Lent 2021

Lent has begun and in the past, I have kept with the tradition and given up something for the forty days.  One year it was coffee, if you know me, you know I never stood a chance that year but I was able to cut back the amount I had daily.  Sugar was another Lent of failure as I just could not stay away from its tempting sweetness.  A few years back I gave up giving up something for Lent but instead looked to add new habits to my life that I could continue well past the Lenten season.  That first year I decided to make time to read the Bible every night before bed.  I enjoyed this new time of solitude and reflection but there were a few times I was not home and turned to my Bible app.  It is one of my favorite apps and I love the plans they offer on a wide array of topics such as compassion, forgiveness, and even Lent.  I now prefer to read in the morning and have kept up with it for over a year.  Last year I saw someone’s post on FaceBook about removing items you don’t use and donating them to a local thrift store or charity.  I love this idea and set out to purge 160 items from the house, 40 items for each person.  I intend to make this a regular Lenten endeavor as it always seems that things keep creeping back into the house no matter how many times I try to reduce the clutter.  In addition to removing clutter, this year I am going to try to get more sleep.  I often find myself up well past 11 pm and I need to get up before 6:30 am, this sleep schedule has not been the best for me.  With the additional training I am trying to do for my upcoming marathon and just overall well-being, I think it is needed.  The plan is to shut off the electronics an hour before bed, get ready for bed and then read.  I need to take baby steps with this and will shoot for 15 minutes earlier for the first 5 or 6 days and continue to move the time back 15 minutes every 5 or so days until I am going to bed at 9:30 pm.  I know that just sounds so early!  But, I am trying it, I will see how it makes me feel and decide if I want to keep the early bedtime.  Do you celebrate Lent by giving up something?  Do you have another way to recognize the season of Lent?  I would love to hear about your traditions.