What are you giving up for Lent?

Today we know Lent as a season of conversion: We acknowledge the ways we have turned away from God in our lives, and We focus on turning our hearts and minds back toward God. Hence the three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These observances help us turn away from whatever has distracted or derailed us and to turn back to God. Giving up something for Lent is ultimately a form of fasting. We can deprive ourselves of some small pleasure or indulgence and offer that sacrifice up to God. Or we might “give up” a bad habit such as smoking as a way of positively turning our life back toward what God wants for us.

Neela Kale

I am not Catholic. Lent has a more pronounced meaning in the Catholic church. But each year I consider what “to give up” for Lent. This year I am giving up my naps.

Yes, I said my naps.

First let me be honest that my naps are, and have been for years, out of control. I don’t take a 20-minute power nap. In fact most days it takes me longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep. So why continue to lay there? I don’t know– other than it has become my daily form of escape.

Some people might binge watch tv, or get lost in a book for a couple hours. And of course, there is online or in-app gaming. Me, I sleep. And I get really annoyed, anxious, and downright upset if I don’t get one daily. It can be all afternoon or all evening… but I want my nap.

In the above quote, Neela says: “These observances help us turn away from whatever has distracted or derailed us and to turn back to God.”

Napping takes me out of myself and this world. It is a distraction that derails my life from being useful to God or even to those around me.

Giving up food would not be a big sacrifice for me– okay health-wise it would be because I am diabetic so skipping meals is not good for my blood sugar. However, saying that, I do skip meals frequently. The time spent skipping meals, and the mindlessness it takes in my life– would not be enough for me to feel the sacrifice for God.

Neela also says “We can deprive ourselves of some small pleasure or indulgence and offer that sacrifice up to God.“

Naps are my pleasure. Naps are very indulgent the way I do them. It WILL be a sacrifice to give them up since I have become dependent on them– not for rest mind you, but for mental breaks in life.

Wish me luck! My first test trial opportunity to sacrifice for God comes in 3 hours from now.

I have decided to actually use the daily nap time to read, reflect, and pray in order to get closer to God.

What are you giving up for Lent this year?

Until Next Time~
Blessings, Kate

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