Shoelaces

 “This is the Easter message, that awakening is possible, to the goodness of God, the sacredness of human life, the sisterhood and brotherhood of all.”

— Anne Lamott

When Peanut and I discussed the purpose of fasting for Lent, she immediately knew she wanted to fast from her Happy Meal. Once a week, just Peanut and I pick up lunch (her favorite, a happy meal) and bring it home and have a movie picnic in our living room. We both look forward to it.

She decided that she would remember each time she thought about the happy meal lunch to spend that time thinking about Jesus.

Every year I have a bit of struggle with what to embrace for Lent.

Some years I have fasted from foods, caffeine, social media, etc.

Other years, I have taken on something for Lent - a purposeful decluttering project, a connections challenge where I've made a personal contact every day of Lent, etc.

This year I decided that I would fast from spending. With the exception of necessary grocery items (and those are only things need to stretch what we already own into meals), I would not buy anything for the 46 days of Lent.

On day 1 I had to buy a pair of baseball pants. Out of the (what seems like hundreds) pairs of baseball pants we own, we did not have the "long white with a black stripe down the side" variety in his current size.

On day 2 the dog ate my shoe laces. He had chewed on them many times (while my shoes are on my feet, yes he's signed up for obedience evaluation soon) but on day 2 he full ripped them off. I could not tie my shoes.

While we definitely have enough money to buy shoelaces, I decided that my intent of Lent is to experience the sacrifice of learning to make do. Each time I want to purchase something to make my day easier, etc. - I'm going to remember the sacrifice of the cross and I'm not.

I found an old pair of shoes, took the shoe laces out, put them in these shoes - and kept on walking.

On day 3, my vacuum cleaner broke. I plugged it in, we were cruising with the vacuum (all the while Mo barking) and all of the sudden the power cut. Finished. Not ideal, but it's okay. We keep an old one in the basement to vacuum down there. I decided for the length of Lent, I could carry that one up/down the stairs as needed. A little extra exercise couldn't hurt.

Vacuum number two literally fell apart when I turned it on. The screws, the bottom, it whirred, it died.

REALLY?

As I carted the second vacuum out of the house, I jokingly though to myself "Perhaps Jesus wanted me to give up exercising and cleaning instead?"

Day 6 I took the dog to the prepaid grooming session I had scheduled and found out they would not groom him.

So my choices were to either hire someone else (and thus violate my no spend) or cut him myself until Lent is over.

So if you see my dog, just smile. Yes, his mother cut his hair.

Day 7 amazon delivered Peanut's upcoming bday present (ordered before the spending freeze of Lent) - and SD ran it over with the car. A sign that nothing is supposed to come into our house these 46 days?

I'm reminded today that fasting isn't supposed to be easy.

If we gave up something that was easy, it wouldn't draw us to the cross.

It's supposed to challenge us. It's supposed to come up more than once a day - we're supposed to feel the loss.

I'm learning a lot just 7 days in.

Like I may need to block amazon on my computer- it's way too easy to find what I "need" without taking the time to make sure I can't make do otherwise.

I put a chart on my fridge where I'm writing down every penny spent and where - accountability.

Mama Warriors, I read a book recently that suggested we fast one day a week.

Perhaps if taking on the full 40 days is too overwhelming, you can pick one day a week to refrain from something . Anything.

What could you give up to draw you closer to the cross?