[quote:3lt424fr]Back in the day when I worked as a caterer I used to give up sweets for Lent. We used to make these 6″ cookies by the gross (at times I took inventory of over 100 trays of a dozen cookies each) and we were always free to eat at least one a day.

This year I do not know what I will give up.[/quote:3lt424fr]

mmm…makes me think of chocoloate chip cookies ” title=”Smile” />

You know, so many people so the thing where they give up sweets each year, but I have to ask – does that really bring you closer to God? Especially if you do it [i:3lt424fr]every, single[/i:3lt424fr] year? To me the sweets thing is just kind of a cop out (no offense, I’m not trying to criticize you specifically, just people in general).

A couple years ago the school newspaper at my college interviewed a few people right before Ash Wednesday and asked people what they were giving up for Lent and one girl said that she was giving up tv except for 7th Heaven because she just had to watch it. Another said she was giving up sex because her boyfriend is going to Ireland for the semester.

Here’s a link to the actual article: http://www.daily.umn.edu/articles/2002/03/04/6376

Now, I know one of the girls that I mentioned so I know this is not a fake story, but there is seriously something wrong with that picture. I mean, that was certainly not the best portrayal of what Lent is all about. That one girl really shouldn’t be having sex in the first place and the only reason that she is giving it up is because her [i:3lt424fr]boyfriend[/i:3lt424fr] is leaving the country – not her husband, but her boyfriend. ” title=”Confused” />

The other girl, Amber, is just a poor example of commitment. I mean, seriously if you are going to do something for Christ, do it all the way, don’t make any exceptions just to appease your appetites. Are Seventh Heaven and the Olympics worth more than reconciling with God? As far as I am concerned she didn’t give up tv at all!

I think the whole “giving up something for Lent” thing has been skewed and people take all these shortcuts to skirt around the issue.

Just my 2 cents.