Saturday, February 02, 2008

Why the Lent ticker?

No, not lint licker. :P

As some of y'all know, even as a generic (lazy, non-denominational) Christian, I like to do Lent Catholic-style. It's fun for me, and a good reminder of what and how I'm supposed to be worshipping.

Last year, I gave up chocolate. I LOVE CHOCOLATE. I have chocolate every single day, somehow. I love it so much. I could eat chocolate for every single meal. However, I made the commitment to give it up last year, and I did. There are a few people that don't believe that I did, but that's cool. God knows, and I know. I didn't eat any on Sundays. I didn't sneak anything. I didn't even lick my fingers when I was making my absolute favorite chocolate chip and peanut butter cup cookies for my friend's bachelor party. Nothing. Nada.

This year, I'm giving up the internet. I will be checking in, going through e-mail, blogging, begging for money for the March of Dimes, etc., on Sundays, but Sundays only, and I'm thinking about imposing a time limit for those days. I have a serious addiction to the internet, and it really has to stop. I spend HOURS zombied out in front of a computer, usually checking the same websites repeatedly. I won't go into any further detail of how pathetic I am, but it's really bad.

Now, losing hits on my blog is going to be a MASSIVE ego killer. I love going to statcounter and seeing that I've gotten over 200 hits that day. I love my comments. I love seeing who has linked to me. I love it all. I love blogging, period, and that's going to be the hardest thing to give up. And I just KNOW my blog will jump the shark and I'll have to bust my patootie to get it back up to speed. I'm already thinking of ways to keep my hits up.

I've had sooo many really supportive people tell me that I can't do it. Seriously, thanks y'all, that's helpful. Actually, I'm sure someone out there has already created a betting pool. I know I can do it. It won't be easy, but I'm actually kinda looking forward to it. Detox time.

14 comments:

watercolordaisy said...

You CAN do it.

You will find all kinds of time in the day and you will develop better boundaries about your computer and internet use. I am proud of you and I believe in you. I have added you to my prayer list for strength and courage and for joyful use of all your new free time.

You can do this!!

Sharon said...

Good for you. :)
I thought of giving up blogging for Lent, too, but haven't mustered up the courage yet.

I think you can do it. Shoot, if you succeeded with CHOCOLATE, you can succeed w/ the internet!

I'm impressed. :) And hey, if it helps, I'll yell at you to go somewhere else if I DO see you online on a day other than Sunday. How's that?

I loved your Catholic-style reference, btw. Future convert?

Blogger said...

so who is going to handle the blogger lunch?

Supermom said...

Blogger, I am. She sanctioned me to organize it. Keep up, boy.

I 'do' lent too. I usually correlate it with a good bible study. One that I can comfortably do at a pace of the same time frame. I have a couple of books picked out but I need to hurry up and decide.

The internet would be a GOOD one for me but since my job involves the internet a LOT, I can't. I have thought and thought... I can't decide what to abstain from...

You can do it, Stacey...you are a very strong, amazingly grounded woman.

Blogger said...

stacey, i put up a blog just for you. check it out before lent starts.

Jennifer said...

Dang it. Now what am I going to do for laughs? i guess I'll just give up laughing for Lent. :o( How 'bout you just give up a sector of the internet, like You Tube?--Yeah, good idea! And Sharon, if you give up blogging, too I will seriously pout!

"THE" Rob Cerio said...

To be fair, I have five bucks that says you'll be able to do it in the pool.

Stacey said...

I can dooo eeeett!

Thanks, y'all. I know I can. My mind is set, and it's going to be hard, but I can do it. Thanks for the prayers!!!

Sharon - sometimes I think I might as well be Catholic because I like a lot of the traditions of the church. However, I'm not willing to comply with all of the church's teachings, or even most of them. I don't think people who disagree with the church's teaching should call themselves Catholic.

Blogger - check out Supermom's blog. She's doing the lunch.

Jo said...

Way to go Stacey. I know so many people (I went to Catholic school, although I am not Catholic) who would give up stupid, meaningless shit for lent. I always wondered what the point was... I mean, aren't you supposed to feel the pain of what you go without?? Sheesh!

So you have picked a great thing to give up!! So again I say WAY TO GO, STACEY!!!!

Let us know what you find to do with all of your free time :) It'll be amazing!! Hey... how about a trip to that hospital to get that group up and running???

** hugs **

Jo

Susan said...

You'll do it and you'll feel better for it. Plus you'll end up better prioritizing your internet use when you ARE online.

I had a roommate my freshman year of college who gave up sex for lent. It was difficult for us all.

grammargirl said...

I belong to a Baptist church that is Baptist in name only. We celebrate Advent, Lent, and follow the liturgical calendar. I like it, too. I will share with you two things I've learned over the years of being introduced to and following Lent. One I heard at an Ash Wednesday service at St. Andrew's. The priest asked how everyone's "giving up" was going. Then he said he had bad news for us: whatever we gave up, it wasn't enough. That really hit home with me. Our pathetic little attempts at sacrifice don't hold a candle to Christ's sacrifice. It made it much easier to follow my "giving up" when I thought about it that way. The second thought came during a Lenten lunch at my (Baptist) church. The speaker told us that another way to look at Lent would be to "take on" something instead of just focusing on giving up something. Do a Bible study (SuperMom), do more community service, etc. I've read the gospels through at Lent a couple of times since then. I'm pulling for you, Stacey, and I know you can do it. Blog til you drop on Fat Tuesday, and we'll see you on Celebration Sundays until Easter.

From the Doghouse said...

We'll definitely miss your input in our blogger world, but I know you can do it. I have faith in you.

Christy said...

We will still be here when you get back. I'll click on your blog for good measure every day :)

JesusThroughMary said...

Jo is right that the majority of Catholics don't really observe Catholic-style, but that's the Church's fault more than it is the fault of Joe Six-Pack in the pew. That's a topic for my non-existent blog, though - I have been resisting the temptation to pontificate from your pulpit.

I have an idea that could make it easier to give up your blog. I'll write you at least one letter a week during Lent so that you have something to look forward to on Thursday. I'll even stick in a random picture of Ignatius. Maybe some of your other readers would like to do the same thing. Could be fun.

You still have my Vicksburg CD.

Eli Manning was a stud last night, and he deserves all the accolades he gets until September, when the Eagles will demote him back to whiny little punk biatch.