Did you get your ashes today? What are you giving up for the 40 days?

I am giving up soda

Also, we are allowed to "cheat" on Sundays - Do You???? Or do you go the entire 40 days?

So, let me hear what you are giving up.......

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MyCoupons Is #1 for Holiday Shopping

nothing - we don't participate.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

We used to have a bunch of MC'ers who would write about how they would give up trips to Target during Lent! Anyone still do that?

Me either.

You're serious? That's hysterical!!

I went to college with a guy who said he was giving up abstinence for Lent.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

I'm sure that he wasn't serious about that but DAMN thats too funny

No ashes. Giving up nothing (for this purpose). Not Catholic (though my son goes to a Catholic HS)

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I think if he could have, he would have. But yes, he was joking.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Chocolate. And, of course, we give up meat on Fridays.

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If you're not living on the edge, you're wasting space.

I'll give up liver, sausage, bacon, oysters, clams.... oh wait i dont eat stuff anyway.... does it still count?

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Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at:
http://bookcrossing.com

My other favorites
www.paperbackswap.com
www.wheresgeorge.com
www.geocaching.com

I'm giving up soda.

I am giving up complaining and eating in-between meals, and no, no cheating on Sundays!

Nothing here either.....not catholic.....Sherri

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"It isn't that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

I am Christian but I participate in Lent - I give up saying "no" to my DH. He loves Lent season!

Huh? Did you mean "and" rather than "but?"

I gave up soda last year and that was a hard one. Almost 10:00 P.M. on the first day of Lent and I still haven't figured out what I'm giving up. Maybe I'll give up MC for 40 days? ~Lisa

smoking ... oh, wait, I don't smoke
meat ... damn, I am a vegetarian
booze ... again, not a problem

I think I need to give up being boring

Dang! I totally spaced today! I completely forgot and didn't go to mass.

I'm not sure. . .I think I will give up beer for lent. Of course that would go totally against the tradition of monks practically living on it during lent. . lol! It's either beer or fast food. . .I should probably give up both.

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

There's no way I could give up shopping for Lent. I always want to but I know I can't do it!! Since, I've put on quite a bit of weight in the last 7 years I'm going to try to give up all carryout, fast food, etc...And sweets too. What's funny though is that my son and I went for eye exams and at noon I decided to get the new double fish from McDonalds!!! lol I broke it already. Actually I decided that I would do McD's on Fridays in Lent but that's it. I'm going to try to have cereal for my sweet tooth. Rasin Bran and those fruity Cheerioes. Those are delicious. Don't know if I can do this but I'm going to try. I go straight until Easter - no giving in on Sundays!

I am giving up soda
Daughter giving up sweets
Son giving up Wii and tv dinner (But originally wanted to give up church on Sunday!!!!!!!!)

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

Im giving up chocolate as usual. One year I gave up watching Tv.. it was the hardest thing I have ever done! I dont watch tv all the time to begin with but I had to be real careful when it was on and refused to even look at the tv! lol

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Paula
Some days are diamonds Some days are stone

http://paulajc.mycoupons.com/

I went to a Lutheran college that was a seminary - (with 75% catholic students and a Jesuit priest on staff - if that makes you go huh? - give yourself a gold star). And we had a whole bunch of students who gave up being Catholic for Lent - converted to Lutheranism for 40 days. I didn't understand it then, still don't (shrug).

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Meddle ye not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crispy, and taste good with Ketchup!

I am Episcopalian and we participate in lent; my brother, who is Methodist, does the same. A wonderful priest and incredible woman, Mother Pamela, explained to me that when "giving up" something for lent, you are to take the money that you normally spend on your "vice" -chocolate, expensive coffees, alcohol, or whatever..." and set it aside to give to the needy. I think it's a great idea. Also, she said that people didn't eat meat on Fridays as a sacrifice because it was considered expensive and a luxury; now going out and having fish on Friday night can be just as expensive!!! The money that you save by eating fish or cheese sandwiches or pbj is also to be set aside to help people who are not as fortunate as you...and that doesn't mean just giving to the church. Anyway...that is how it was explained to me (simple terms for a new convert), and it really made sense. I realize it goes back a lot farther than that and that it is a time for meditation, rebirth, and cleansing...but this put it in a practical perspective for me.

