Ash Wednesday and Lent

Happy Wednesday folks!  Happy Ash Wednesday to be exact!  I am not Catholic...or Baptist or Methodist or...  What I am is an imperfect child of God.  I am imperfect in many ways...I sin daily.  But He loves me anyway. He is quick to forgive me when I fail and sincerely repent.  And trust me...I fail a lot.  (and if you are sitting there reading this thinking how wonderful and amazing you are and how you never ever sin you might want to repent for lying to yourself because you just did.)  When I was in college I celebrated the season of Lent for the first time.  I didn't observe it for many years after that (I got caught up in life) but last year my husband and I each gave up something or things in observance.  Up until that year in college I didn't even know Lent existed, much less what it was.  I had to take a Christian Beliefs class as a general education requirement for the college I went to and believe me when I tell you that I learned a lot.  I also discovered that I like many aspects of many religions and I incorporate the ones I like into my life.  Yes, I attend church (not as often as I should but...).  I enjoy church.  However, I do not like to label myself as one specific religion...as I said before, I am only an imperfect child of God trying to make it through this life one day at a time.  I practice what feels right and I incorporate those practices and beliefs that make sense to me into my life.  Lent is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love the idea of it.  I love the newness and rededication it brings.  I love the cleansing.  For Lent I (personally) give up something or things (depending on the year) that I feel I've become almost attached to.  I give up that which I feel is polluting me.  I give it up starting the day after Ash Wednesday and I do not indulge in what I've given up until Easter Sunday (which happens to be one of my favorite days!).  This year I have decided to give up fast food and sweets.  Yes...I am a fitness lover.  Yes...I try not to eat too crappy most of the time.  BUT...fast food and sweets still creep in from time to time (more often than they should) and lately it seems they show up more and more and I find myself reaching for them.  I feel like it's getting a bit much...time to de pollute (yes, you read that right...I made up a new word...again).  So...for this season of Lent I am throwing out fast food and sweets.  Best believe on Easter I will tear up a Reese's Egg and a Cadbury Egg (LOVE them!).  So...how about you...do you observe the season of Lent?  If not, why not try it this year?  And if so, what are you eliminating from your life for the next 40 days?  Happy Wednesday...if you stretch really far and peak around the corner you can see Friday! 

No Catchy Title Here...

I really tried to come up with a catchy title but couldn't...so Happy Wednesday!  You know what I find offensive?  No?  Well my little Reese's Cups, let me tell you.  I find it VERY offensive when someone asks me if I've had weight loss surgery.  It's like they assume that because you've lost a lot of weight that you've had a lapband or gastric bypass or something.  Uuuummmmm...no.  And in case you've had WLS and think I'm all against it or something I'm not so get your little band out of a twist and listen to my point of view.  I think some people genuinely need WLS.  I think WLS can be a good thing if used as a tool and not an easy escape.  I know people who have had WLS and still do the same things they did before...they eat and eat and eat and never work out and, as a result, never lose weight (shocking I know!).  Here's my opinion (cause I know you care)...I think that you have to TRY (really really try...not halfway try and then get all frustrated because you can't figure you why you're not losing weight when you're only eating one box of oreos a week instead of two).  You have to change your lifestyle...you have to eat less and move more.  You have to make a mental decision to do it and actually do it.  Now, if you have honestly tried and still don't get the results you want then by all means think about surgery...but only if you use it as a tool.  I thought about WLS a few times when I was at my heaviest but I never did it.  You know why?  Number one, I wasn't ready to lose weight with or without surgery. I had no intentions of changing my lifestyle.  I knew it wouldn't work for me so I steered clear.  Number two, I feel like if I didn't actually make the decision to do something about my weight and actually try to eat less and move more and get the surgery anyway and it actually work then I would have never known what I was capable of without WLS.  Does that make sense?  Almost like I would have cheated myself.  I worked hard to be where I am right now.  I busted my hiney.  I've shed lots of tears and prayed lots of prayers.  And I appreciate what it took to get where I am now.  It makes every workout sweeter, every mile ran that much more amazing.  I'm thankful that I did this the traditional way because I know where I came from and where I am what it took to get here.  That is why I get offended when someone asks if I've had WLS.  That's why I get aggravated at those that think WLS is an easy way out.  I'm not against it but I'm not a fan.  Don't underestimate yourself...put forth the effort, challenge yourself, do something and you'll change.  Afterall, if it doesn't challenge you it doesn't change you.  There you have it, my opinion (and it was free...everyone loves free stuff!)