Lent

I made the mistake of waking up ridiculously early this morning, and then I couldnt get back to sleep!! After some effort and no reward I decided that if I was awake at this foul time of the day, then I might as well do something unproductive, like put the T.V. on.

So I got up and switched on the T.V. After channel surfing across infomercials, the American version of the Today Show/Sunrise, and some of those early morning religious programs, Sunrise came on and I was greeted by Kochie informing us that it was, and I quote, "Pancake Tuesday".

My response directed at the T.V. screen, possibly less Christlike than normal give the fact that I much prefer to be sleeping at this time of day, was the correction "It's Shrove Tuesday!!!"

But as consciousness and cognitive ability began to warm up a bit I began thinking about the concept of Shrove Tuesday and Lent, something I had been thinking about since last week when I received a reminder from my local Pancake Kitchen informing me of $5 short stacks all day.

It's kind of funny really, traditionally during Lent people will give something up for the 40 days from Ash Wednesday through to Palm Sunday, in memory of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. Often we give up luxuries like T.V. or chocolate or the like, but in the 'olden' days the people would give up much more, even staples like eggs, milk and sugar!!

Shrove Tuesday then was a day of permissable gluttony where people would cook pancakes and other delicious foods to use up the last of the stores before entering the Lenten period.

So today there are probably people out there gutsing down their last chocolates, watching the last of the T.V. and doing the last whatever before they give it up for lent.

This got me thinking though, is it really sacrifice when we fully plan to restart whatever it is as soon as this whole Easter thing is over and done with??

So this year I'm revolting, although some would argue that I have been revolting for years. Instead of giving up some token thing for the next 40 odd days, this year I am choosing to rededicate my life to God, and offering my whole life as an act of Sacrifice.

Will you join me this year and instead of giving up something for lent, will you give up your life to God??