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Sorry, I wasn't trying to be an intrusive Christian (I don't like them either) or be flashy about my Lenten observances. I was just trying to let you know why I would be gone for most of February and March.

In the remote chance that you noticed.

I have other plans for Lent, but I prefer to keep them private. Rest assured they do not involve cutting down on chocolate. That would be too hard on my family and coworkers.

Me without chocolate:

I have made a pact with an online friend to give up booze and start exercising every day, even if it's just a walk with the dog. I wasn't thinking of Lent when I did this, just my own health and survival. (Though I am a Christian, and plan to observe Ash Wednesday.) I'd throw cutting back on internet time in there too, but I don't think I'll be able to keep that particular promise. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Maybe once the weather starts to warm a bit, and it's not so freakin' cold outside!

Din: you mean 'fiddling while Rome burns?" OHHH yes, I can SO relate to that! I'm an Anglican too, and as one of my favorite priests once said, "The Anglican Church has been limping along on one leg and one lung for a long time now..."

Rodia wrote:

Just don't lump them all in the same basket. They oughtn't to flash their Lentent sacrifices about, but sometimes it does come up. When you offer someone chocolate and they say 'No thanks I gave it up for Lent', 99% of the time I bet they're just making conversation by giving an important bit of information about themselves. Like 'No thanks, I'm diabetic' or 'No thanks, I don't like chocolate.'

Very well said, Ro!

I don't do much for lent. I realise it's a good opportunity to prove to yourself that you can live without something, or to get rid of the bonds tying you to silly consumerism or so.
But the few things I'm addicted to - well, addicted or not, I don't want to try letting them go.
All I do, if anything, is to desist from stuff I get a sudden fancy for, like ice-cream or crisps and stuff. But I'd just be unhappy if I tried to stay away from the PC for example. I guess it's sad, but I can't help it.

Aw Laureanna. This isn't being flashy. It's talking to fellow Christians, and people who want to talk about Lent.

A very good thread and I'm glad you made it. Made me ponder on what I ought to do...I hadn't thought about it yet.

Sunsilver - Now I'm extremely confused! You have a fabulous body builder's physique, according to your previous avatar, yet you drink booze and don't exercise! I'm soooooo jealous! It's just not fair!

The only thing I gave up for Lent is Christianity. 29 years later, I still haven't been tempted back to it.

Quote:

Din: you mean 'fiddling while Rome burns?"

LOL, yes, that and his taste in garden decorations. A fine tradition userped by the Anglican communion to celebrate November 5th

But the real problem I have in work with Lent is not that people do it and get that self ritious air, it is the unasked questions and pity that follows when you say... "nothing, why, should I?".

I know, I really should not poke but I can't hep it sometimes

Religious folks

Din, you work in a Christian organisation. I'm sorry to say that it comes with a the territory. Though a little relgious tolerance all round never goes amiss.



I sometimes give something up for Lent - not out of Christian belief but because it's a good opportunity to evaluate life and see what needs sorting out! Most recently it was alcohol. I managed about 30 days before I ened up celebrating a new job the traditional way. The only thing I ought to give up or reduce this year is internet messageboarding - I visit 4 different boards and that together with the board politics of the last few months has eaten heavily into my work. However, the most productive thing I could do is focus on spending the run up to Easter making kit for the new re-enactment season. So that's the plan.

Din:

Would it help if you knew I have been an atheist for some 15 years, but still go thru some of the motions, because they are part of my "culture", and because I still miss being a believing Catholic?

Alassante_Estel wrote:

Hey Andri, would you be interested in starting a Q/A Anthro 101 thread with me?

Could be pretty fun :mrgree:

Fun???????
*shudders at the thought*
You have a weird sense of humour, hon. But we could give it a try.
Then Din can give us a demonstration of his favourite shamanic dance.

Rodia wrote:

Just don't lump them all in the same basket. They oughtn't to flash their Lentent sacrifices about, but sometimes it does come up. When you offer someone chocolate and they say 'No thanks I gave it up for Lent', 99% of the time I bet they're just making conversation by giving an important bit of information about themselves. Like 'No thanks, I'm diabetic' or 'No thanks, I don't like chocolate.'

You know someone who doesn't like chocolate????

I did a brief google search on the beliefs of the Greek Orthodox Church on fasting and I found out that fasting is a practice that should be done in private and not advertised.
Also, it doesn't have anything to do with giving up one's favourite habits but it talks about abstaining from certain foods (namely meat - dairy products are allowed in some cases so is fish), actions (not sure if you have to go the entire Lent period without any sex - that wasn't mentioned), and thoughts. It didn't say anything about chatting on the net or posting, so I guess we are all ok here.

laureanna wrote:

Sunsilver - Now I'm extremely confused! You have a fabulous body builder's physique, according to your previous avatar, yet you drink booze and don't exercise! I'm soooooo jealous! It's just not fair!

