How I'm Embracing Lent This year

Lent is here which is the time of year that us Catholics give something up to reflect Jesus' time facing temptation in the desert.

Curious what I gave up?

Buying clothes for myself.

Pretty simple, right?!  Except that I love clothes and the temptation is in front of me every day thanks to Instagram and all of the beautiful gals (whom I'd love to look like. temptation.) who directly link exactly what they are wearing.  I feel like I've begun to allow clothes to reflect who I am. But, do they really define who I am?  That's what I need to spend lent figuring out.

I'm sure everyone has something like this that grabs a hold of us and temps us by saying, "just do it," "you can afford it," "who cares."

So what do I do when this temptation arises?  I turn it into something good that will strengthen my relationship with God - I pray.  Just a simple sentence or two which might be asking Him to give me strength to resist the temptation or often I find myself praying for someone else by offering up the "sacrifice" of a new shirt for me in return for a blessing that someone else needs.

It only took me 35 years to figure out that this is what this season of Lent is all about and I learned it through a book by Matthew Kelly called Resisting Happiness.  In chapter 6, on page 65, there is one sentence that sums this up: "Everything can be transformed into a prayer."

Do you know how many times I've used this?! Too many to count.  I use it to help me get through tough conversations, mundane tasks that I hate like laundry or loading the dishwasher.  The best part is that it works.  I once offered up that uneasy feeling I had about a business conversation I knew could go sound in prayer for someone who needed it.  Guess what?! Everyone won! The business conversation went fine and I prayed for someone who needed it. Transforming a temptation into prayer is a perfect alternative to saying "oh well, who cares, just do it."

In addition to giving something up and transforming my temptation into prayer I am also participating in a program by Dynamic Catholic called Best Lent Ever. It's a daily video message with a "Focus. Act. Pray." component.  It also follows the book The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity. So far I love it!  You can sign up here.

A couple of other books worth reading over the next (less than) 40 days are Resisting  Happiness and Rediscover Jesus. Both are such easy and engaging reads to help you re-connect. I liked both titles to free copies for you.

So... giving up buying clothes for myself isn't as shallow as it originally sounded.