In the midst of awards season and fashion week, it's so easy to get caught up in the pretty little things I see on a daily basis. I'll often find myself day-dreaming of beautiful new pieces hanging in my closet or brainstorming creative outfits for events. But this week I'm focused on something more important: God. I'm a pretty private person when it comes to my faith, but as I'm Catholic and tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, it seemed appropriate to share a few tid-bits with you.
Honestly, I'm probably one of the worst Catholics ever. I don't attend church as often as I should, and I find myself praying most often when I'm feeling lost or am in some sort of bind. It's a relationship I've been more conscious of lately and really want to strengthen. But for some reason, whenever Lent comes around, I devote myself to it completely. In part it makes me feel closer to God, and over the past couple years it also helps me feel more connected with my mom.
Growing up, Lent was something my family always participated in. I can imagine the concept would be difficult to explain to three small kids, so my mom always made it a fun experience we could all partake in together. We'd get all fired up about sharing our sacrifices with each other, and would report daily progress. And Easter was an event we always looked forward to. We'd go to church, eat a delicious breakfast, and look forward to our Easter baskets and the end of giving something up. We always knew there was something to look forward to, like if I gave up soda, there would always be a two-liter of Dr. Pepper sitting in my Easter basket.
This year, I'm giving up all sweets. I did it last year too, but to combat the craving for sweets I'd gravitate toward rich, savory foods so it basically defeated the purpose. This year, I'm challenging myself to go about it the right way. I want to really achieve something this year. More importantly, I also really want to focus on the true meaning of Lent--glorifying God and connecting with Him as often as possible.
Do you participate in Lent? If so, what are you giving up?
xx
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