I'm giving up sugar--well, excess sugar, and specifically high fructose corn syrup (as much as humanly possible, as they do try and stick it into everything around these parts, even bread). I have some diet soda and Splenda in case I need it (sugar junkie here) but I'm trying to limit even my use of that.
I always try to pick something really hard. One year I gave up meat.
Shani, as for being able to enjoy your sacrifice on Sundays, I usually don't do that. Otherwise I'm too tempted to just not continue come Monday. The idea behind being able to enjoy it on Sunday is that it reminds you how tough it is to sacrifice on a weekly basis, and it reminds Christians of the sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross.
I also hold up the rules of fasting and actually attend church during Lent...craziness, I know. But Lent is one of my favorite times of year--I see it as a time to refocus, rechannel my energies, and cleanse myself spiritually through sacrifice, prayer, and charity. I think it is a time that everyone could use--Christian or not. Occasionally we need to be reminded that what we have today could be gone tomorrow, and we also need to be reminded to slow down and take time out. We need to be reminded that there are other people in the world besides us, and some of them need our help.
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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