do this in rememberance of me

Growing up Catholic you pretty much have the Mass memorized by the time you're 12. There are minor differences, but for the most part, the prayers, rituals and responses stay pretty intact. Year after year it is always the same. "Do this in rememberance of me". Said by the priest after he has blessed the bread and wine. Quoting Jesus at the last supper, after he to had blessed the bread and wine.

Today is Ash Wednesday. I might still get a call from my mom asking me if I've been to church yet. I remember getting out of school to go to church (and in Lousiana, because of the high percentage of Catholic kids, I think it was like a legit half day or something) and then "accidently" wiping my forehead so I wouldn't get made fun of when i went back to school. In the car ride back to school we were always asked what we had decided to give up that year. I liked to say chocolate-which was quickly vetoed...being that I HATE chocolate and never eat it. We were supposed to come up with something we REALLY liked and would miss, a sacrifice. Like Jesus had sacrificed. I can't for the life of me tell you one thing i have given up in the past.

A friend and I were talking about it last night. She was REALLY enjoying her diet coke (even toasting on every sip. let me tell you-you all WISH you could have been there to see that) becaus it was going to be the last one she drank until easter. During this exchange I realized that i hadn't decided on anything yet. Not that you have to give up something, but I'm just at a place right now, where I don't want to wake up one sunday and realize that it's easter. I need lent right now.

So here is what I've come up with. I too am giving up soda. Not that I drink it a lot, but I LOVE it. And I'm one of those people who will do anything to get what I really LOVE and obsess about it. (read-lack of self control and expert rationalization skills). So the soda is about just not getting something that I want and learning discipline in that. I'm also giving up TV/movies and The OC. I know, The OC gets its own catagory. You have no idea how obsessed I am about it. I don't watch a whole lot of tv at all. But I do watch it when I could be doing other things. and that's what i'm trying to do here. Just create some time and space in my life to write my food for the hungry kid, or paint, or read one of the 50 books that I've bought but have yet to read. (I am allowing myself one movie a week, mainly for social purposes, but also because well...I'd rather watch a movie than take a nap, and I think I might be taking lots of naps in the near future)

I'll definitely keep ya'll updated on how it's going. My hope is that during this time I am able to focus more on Christ and spend some intentional time listening to Him. Do this in rememberance of me...