Ahead of schedule

First of all, I would like to point out that I am writing about what I'm giving up for Lent BEFORE Lent starts. That MAY be a first in the history of Mighty Maggie. Usually I figure it out, oh, one to two weeks INTO Lent. 

But no, this morning I saw all the Mardi Gras tweets and spent the rest of the day Dwelling. I spent most of my dwelling time on possible Things To Give Up. Food, of course, comes to mind. Giving up the treat I get for myself when I take Molly out for her Preschool Morning Cookie. Or the extra bowls of cereal I've been eating at ten at night. Or chocolate. Or peanut butter. Or any number of things that will probably earn me gestational diabetes in a few months. My sister came over today and told me my BIL is giving up meat. I was floored. FLOORED I TELL YOU. Then she told me that last year BIL (who is Filipino) gave up rice. Rice! Then I died. (She informs me he was none too cheerful to live with either.) 

So I thought about food for a good long while and decided against Food, because 1) am pregnant and 2) I would fail. Miserably. Better to not set myself up for IMMEDIATE disaster, right? 

Then I thought about the internet, my other vice. I could give up Facebook, though that wouldn't be much of a sacrifice. I could give up blogging or Twitter or maybe just turn off comments... I seriously considered those. Then I thought: right now those are my lifelines. That would not be a sacrifice. That would just be crazy. 

And I just don't have a lot of stuff to give up. I don't think. I don't watch a lot of TV (anymore), I don't drink pop, So then I went back to food and... well, I CAN'T DO IT. 

Then I started getting sort of moody and pouty and feeling like I AM STRETCHED ENOUGH AS IT IS, GOD. HARRUMPH. 

Then I thought of St. Honorius of Amiens. St. Honorius of Amiens, if you did not KNOW, is the patron saint of bakers. Like most patron saints of things, I think his reason for being patron saint of bakers is a little farfetched, but whatever, I will take it. Anyway, I looked up St. Honorius the other day because the FPC is looking for a new job and since I'm rather lacking in the Bakery Connections department, I thought I would ask the Patron Saint of Bakers to help a girl out. WHY NOT?

It turns out I am quite enjoying this little diversion into patron saints, which started, by the way, with the Christmas Novena. I'm pretty saint-dumb, to be honest. And maybe instead of giving up chocolate or the internet, I will give up a few minutes of time every day for intentions. These need to be not for me. I do enough begging for my own self. No, this will be time to intercede for others (which, if my little church workshop seminar is to be trusted, is one of my Gifts) and to ask the communion of saints to join me. 

I'm also planning to write my prayers/intentions down because 1) I need to hold myself accountable and 2) I like to find out if prayers are answered. I probably won't be doing this online due to the Personal Nature of intentions, but obvs I will let you know how it goes. And OBVS if you would like me to pray for YOUR intention, please leave a comment or email me, I would love to pray for you. 

I suppose it isn't quite like giving up MEAT (mmm, cheeseburgers) but it is SOMETHING and that's what I've got right now. 

Comments

[Marisol Madrigal]

That's a fabulous idea! I'm going to borrow your idea. I struggle what to do for Lent this year. I'm currently under a lot of stress (grad student and primary caretaker of my parents:one recovering from cancer and the other with renal failure) and the thought of giving up something is too much right now. I need all my vices to get my through the day! *sobs*
But praying for intentions for others each day, I can do:-) Also, making more of an effort to attend Mass each week:-)

[katie]

I stopped giving up 'stuff' for Lent a few years ago. I totally get the idea of doing without something that is pleasurable, but I either slipped up mid-way and/or it always felt kind of useless in the end.

Using Lent as a time for daily prayer and prayerful reflection is what I strive to do. For me its a BIG challenge.

Your idea of devoting time for intentions is a good one.

Have you heard of the novena for Mary Untier of Knots? I just found out about it here:
http://www.desatadora.com.ar/novena-i.htm

[Kate P]

I'm a little late reading this, but--thanks for sharing such a thoughtful post on Lenten sacrifice, Maggie! This kind of bolsters my feeling on what I wanted to communicate to the group of 6th graders I advise at school. They wanted to do something that, well, was a bit self-centered, but now I'm thinking I can teach them about making a spiritual bouquet for someone. Your Lent sounds like one big spiritual bouquet, and that's lovely.

I have two special intentions (you probably could guess at least one of them), if you could remember them in your prayers I'd be very grateful. :)

[The Sojourner]

In the interests of helping you out with your penance...if you want to, you can pray for Scott to get his driver's license by Easter.

(Long story, and I can't explain without being uncharitable.)