Tag Archives: Lent

My Lenten Paleo Challenge

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I’ve been praying quite a bit about how I want to observe Lent this year – it’s been a huge part of my spiritual life for several years now, and it’s something I look forward to. We’re doing Seek God for the City from WayMakers as a church and community, but I find the physical act of giving something up to be so powerful and I want to add that component as well.

From a blog post I wrote three years ago:

It (Lent) can be a time of prayer and preparation for Easter, it can be a time of introspection and self examination and also a time of repentance…Let’s face it…these are stressful times we’re living in. Perhaps more stressful than many of us have ever known. What I learned about observing Lent last year was that it is an incredible way to refocus, to rid myself of the distractions of everyday life, to go deeper in my relationship with my Savior…to bring my life closer in-line with the life God would have for me.

The problem is…I tend to look at Lent as a time to focus on food issues as a way of self-denial, and it’s not easy when:

I can’t eat wheat.

I don’t drink alcohol.

Or soda.

Or much of anything but water and the occassional tea.

Sugar isn’t a part of my diet.

Neither are grains.

I’m not giving up meat. (did it. felt awful. there’s a reason I’m paleo, friends!)

I don’t watch too much TV.

And I’m already working to limit the amount of time I spend on the computer and my iPhone.

I look to Lent as a season to break areas of bondage – choosing to use the deprivation as a tool to turn me towards God in daily need. After a lot of prayer, I’m choosing this time to go strictly paleo – back to Whole 30, something that has evaded me since I finished my first one. Too much dark chocolate and too many paleo baked goods have found their way back into my regular eating. It’s an area I struggle with daily.

There are some odd similarities between a strict paleo diet and the act of denial for Lent – they’re not easy. Self-sacrifice isn’t something that comes easily, but with it comes huge rewards. Through the sacrifice on the cross that we look to through Lent, we are given the opportunity to know God intimately. Through the sacrifice I make with eating, I have a better relationship with my own body and with the world around me. I honor God in a most primal way by eating in a way that allows my life to be used in the way He wants.

I’ll be doing a Friday update each week, with my thoughts and the things God is teaching me during this season.

Are you observing Lent this year? Is God speaking to you about any distractions or idols you need to bow to Him?

Soda, Seconds and Smoothies: Preparing for Lent

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It's Fat Tuesday.

I don't know why, but that always makes me giggle just a bit.  It's always seemed so silly to call a day fat.

The realization this morning that it is Fat Tuesday today makes me think I need to get a few plans finished up for Lent, which begins tomorrow.  Lent has become an important season for me over the last few years (see 2009, more 2009,…and I know I wrote about it a bit in 2008, but I can't find it) and I look forward to celebrating it and digging deeper once again.

I've been praying a bit over the last few weeks about how to observe this year.  Some of the foods I've abstained from in the past are already off-limits due too my dietary restrictions.  And because of some craziness I have coming up in March, I'm not comfortable giving up others.   

Finally, through praying and seeking, God has shown me three areas that I can focus on this year:

Soda, seconds and smoothies.

Somehow, over the last few months, a diet soda habit has crept back up on me.  I'm not sure how it's happened…I am fully aware of how bad fake sugars are, of how too much caffeine makes my hands and feet hurt, and of everything else bad associated with soda.  I'd gone months without drinking one and last week, somehow found myself bringing home a 12 pack of Diet Dr. Pepper.

Sigh….Diet Dr. Pepper…my soda kryptonite.

Honestly, compared to many people…I really don't drink that much of it, but it was quickly becoming a crutch and an addiction.  I tried to convince myself that in light of everything else I've given up, a Diet Dr. Pepper a day was reasonable. 

And then last week, I noticed how bad my head hurt when I didn't have one for a day.

And I realized how badly I was craving one.

And I heard God tell me it was time to give it up. 

