Time to repent and sacrifice

Lent. Ash Wednesday. These are the Christian holy days that remind us of what Jesus sacrificed to give us eternal life. We meditate on these things in this time of penitence, but we also prepare ourselves for the joyful season of Easter. The LCMS FAQ has a wonderful statement on the significance of the season.

Lutherans are not required by the Church body to give up something for Lent - sacrifices are personal things. Since I have several Catholic friends, I do try to give something up every year, both to support their efforts and to challenge myself. It is not, sadly, always something I do out of a sense of penitence. This year, however, I realize that several things have grown to excess in my life. This Lenten season, I am going to give up a couple of self-indulgences to try to reign this in. Perhaps the small sacrifice on my part will also open my eyes to other areas where I could improve my life as well as my walk in faith. For Lent this year, I am giving up cokes. No exceptions for diet sodas. I also want to avoid yarn purchases for personal use - only purchasing for commissioned works if necessary. If I can keep track of the money I've saved, I want to make it a donation to my church on Easter Sunday. The yarn purchases will be hard to track, as I frequently fondle without buying, but I know I drink at least one coke a day, so there is at least $40 saved. Perhaps I'll start a dollar jar - every time I want a coke (and would normally get up to buy one), a dollar goes in the jar.