
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD