Lent

So Lent begins tomorrow with Ash Wednesday. I'm a little early, but I've decided to form a plan around Lent this year to hopefully make it more meaningful for me.

First things first, an explanation. Kennan and I have decided that during the 40 days of Lent (which is actually 46 because Sundays aren't included and are still supposed to be celebration days) we will not be going out to eat and we will not be consuming processed sugars. In other words, maple syrup, honey and fruit are fine. Soda is not.

At first glance this may seem somewhat run of the mill normal. A little Christian girl giving up something for Lent. But for us it is different this time. Really different.

You see, we have finances now. We've never had money to budget, this many bills to pay (10 student loan bills alone), or this kind of financial freedom. It has been 7 months and so far I would grade us with an F. Total F. Lower if possible. And we need to be better - God is calling us to be better stewards of the gifts we've been given. Better stewards of our money. Better stewards of our bodies. So we can be better givers, offer more hospitality, get out of debt sooner, save up for adoption quicker.

Our major expense is food. Not good food, but last minute feel-good food. We buy chips, soda, candy, and eat dinner out often. This is not because we are busy. It is because we are lazy. Period. And we have the money to do it, so it has remained okay financially. But it isn't okay because I have a menu plan. I have a grocery budget. And my tithe should not be affected by my laziness and my bad need for sugar and greasy gross things from a restaurant. Things that, 9 times out of 10, I could cook at home myself and they would taste better.

This is a problem. So for Lent this year we've decided to follow through on what God has called us to do. We've been putting it off and pretending it is fine for too long. So we're going to change. And it is going to be hard. Painful even.

So during Lent I've decided to keep a photo journal of some sorts. A photo journal of the good, wholesome food that God has provided us with. And a word journal along with it to describe how I'm feeling, what is happening, etc.

There are some caveats. We're going to be in Anchorage for 5 days because Kennan has classes, so we'll eat out then (it is this weekend). But still no sugar. After that, we are watching 3 little ones while their parents go on a much needed cruise. If they leave us money to take the kids out for a night (which they may) then we will do so to get the kids out of the house!

But otherwise, no giving in. I'm sort of counting those adventures as the 'Sundays' of our Lenten experience. Instead of once a week, they will just happen all at the same time.

So here we go. I'll try to post every day but I can't guarantee anything. I'm going to be a pseudo-mom for awhile after all...so you never can tell what could happen.

See you tomorrow. (And just to be brutually honest, I'm drinking a Mt. Dew right now as sort of an RIP...I'd actually like it be my last MD ever, but that may be too big a promise).