So I am, but I wanted to make some sort of other food sacrifice.  It's just a little difficult to find something else to give up when you've already given up so much and much of what you do eat is rather necessary…which is where seconds comes in.  I need to eat regularly to keep my blood sugar levels more stable, but I don't need to eat seconds.   That extra bite, that second scoop…I can definitely forgo that and make it an offering.

I also wanted to frame Lent this year somehow so I'm finally getting around to that smoothie cleanse I've been planning for the last six weeks.  I'll start tomorrow, go through Thursday and then do it again from Maundy Thursday until the morning of Easter Sunday. 

So soda, seconds and smoothies are my plan for Lent this year, along with some more focused Bible Study. 

I think I'm ready.

on my mind…

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  • A real quick bit of business – see that box over on the right?  The one that says "A Few of My Favor…"?  I decided this week to start monetizing my blog just a little.  Anytime you click on one of those books (or any book links in my posts) and then make a purchase on Amazon, I get a little kick back.  A very little kick back, but a little kick back nonetheless.  I'm still debating a few other money making possibilities, but will always be sure to let you know when I benefit financially from a post. 
    And please be assured that I will only be promoting items that I truly believe in and love. 
  • Speaking of things I love, I signed up for this class this week, and while I'll be writing a blog post on it soon, but I wanted to share a link today:

    Finding ways to prepare foods in a more natural manner has been something I've been passionate about for a few years now.  It's so hard, though, and just figuring out exactly what needs to be done to what has been a huge mountain for me to climb.  I'm really looking forward to this!
    (and side note: after seeing what I have so far about this class, I made the decision to become an affiliate of it.  If you sign up through my link, I will receive financial compensation.)
  • I went to see The Phantom of the Opera last night with friends from church, and was completely swept away again.  It's been nearly 20 years since the first time I saw it in LA and I was just as amazed with it yesterday as was then.   The cast was superb and it was all I could do not to start jumping up and down, yelling "again, again" when it was over.  It was so wonderful to have a night out, and I am so thankful for my sweet friend Deanna who made it possible. 
  • There are a lot of things going on at our church right now, and even in our home, that make me think we're facing some spiritual warfare.  It's something we've been through before, but it's also something that our church seems to ignore or perhaps that our leaders aren't aware of.  Any and all prayers would be much appreciated.  Families, children, adult relationships…they're all being affected fairly severely and I truly believe there is a spiritual basis for much of it.  Our church here doesn't have the culture of prayer that our previous one did – and while I'm thankful for all that I did learn about this subject during our time at Trinity, I really miss that awareness from the highest levels of leadership on down.
  • An a more fun note…the kids and I did a quick little Valentine's Day photo shoot this week.  
    I still haven't gotten around to downloading my photo actions so these are all straight out of my little point and shoot camera.  Love this one of Hanna…
    IMG_1140 

    And this was about as much cooperation as we got out of the boy…
    IMG_1152 
    In most of the photos, he had that big, blue monster pillow on his head.  

    IMG_1164
    Luckily, we were able to get just enough photos to put together a little card for the grandmas and grandpas and cousins.

    IMG_1165

    One more of Hanna that I love.  I've got to find all of my actions and get to playing with these!

  • We're heading into what just might be the craziest weekend we've ever had.  We have a big Broadway themed production at church Saturday night that benefits a local building ministry our youth program runs.  Sunday, Hanna and I head out for her Confirmation retreat while Tom and Caleb have church and another concert that night.  Wednesday is the beginning of Lent and Tom is speaking at the service that evening.  I am exhausted just thinking about it all! 
  • Thinking of Lent…I'm still pondering ways to observe.  I'd considered completely removing wheat from my diet, but I'm going to be doing a little traveling that will make that almost impossible.  Still praying and pondering.
  • This afternoon, we discussed the idea of Tom taking a semester off from seminary this spring.  We are so overwhelmed with so many different things right now – I hate to see him take this break when he still has at least 5 semesters to go, but I also think our entire family needs a season of rest.  Your prayers would be much appreciated on this decision.