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If you're not living on the edge, you're wasting space.

Yeah! this is exactly how lent is to be celebrated - Jesus didn't go into the dessert to avoid TV and soda- but to pray- and we are supposed to give personal penance and pray - and to give to the needy -That is how I tell my children to celebrate lent!
You don't have to give up something - you can do something instead- you can pray for those that are having difficult times and give extra can goods to a local food pantry

I gave up red meat. My dear ol' Mom gave up chocolate and coffee, she's done that every year for as long as I can remember. She doesn't even remember how long ago she started that, it's been that many years!

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You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one

We always participate in Operation Rice Bowl. It's put out by Catholic Relief Services. . .they have a calendar where they talk about the families they help in poverty stricken countries and then give a recipe from that country. You are suppose to put the money you save on that meal into the little cardboard rive bowl they give you, and after lent the money is donated to CRS. My kids really like it, because it's like a mini social studies lesson. The recipes are very simple but always tasty too.

Here's a link if anybody is interested. Recipes are on the bottom right.

Operation Rice Bowl

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

I'm going to try and give up , won't be easy but I'm doing good so far.

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Friends are like butt cheeks.
Crap might separate them,
But they always come back together.

About 4 years ago, I gave up Target. It broke my Target addiction. Seriously. It was extremely hard. Last year I gave up pop. I still don't drink it. This year I am giving up complaining. I am trying to see the positive in everything.

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Freedom Stands...Because HEROS Serve

Mary

I have given up chocolate and pop in the past, both are incredibly difficult for me. This year I am giving up all desserts. We don't cheat on Sundays, but my MIL and FIL do. I am allowing myself fruit, but nothing other than that. This is really hard for me because I always have to have some kind of dessert after a meal. We always do the rice bowl thing too.

My 16yr old DS informed me this morning he was giving up homework for lent.

Hmmmm, I don't think so!

Very Catholic as well, so as being a vegetarian already and do not drink soda or coffee or smoke or drink, I have decided to stop using butter, its better anyway healthwise..I wish I could give up sugar but that is one battle that is hard since I live for my hot or cold tea and it must be sweet..So for me its butter.. Peace. Catherine

Smoking!

and not just for lent! Forever!

and no we don't cheat on Sundays during lent.
Dh is with me this time! he quit also!

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I have OCCD
Obsessive-Compulsive Coupon Disorder!!!

Good for you Frannypooh!

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You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one

I'm no religion but I like the using the time of Lent to help break a habit.
This year I'm giving up fast food, and I love fast food, especially Quarter Pounders. I usually eat fast food twice a week and that's bad for my wallet and waistline. I'm doing ok so far but I'm always temped on the way home from work to stop in and grab some grub-I live right behind a KFC, McDonalds, Arby's and Wendy's so I have a great selection within 200 yards of my front door.

I didn't know that part of Lent was to put aside the money from your vice and give it to the poor, that's a good idea especially if people don't normally give to charity.

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Jesus SAVES by shopping smartly and using double coupons!

I gave up facebook for lent, and no, no days off.

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Jackie

Music is what feelings sound like._ ~Author Unknown

I'm giving up the internet -- obviously I'm taking a break on Sundays because I'm here now but other than checking my email twice a day, no internet or computer for me. I'm also giving up soda and sweets. So far so good even though it has only been four days.

I'm also trying to spend more time in prayer every day and am working on a charitable project with my kids. We are going through all our clothes and toys to find thing to donate to an upcoming clothing drive at school.

Sundays are not considered days of Lent because every Sunday is a celebration of the Resurrection.

As our priest said in Mass today, we are called to pray, fast and give alms during Lent.

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Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas