Saturday Snippets: Thinking about the Disciplines of Lent

--I continue to think about Lenten disciplines, what we're adding and what we're giving up.  My Lenten discipline:  to pray for those at work who are angry.

--I didn't realize how many people are angry at work until I began praying for them.

--I know that some people are giving up Facebook for Lent; I know others who go on Facebook fasts.  I love this blog post that explains why we shouldn't give up Facebook for Lent.

--I love this quote, which originally comes from Meredith Gould's Social Media Gospel:

Christ has no online presence but yours, No blog, no Facebook page but yours, Yours are the tweets through which love touches this world, Yours are the posts through which the Gospel is shared, Yours are the updates through which hope is revealed. Christ has no online presence but yours, No blog, no Facebook page but yours.

 

 

 --Other fasts might revolve around food.  This post has interesting reflections about changing our mindset about food, rather than simply giving it up:  "A kosher Lent–a fit or proper Lent–might mean giving up the practices of individualizing–in mostly negative ways–our relationship to food: Shared abundance–not private obsession in the form of, say, counting fat grams or giving up chocolate–might be the better Lenten discipline."

--Of course, if you want a more rigorous Lenten discipline with food, it's out there.  This post describes being a more mindful shopper and mentions the Whole 30 eating plan.  In short: 

The Whole30 rules:

• No sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no honey, maple syrup, agave nectar
• No alcohol
• No grains — no wheat, corn, oats, rye, rice, quinoa
• No legumes — no beans, peanuts, soy
• No dairy
• No white potatoes
• No MSG, sulfites, carrageenan
• No “paleo-fying” baked goods and treats

--Heavens to murgatroid!  I feel cleansed just reading the list. 

--But I will not be doing that, at least not this month.  One of my grad school friends is staying with us for the week-end.  We've already walked to the beach to enjoy beer at the organic brewery and the pizza that's half price Monday-Friday.  What other treats are in store?