Laureanna, it's Sassy who's the bodybuilder. I'm just a middle aged pudge. Well, I was in half-decent shape at one time (witness one of my recent avatars on TORC of me and my hubby on the beach) but not anymore. I've particularly let myself go since he died. And, it's wintertime here, and a lot of January has been brutally cold, so I've basically been hibernating, like an ol' bear! The internet has been my main past time these last few months, and the butt is expanding along with the post count. And I don't have a serious problem with the booze, but the consumption had gone from one or two beers a night to four or five (not every night, but often enough for me to start to get worried.) So, time to put a stop to it before it DID become a full-blown problem. Besides, its very damaging to the waistline!

Sassy, the one with the bodybuilders physique, is helping me with the weight loss and exercise, via e-mail. She works as a personal trainer. (She did announce this on TORC so I assume she's okay with me posting it here.)

Din, you're a minority. No, jokes aside, I know what you mean. It's just...you know. I'm in an environment where almost everyone is Catholic, or has the upbringing at least. It's a default set in my mind- of course, if these are people you work with they ought to have noted that you're not a Christian.

Andri...I don't know anyone who doesn't like chocolate...I know people allergic to it...I know people who don't much like it...

As to fasting, the things you mention...I think they're like the bare minimum. I've always been encouraged to try and give up something meaningful to me- to make it a real sacrifice. But I don't much like the word sacrifice...it makes it seem impractical. I think the truer intent of Lent and other periods of abstention the Church imposes is an opportunity for people to strenghten themselves, and work on their lives in ways they would have been putting off otherwise. It's about things we take for granted- instead of just winging it like most of us do, Lent is a good time to actually sit down and think about the kind of person we are- what the balance between good and bad in our life is, what we can do to improve ourselves.

What Ro said!

Sunsilver - I am so embarrased. Of course I know the difference between sunsilver and sass. I just have brain farts every now and again.

Sunsilver, I can SO totally relate to your post.

I am so fat and out of shape it's frightening to me. I MUST do something about it!!! I began the school year with good intentions of walking the kids to school every day and I have, but not every day. For some years I walked four or five miles EVERY day and was in great shape, but I stopped, and I can't quite figure out why. I am not much of a drinker, in my life there were literally years go by that I didn't have a drink. But since my daughter-in-law died, which is now 5 and a half years ago, I have had more to drink than in the rest of my life put together. I'm not a beer drinker, I hate the taste of the stuff. But I like cider and for awhile there I was drinking two of them or even three every day. This stuff is stronger than beer, it's 7 1/2 per cent alcohol.

This is a crappy idea for a woman my age. I have the night sweat thing
happening, and alcohol absolutely makes that worse. I don't sleep well and alcohol absolutely makes that worse. I have a spare tire around my middle now, the typical dangerous "Canadian tire", which is due to drink, fat and lack of exercise. So I don't have the drinks every day now, and if I have a drink, it's red wine in water which I happen to like.

I used to love walking alone. I don't any more. I'm not nervous, I'm not scared of being mugged (not out here in the boonies), but I just want company. I could take one of the dogs, I guess, and maybe that's what I'll start doing. Walking the kids to school in the morning is just not that practical in bad weather, I don't like them to sit in wet clothes all morning. And most mornings are wet here, in the winter.

Why don't you move out west and go walking with me? We'd have plenty to chat about, I think. I'd let you walk one of the dogs, too!

Or maybe I'll win the Super 7 and hire a personal trainer. Or maybe I should just be realistic and start walking on my own like a grownup person.

Vison, love your idea! I wish I had someone to walk with, and I'm a big fan of dogs. My German Shepherd will be 14 in May, and has reached the point where she holds me back a bit on a vigorous walk. I"m thinking of getting a puppy once I move to Aurora in March.

Are you in B.C.? The weather you're describing sounds sort of like Vancouver at this time of year.

Sunsilver wrote:

Vison, love your idea! I wish I had someone to walk with, and I'm a big fan of dogs. My German Shepherd will be 14 in May, and has reached the point where she holds me back a bit on a vigorous walk. I"m thinking of getting a puppy once I move to Aurora in March.

Are you in B.C.? The weather you're describing sounds sort of like Vancouver at this time of year.

Yup, I'm in BC, about an hour east of Vancouver.

Our dogs are Buddy and Bear. They are full brothers, although they don't look much alike. Their mother is a Black Lab and their father a German Shepher. Bear is brown, and Buddy is black. They are HUGE. They are 9 months old and probably weigh 100 pounds each, with paws the size of dinner plates.

They're lovely, lovely puppies, very good natured and rambunctious, but not a mean bone in their big goofy bodies. It is no joke to take them walkies. They behave very well on the leash, but I'm worried that one time they might decide to bolt, and then what would I do? Or, I could hitch them to one of the kids' skateboards and set a speed record..........


My sister used to live in Richmond Hill. I used to get to Toronto a couple of times a year, but haven't been there since The Gathering last year.

We need nurses out here, you know.

Vison, I have a 92 year old mom here. Maybe once she's passed on, I might think about relocating somewhere.

And the B.C. government has no one to blame for the nursing shortage but itself!! po'ed

I moderate the Canadian nursing forum on Allnurses, and the things I've read about the way they treated their nurses!!!

laureanna wrote:

Din:

Would it help if you knew I have been an atheist for some 15 years, but still go thru some of the motions, because they are part of my "culture", and because I still miss being a believing Catholic?

