The Post About How I Stink At Lent

It's the end of Day Two of Lent.

For those who might not know, Lent is the period of time between Ash Wednesday and Easter. The general purpose of this block of days is to prepare your heart for the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. This is done in different ways by different folks, but most choose to deny themselves a vice. You then take the time or energy or money used for that vice and give it to a noble cause.

If you were pushy, I might tell you some of my vices are my iPhone, Tivo, and sleeping. But the one getting kicked to the curb is eating out.

I eat out a lot.

With friends and without. For breakfast, for lunch and for second lunch. Fast food and slow-as-molasses food. For special occasions and because the light turned red.

And my wallet and muffin top are worse for wear.

So no eating out.

But as a recovering legalist who always pointed fingers and told people not to watch PG-13 movies or read books with curse words because God would love you less - I've had to be okay with a few exceptions. Those include situations requiring me to eat out for work or prior commitments. However, in those circumstances I'll eat healthier and drink water in order save the $7 price tag of a sweet tea.

Otherwise, I'm taking the mucho moolah that would have lined the pockets of Ronald McDonald and giving it to my local Salvation Army. SA does many great things, including providing food for those who don't get the chance to choose between Moe's or Jason's Deli.

I might sound pretty righteous right about now, but please know this - within 48 hours of beginning this "fast" I had a lengthy conversation with myself trying to justify a drive-thru pickup at Chick-Fil-A. I even tried to convince myself that since Lent doesn't actually includes Sundays, that I could pretend today is Sunday and then when Sunday actually rolled around, I wouldn't eat out.

GET THEE BEHIND ME, YOU LEGALIST.

I ate peanut butter crackers for dinner and calmed down.

P.S. For the record, God doesn't love you less if you read Stephen King.

{image: Jamie - part of my Project 365. All previous photos can be found at Flickr.}