01 April 2010

Lent 2011 - cancelled

Today I had a discussion with Buzz and Jessie about the various traditions people have at Easter Time.  I told them about how people often eat fish on Good Friday, and I asked if that was a tradition we night want to hold in our house.  We decided to look up on the internet to find out why people eat fish.  And so we shall.

We talked about how we already eat hot cross buns on Good Friday, we talked about how people eat Easter eggs on Easter Sunday, and what those traditions mean.

Then, inspired by Tracy's recent musings, I said, "There's another tradition people hold around Easter time, and we didn't do it this year, but it's something we might do next year.  It's called Lent."  I explained about how people often give up something they love for Lent, and how they do it because they love God.  I also said that during the period of Lent, people must often really want what it is they have given up!  I explained how the yearning can lead you to pray and get deeper with God.

But Buzz was stuck at the concept of giving up something he loved.  "I don't wanna do that," he said.

Sigh.  Okay.

7 comments:

Hippomanic Jen said...

I don't know... the kids of today...

I can never decide what to give up, and end up not doing anything. But I think it would be such a good discipline to focus on the walk towards the cross. I just need some decision-making power.

Allegro ma non troppo said...

God bless his honesty. That's much better than doing a pretend Lent.

Emily Sue said...

As someone who's only been Anglican for 3 years I'm not sure I'm really on board with Lent yet. It feels a bit legalistic and ritualistic... but maybe it's just that I don't want to give anything up...

Givinya De Elba said...

It's funny, but I sometimes find that people brought up in more traditional congregations love to leave behind liturgy and things like Lent - whereas I love the opportunity to bury myself in these things, because I'm not from a traditional denomination, and it's new and exciting to me!

You go girl with your non-Lenting! And I'll check with the family next year and see if it's something we might try.

Emily Sue said...

I spent 16 years in a traditional congregation... but not one that participates in Lent. In fact until I moved to an Anglican church I thought that Lent was just a Catholic thing so I was surprised when people started talking about it. :)

Lindethiel said...

I think I'm with Buzz. I'm not so good with the whole "giving things up" thing...I'm thoroughly addicted to many things...All legal of course ;)

Tracy P. said...

Thanks for the shout! Having grown up with Lent but spending my adulthood largely without it, I find myself drawn to keep it. For this reason, it is all the more precious. My family has truly savored it this year--not daily by any means, but my 10 year old especially is really ready for it now. We didn't give up anything wholistically, but one week we skipped eating out and used the money to send a care bucket to Haiti. I don't think my kids are ready to give anything much up for 40 days yet either. They're with Buzz. ;-)