Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday and the first day of Lent. The traditional color for Lent is purple, signifying the days of darkness before Christ's Easter resurrection. In our church, the crosses are covered up with purple cloths and the word "Alleluia" can not be spoken until Easter. Traditionally Lent is a time of contemplation and self study before Easter. It represents the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness before he gave himself up to be crucified. During this time it is said that Satan came to Jesus three times to tempt him, but of course he was able to resist the temptations. Now, in order to prepare for Easter, people set two part goals for behaviors they would like to change in themselves. The first part of the goal usually involves a habit the individual would like to break representing a temptation for them that they would like to be able to resist, and the second part involves a skill or habit they would like to encourage. For example, someone may want to give up smoking, and exercise more, or watch less t.v. and read more books. So this year our Lenten goals are as follows:

J.B. Give up chocolate/ increase eating vegetables.
Mom Give up between meal junk food like chips and candy for healthier snacks like apples and carrots. I would also like to complete J.B.'s scrapbook for 2008 which will mean a decrease in Sim time (SAD, but notice I said DECREASE, not obliterate, because we all know how weak willed I am when it comes to Sims and the year I did TRY to give it up for Lent was a complete and utter disaster and no one wants to go through that again!). I would also like to complete another scrapbook which I have been working on since 2003.

What are your goals for Lent?


Oh. P.S. Our pancakes last night were SPECTACULAR! I took Aunt Robin's apple pie filling and mixed some of it into the pancake batter, cooked the apple pancakes up, and served them with whipped cream and caramel ice cream topping. Tasted like warm apple pie! YUM YUM YUM!