Fat Tuesday

Today is Fat Tuesday. The epitome of Mardi Gras madness. The day some of us indulge in whatever we can legally get away with before we start 40 days of sacrificing for Lent.

We just used it as an excuse for an all-day grazing festival at work. We've got food (fat and fat-free) and we've got beads! I brought in an Andes mint creme pie and a cheesecake -- both are items I knew I'd come across when I cleaned out my freezer (and knew I couldn't resist when I did) so I'm sharing the guilt.

Although many people do give up something for Lent, I'm not sure I'll be doing that. Remember, my New Year's resolution was not to give up things necessarily, but add them instead (like water and exercise).

If I am going to give up something, I want to have a fighting chance of actually being able to succeed (read: forget caffeine or chocolate). I also have to keep in mind I'll be going on spring break the week before Lent is over. I'd hate to have to deprive myself of any Texas treats on that trip. Whoa. Sorry, God. I guess that's the point, isn't it?

Wow, I better put my thinking cap on. If I approach this honestly, all thoughts of food and beverage aside, probably the hardest things for me to stop doing are swearing (you'd think a writer's vocabulary would be large enough to find alternative curses) and beating myself up (as in putting myself down or blaming myself for everything that goes wrong in the world).

If I could actually set aside those behaviors for 40 days, I bet my husband would buy me caffeine or chocolate every day for the rest of the year. Yes, it would be that big of a deal. And yes, just like everything challenging in life, I can only do it with God's help.

How about you? Is there something you should change or give up? Are you willing to go to any length to accomplish that?