Sorry to interfere here, but I don't see why you should justify the fact that you observe lent, or why anyone should justify their being religious or feel they have to apologize for it.

Din's joke sucked. Big time! That's all that can be said about it.

I normally keep my mouth shut about that sort of thing, because as a Christian I'm supposed to be tolerant (and I'm quite willing to admit that Ro, for example, is doing a much better job at tolerance than me ) - but I've also learned from Eru, who never hesitates to speak up when someone disses the US, and usually gets good feedback on it, that it's not necessary to swallow anything.

Sunsilver wrote:

Vison, I have a 92 year old mom here. Maybe once she's passed on, I might think about relocating somewhere.

And the B.C. government has no one to blame for the nursing shortage but itself!! po'ed

I moderate the Canadian nursing forum on Allnurses, and the things I've read about the way they treated their nurses!!!

Oh, god, don't get me started on this government!!!! There is an election looming so they have started to spend. As if money was going to solve everything!

No, no. I am not a nurse, but I know those who are and they are all pretty fed up.

I admire those who go into nursing. I've said many times that I could be a doctor and cut people up, but dealing with sick people is hard, hard, hard. My brother's wife was a nurse for years, but gave it up out of disgust with policy and general weariness.

Rodia wrote:

As to fasting, the things you mention...I think they're like the bare minimum. I've always been encouraged to try and give up something meaningful to me- to make it a real sacrifice. But I don't much like the word sacrifice...it makes it seem impractical. I think the truer intent of Lent and other periods of abstention the Church imposes is an opportunity for people to strenghten themselves, and work on their lives in ways they would have been putting off otherwise. It's about things we take for granted- instead of just winging it like most of us do, Lent is a good time to actually sit down and think about the kind of person we are- what the balance between good and bad in our life is, what we can do to improve ourselves.

It seems that our understanding of fasting is quite different. I don't see it as a sacrifice - as having to give something up. I see it as a period of purificating for the body and soul. However, since I do not practice fasting, I am not in the position to say whether people who do, experience this state of purity.

Here is the part of the article I found. It's taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodoxy#Fasting

Fasting
The practice of fasting is one of many Jewish practices the earliest Christians kept, and which Orthodox Christians continue to keep to this day. The Orthodox approach to fasting is quite different from the Latin West who see fasting as a penitence for sins, almost a punishment and burden. The Orthodox, on the other hand, are reminded that perfect man, as in the garden of Eden, ate only vegetables, and sexual relations did not occur. The Orthodox seeks to recapture paradise through fasting, to regain a measure of purity. It is never looked on as a hardship or punishment, but rather a great privilege and joy. Fasting typically involves differing levels of abstinence depending on the day or season and ranges from a complete fast from all food and drink to abstinence from all animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, etc), olive oil, and wine. Shellfish and vegetable oils are permitted on certain days and weeks of the fast as is wine. Thus, most fasting guidelines resemble vegan vegetarianism with all frying/cooking done simply with water (no oil), and most vegetarian recipes are appropriate during fasts. In addition to restrictions on food, it is generally understood that married couples abstain from sexual relations during a fast. Monasteries typically have additional fasts, typically, they abstain from all animal products on Monday as well as Wednesday and Friday; and they never eat meat or poultry, fish being the only exception. The time and type of fast is generally uniform for all Orthodox Christians living within a particular jurisdiction; the times of fasting are part of the ecclesial calendar. In this way, the whole church fasts together, and the whole church feasts together (when the fast is broken). Infants, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and people with other medical needs are often encouraged not to follow the usual fasting guidelines, but to work out alternatives with their priest or spiritual elder. Also, if someone wishes to follow a stricter fast, they are generally encouraged to do so only under the guidance of their priest or spiritual elder. Fasting without prayer was often called the "fast of demons" by the Church fathers, since the demons neither eat nor pray. Therefore, fasting should always be accompanied by prayer and almsgiving.

There are four major fasting periods during the year. They are:

The Nativity Fast (Advent or Winter Lent) which is the 40 days proceeding the Nativity of Christ(Christmas).
The Great Fast (Lent) which consists of the 6 weeks (40 Days) proceeding Palm Sunday, and Great Week (Holy Week) which proceeds Pascha (Easter).
The Fast of Sts. Peter and Paul which varies in length from 2 to 6 weeks depending on the date of Pentecost which itself falls 50 days after Pascha. It extends from the week following Pentecost to the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29th.
And the two-week long Fast proceeding the Dormission (death or repose) of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary)
In addition, except during “Feast� weeks, members of the Orthodox Church fast on every Wednesday in commemoration of Christ’s betrayal by Judas Iscariot, and on every Friday in commemoration of his crucifixion. Monastics often include Mondays as a fast day in commemoration of the Angels.

Because of the moveable nature of Pascha, the number of fast days varies each year, but in general the Orthodox Christian can expect to spend at least 1/3 of the year fasting.