What are you doing for Lent? - Page 2

[CherryBomb]

I'm Roman Catholic so I'll be fasting and abstaining on Fridays, though I discovered yesterday that being 6 weeks pregnant and trying to do a traditional fast was not going to work (I got dizzy and tingly and nearly passed out, dh freaked...) so I'll have to modify it some, I'll still do two small meals and one full meal, but I'm either going to have to make my small meals larger or add in a snack.

We have a book of devotionals for the different Church seasons that we'll use every day, we do the CRS Operation Rice Bowl too, including the stuff on their calendar that comes with it. Stations of the Cross at least once, and I really need to try to get to daily Mass a couple times a week. Dh isn't working now so I don't have an excuse.

I gave up facebook because I'm entirely too addicted to it. I hope to use that time for prayer and reflection instead, which I should have been doing anyway.

Oh, I want to increase my devotion to the Stabat Mater during Lent, too.

[Comtessa]

Originally Posted by Bunnyflakes

But food, oh, the food. How I wish I could give up food for 40 days. My doctor isn't on board with me fasting in general. I have tried for a day before but I get so dizzy and feel faint. I think most of it is my weak spirit, more than anything else.

Bunnyflakes, if you honestly feel that your relationship with food is unhealthy, perhaps it makes sense to shape a Lenten fast around this theme. I, too, get dizzy and faint if I fast completely, and since I'm nursing I've decided not to try it at all, but I really appreciate the spiritual value of fasting from food. So, since I can't fast completely, I'm very aware of the kind of foods I will eat when I'm fasting. During fast days I don't snack at all, and eat only very healthy food that will give me enough strength to get through the day. No "extras."

IMO, fasting for religious reasons is less about food and more about awareness. Some ways I have found that you can fast from food without making yourself sick might be:

• fasting from all beverages other than water, like a PP mentioned - that's a really good one!
• fasting from "comfort eating"
• fasting from all the unconscious eating - this is more about intentionality than anything. Commit to sitting down at a table to eat, praying before the meal, focusing only on the food and/or company (no TV or other distractions during mealtime). Treat each meal with gratitude as though it were a great feast.
• fasting from any addictive foods (for me this list might include coffee, processed sugar, cheese, chocolate, alcohol, and butter)
• fasting at a certain time every day - i.e., between lunch and dinner - so it's not a "full" fast but you still have the opportunity of offering up your hunger in prayer.

[umsami]

For the Mama who can't fast, in addition to the PP excellent suggestions, two more:

In the Coptic church, during period of fasting, they are basically vegan. So, it's not like you can't eat, it's just no meat, dairy, eggs, cheese, etc.

In the Muslim faith, if you can't fast for whatever reason during Ramadan, then you pay to feed a hungry person for each day you can't fast. A lot of people take this to the next level, by working in a soup kitchen for the month, while also donating money to help buy food for the soup kitchen.

[ursusarctos]

Originally Posted by umsami

In the Muslim faith, if you can't fast for whatever reason during Ramadan, then you pay to feed a hungry person for each day you can't fast. A lot of people take this to the next level, by working in a soup kitchen for the month, while also donating money to help buy food for the soup kitchen.

That is very cool! I had no idea.

[Bluegoat]

For Lent this year as far as food goes we are giving up meat and alchohol, and desserts except for things like fruit. In the past I've given up dairy but I am nursing two at the moment and am constantly ravenous, and I don't think it would be great to give up such a large source of calories.

I am also doing a journal/study of the collects and readings for Lent from the lectionary.

My church is doing a Lenten program I wish I could do, called "Praying the psalms with St Augustine, which I can't attend, and I'm so disappointed. But I am thinking of taking a stab at the psalms, which I have never really read in an organized way. I'll have to get organized soon though if I'm going to do it.