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Original poster

Lent

48 replies

IorekByrnison · 23/02/2009 15:31

So I've been thinking about Lent and feeling a little dissatisfied with the secular version of Lenten Observances that you see about the place, ie using the 40 days to break a habit, usually with the ultimate aim of being thinner/healthier/richer etc at the end of it.

Would love to hear what Lent (or any other fast for that matter) means to other people, what everyone is planning to do or not do between Pancake Day and Easter, and why.

OP posts:
Original poster
IorekByrnison · 23/02/2009 16:53

Is nobody giving up anything?

OP posts:
karala · 23/02/2009 18:22

I am giving up booze which is going to be quite hard because whilst not pouring wine on my cornflakes, i do drink more than is healthy and I also drink every day. It's become more and more apparent to me that I push things to one side because a couple of glasses of wine tend to soften the edges and I'm aiming to go for the 46 days with edges that aren't so soft. Really, I'm hoping that I can find out a bit more about myself, my relationships with the family and my friends and maybe come out the other end having challenged myself and being a bit nicer.

Original poster
IorekByrnison · 23/02/2009 18:27

Karala, that's lovely and makes a lot of sense. I hope it goes well.

(Will you be having a bucket of wine instead of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?)

OP posts:
Threadworm · 23/02/2009 18:31

Are you giving anything up Iorek? Despite my yearnings to find meaning in religion, I can't find any way into Lent that isn't, as you say, just parasitising a spiritual practice for secular gain.

Original poster
IorekByrnison · 23/02/2009 18:41

Yes that's just the thing that seems a bit wretched to me, threadworm. I'm not sure yet.

OP posts:
mersmam · 23/02/2009 18:45

If you're interested in doing something extra for Lent that's 'non-secular' there's going to be a Mumsnet Bible study from Wednesday in the religion and spirituality section...
Other than that I've printed out a Lenten calendar with something inspiring to do every day (there are loads of them online).
Have given up just about all my secular vices anyway as I'm pregnant

mersmam · 23/02/2009 18:47

Here is the thread about the bible study!

Original poster
IorekByrnison · 23/02/2009 18:57

Thanks mersmam - will peek in. Congratulations on the pregnancy.

OP posts:
mersmam · 23/02/2009 19:04

Thanks Iorek
I agree with your OP by the way, I've always found it annoying when people say they're giving something up 'for lent' and in reality their main aim is to loose weight or something similar.
A friend of mine gave up TV a few years ago and I thought that was quite a good one... I suppose the most admirable thing to give up (in my opinion) is time that you waste on things which are not beneficial and use it instead for more worthwhile things...
I gave up ebaying last year and may do the same again - and if I was REALLY good I would use the time I'd otherwise be spending on ebay to read the bible for the mumsnet discussion!!

Threadworm · 23/02/2009 19:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mersmam · 23/02/2009 19:38

Oh Threadworm

Perhaps the best thing you could do for lent is to start looking for the good things about yourself and celebrating them? I'm sure that God would want that of you.

mapleleaf · 23/02/2009 20:30

Our priest was going on about lent shouldn't just be about giving something up for lent, but indeed a time for taking on something new. Something like going to a weekday mass, or walking the stations of the cross, going to confession etc. It was a simple but powerful message IMO

ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 23/02/2009 20:37

I don't like the giving up something for lent,
Last year I really focussed the time on not gossiping, I don't think that generally I am a gossip but it isn't until I decide to stop that I realised that I don't know where the line is between talking to close friends about mutual friends and unpleasant gossiping.

This year I have been spending more time dealing with myself in the hope that by September my Mental health will be better and DH has been amazing support to me, for the period of Lent I am going to focus on my relationship with DH and to ensure that "we" are as important as I am. If that makes sense.

Original poster
IorekByrnison · 23/02/2009 21:55

Threadworm, you display such wonderful kindness, intelligence and sensitivity on here, and the fact that you manage to do so while feeling so thoroughly rotten is a truly remarkable thing. If you're going to give up anything for Lent I'd say you should try to give up setting impossible standards for yourself, and instead extend to yourself the same generous understanding which you regularly extend to others. (Easier said than done and all that, and probably rather impertinent of me to say it in the first place...)

This might be a very secular way of looking at it, but is it the case that one of the key things about Lent (and other kinds of fasts) is to do with freeing ourselves from the compulsions that tend to drive us in our daily lives, in order that we might live more consciously and act with clearer sight? Would be interested in a religious perspective on this.

OP posts:
Swedes · 23/02/2009 22:16

I'm going to do two hours of gardening (at least), every day during Lent. Come rain or shine. If I am ill or unable on any day, I will make it up.

I am also giving up Mumsnet for Lent, as I did last year. I will still be annoying you from time to time by email.

Threadworm - please don't be glum.

BYthePowerOfGreyskull - I think that's lovely.

Threadworm · 23/02/2009 22:23

I'm siorry aout earlier post. I've asked for it to be deleted. Thanks very much for kind words.

Original poster
IorekByrnison · 23/02/2009 22:54

Don't be sorry. How about pancakes at the Spa Angst before Swedes abandons us for her petunias.

OP posts:
MaryQueenofArkansas · 23/02/2009 23:01

I'm doing this, like last year

BouncingTurtle · 24/02/2009 06:18

Oh yes, MaryQOK - I was hoping to find someone else doing this... should we start a seperate thread? It was mentioned at Church on Sunday and since I'm being all ecofriendly and what not, this is quite appealing!
I am giving up chocolate too.
My DH also mentioned when he came back from Bible study that some one suggested as well as giving something up, you could take something up. Like do a good deed every day or praying over a specific matter every day.
Apparently someone was mentioning that 'faith is something that lives in a box which is only opened at weekend'.I think many of us (including myself!) can be guilty of that!

karala · 24/02/2009 07:16

Yes, I like the idea of doing something positive as well as giving something up - I am also going to hang around the Lent study here. I'm off to look for a Lenten calender like Mersmam mentioned.

MrsJamin · 24/02/2009 09:13

I'm giving up facebook, and following our church's program of other, positive things to do instead, like give an hour's pay to something you wouldn't normally give to.

Swedes · 24/02/2009 09:18

Pancakes at the Spa Angst is a lovely idea.

ruty · 24/02/2009 09:35

Interesting thread. I'm not on MN much these days at father in ICU, quite sobering so not intending to do anything else for Lent really. But very interesting idea to cut out MN and do more gardening! Probably very healthy but seems like yet another lovely poster to be missed atm. i find it hard to give up something these days as was so serious about it as a child, only had to give up sweets and chocolates but for 40 days it seemed quite a herculean feat at the time. Probably reason i am agnostic now is i find it so hard to extricate what is my personal belief from what is my childhood/nostalgia/upbringing.
Threadie I didn't see your post but I am very sorry you are feeling low. you are such a bloody wonderful, sparklingly intelligent poster, rotten you are feeling down.

[what is Spa Angst? [fick] ]

Swedes · 24/02/2009 09:36

Iorek - You haven't told us about your own plans for Lent.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 24/02/2009 09:39

I think I'm going to try and find 15 minutes a day to pray and reacquaint myself with God. I so easily slip into bad habits of the occasional hurried prayer.

Not going to give stuff up, partly because I shouldnt lose weight and partly because I tend to turn it into being all about me and how wonderfully I'm doing - forgetting that actually its about God!