Ash Wednesday after Fat Tuesday at a Mexican Restaurant.

Ash Wednesday after Fat Tuesday at a Mexican Restaurant.

Ash Wednesday.

A day that the church historically marks the start of Lent. The 40 day (excluding Sundays) period up till Easter.  Most know that it is tradition to give up something in a fast for Lent. Most of my life I have given up sweets. That was the case today. Though at approximately 7:10 this morning, I licked the knife that I used to cut my son’s syrupy pancake. My lips touched sugar…

Then remembered.  Argh.

I don’t think that counts. It was the first day. I also give up chips. For I eat chips way, way too much. There is nothing good about them for your body; I need to purge my body of that evil.

So I had a Fat Tuesday for chips at the local Mexican restaurant.

My husband was dining on steaks with his men’s bible study. My oldest feigned illness at home. My daughter seeing a friend and her mother sat at another table ~ for she is way to social and I am way too boring.  So it was just me, Joe ~ my kindergartner ~ and chips and salsa.

I was so happy.

Until Joe kept taking a billion pictures…

He was taken with the lights over the tables.

After a ton of picture of the light and of me doing every little odd thing, I demanded the phone back.

Okay ~ if you could tell ~ my plate is clean. This is because I have already scraped its contents into a to-go box. See black blob on left of plate. The remains of my dinner which was consumed 2 minutes after we returned home by the son who stayed home with a stomach ache.

That is not cheese dip on my finger.

I emailed this picture to my husband (who hates Mexican) and said “Wish you were here.” He wondered if it was cheese dip. Nope, it is not. It is just an enraged pointer finger that can’t get a 6 year-old to mind his mother in a very public forum.

So this is Ash Wednesday, no sweets and no chips. Guess I need a little more spiritual introspection than that.  I am going through the book of Romans and very early this morning,  I started the 12th Chapter.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern waht is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.   Romans 12:1-2.

While reading that early this morning while the puppy was straining to reach the cats perched up high, it dawned on me. That is my Lenten theme.

Give up sweets, give up chips and be transformed. I am all up for transformation. To live above the world (and how very, very cold and windy it continues to be).

So that is my mission the next 40 days. Are you doing anything to sync spiritually or abstaining from anything this Lent?

Okay ~ the cat is making demon sounds from hell and the puppy is trying to make friends again, so I must go. Later on…