What are you "giving up" for Lent?

There are many blogs which discuss all aspects of Ash Wednesday: fasting, ashes, etc. And there is nothing wrong with it.

I did want to tell you about my friend Pete.

When I was growing up, there was a kid a couple of years older than me: Pete. Pete was a nice guy but took a lot of ribbing because he was so skinny.

Each year, a couple of us would ask Pete: “Hey Pete, what are you gonna give up for Lent?”

Each year, at least when he was a kid, he would tell us: “Watermelon and swimming.”

Now, watermelon was easy – it was not in season. Swimming was too. There were no indoor pools near us and none of our parents would even think about bringing us to an indoor pool. Heck, most of them probably did not know they even existed.

So, as you enter Lent, think about what you are going to sacrifice. Maybe you will also do something more – such as prayers.