OK, so how does MY Fast do anything?

My previous blogpost sounds rather hypocritical, doesn't it? "People shouldn't make a big deal out of their Lenten Fast...but here's what I'm doing!" I have reasons for that, which I'll get to in a second.
The other "issue" that might be taken with it is "what the heck does dieting have to do with focusing on GOD?" So I'm going to answer both of those questions.

1) Why did I "announce" what I was going to do for a Lenten Fast?
Easy. For me, goals must be announced, or they Just Don't Happen. Private vows between you and God are great if they work for you. Unfortunately, for me, they just don't seem "real" unless I make some sort of public declaration about them. It's not that I think God's less important than people, or incapable of holding me accountable! It's just something weird about the way I'm wired - to "announce" it takes it out of the realm of "personal" to the realm of "real and accountable". I have no idea why. That "public declaration" doesn't mean I go to the streetcorners; I just have to tell at least one other person - whether that's my husband, a friend, or my blog. :D
Besides, this makes me far more "accountable" - and I don't plan on announcing "Oh, man my fast was so hard today! Look at how I'm suffering!" No...I just wanted it to be On Record. Kind of puts me "on notice" to stick with it.

2) Fine, whatever, but what does dieting have to do with Lent?
Nothing. Everything. It helps me to focus on God, because I'm doing something I really don't want to do. I need God's help to do that. And because I'm doing it as a Lenten "Fast", then it keeps Christ's sacrifice in the forefront of my mind while I'm selecting my meal, while I'm recording my food intake, while I'm eating a pile-o-steamed-veggies instead of a piece of Texas Toast. I've integrated both into one. I'm keeping my focus on God because I'm doing this as a Lenten "Fast", not being distracted from God by the Onerous Task of keeping a Lenten Fast.

So that's why I did what I did, and how it's keeping me focused on God and Christ's sacrifice for me.

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever."

Psalm 136: 1-4

Why "give up" for Lent?

I read this post in the blog by Rebellious Pastor's Wife (go check it out. You'll be happy you did.) and of course it got me to thinking (yes, Virginia, occasionally I do think). Why sacrifice for Lent? What's the big deal?

I know some of the history behind it, but really, why do we still do it? I think that's an important question, and one which I'm going to wax verbose about for a few minutes. (So I'll have a shiny freshly-waxed verbose. They always look so much better when they're waxed, don't you think?)

Anyway.
When I was growing up, we didn't do the Lent Fast thing. Frankly, I'd never heard of it until I went to college, when I was asked, "so...what are YOU giving up for Lent?" And, to be honest, the way it was explained to me, "well...we're supposed to SUFFER, you see..." made it sound like The Stupidest Thing Ever. Why were we supposed to suffer? Christ did the work for our salvation! Me giving up caffeine or chocolate or pop or whatever certainly wasn't going to earn me any "Salvation points". God wasn't keeping score on some gigantic spreadsheet in Heaven. "Oooh, she didn't do Lent Fasting this year....guess she has to live in Heaven in The Bog Of Eternal Stench." Please. And, quite frankly, that was a bad time to be introduced to it: all I saw was people Fasting For Lent, making a big deal out of Fasting For Lent, and how much they were suffering, and ultimately either giving up their Lent Fast as "too hard; I couldn't stick with it" or majorly indulging themselves with a massive dose of whatever they gave up RIGHT after Easter. I decided after seeing that for a couple years running that no, I really didn't want to do a Lenten Fast, because from what I saw it turned you into a Big Ole Lenten Martyr. Suffering for The Cause (what cause?) and all that.

However. Since then, I've looked into it more, and quite frankly that article by Chrysostom really did express how I feel about it as well. Lenten Fasting isn't about the Fast, in and of itself. It's about getting us to focus more on God, being more Christ-like in our daily life, and striving to avoid sin. We shouldn't Fast as a means unto itself. Fasting for the sake of Fasting; suffering for the sake of Suffering, partaking in the Lenten Fast because you're "supposed to" or you "should" is really counterproductive. At that point we're focusing on the FAST, and not on the One who blessed us with so much bounty that we can fast.

"15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing."

Psalm 145: 15 - 16

"My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever."

Psalm 145:21

"Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever."

Psalm 136:26

Taking Up, or Giving Up?

Yesterday was Transfiguration Sunday. That means that in 2 days, we celebrate Ash Wednesday. Consequently, I've been contemplating "giving up for Lent". In the past, I've generally not chosen to give up something for Lent, just because I really couldn't come up with something meaningful for me, that didn't feel like "giving up for Lent because everyone else is and it's the Thing To Do." So I didn't.
In the past, I've heard mention also of TAKING Up For Lent - the taking up of a GOOD habit or something beneficial, just for 6 weeks, to help IMPROVE oneself. I thought that was an interesting idea - but, again, nothing really came of it.
However, this year, I'm giving up AND taking up.
I'll be taking up "Weight Watchers Points Program" again - to the extent of logging, tracking and keeping within my "points range". I don't do the meetings, or the online stuff, or whatever. I have a "WW buddy" already, and once she reads this I'm sure she'll keep me on track. :D
So at first you'd think my answer to "fine, that's your taking up, what's your GIVING up?" would be "duh, poundage." Which, really, it is, but in addition I'm giving up Self Indulgent Eating. I've been indulging myself with food for the last while, and not only is it showing up in my waistline, it's also contributing to my lousy attitude, depression and generally making me feel like crap.
So.
I'm giving up Self Indulgent Eating.
It's only for six weeks.
And, really, even though it is for 6 weeks, and it won't be easy, I'm gonna go through that 6 weeks whether I watch what I eat or not. It's MY choice if I want to arrive at Easter even fatter, more bloated, and generally feeling crummy, or if I arrive at Easter at least knowing that I can, in fact, limit my eating. And I'll probably feel a lot better, and weigh less.
And who knows, I might figure out how to divide by zero by then.