Lent

Lent - in Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer - through prayer, penitence, alms giving and self-denial - for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It was a few weeks ago but did you give anything up for lent? This is the first year that I've given something up. A friend had told me what she gave up last year and it struck a chord in me. So there I went and gave something up for lent for the first time.

I love to read. It lets me enter into a different world for a little while! I enjoy most genres of fiction with the exception of sci-fi. I mostly enjoy general Christian fiction or romance novels. I do not read novellas but a good romance is always nice to pass the time.

Chris is an avid reader as well but he chooses more educational and challenging books. He reads alot of biographies, histories, economic type books while I sit reading my breezy romances. I just don't enjoy non-fiction or self-help books. I've invested in many non-fiction books but if I have a moment to read I want to be entertained rather than challenged. Yes - I realize that I'm missing out on inspiration and education but so be it.

So for lent I gave up fiction. It hasn't been ridiculously hard but there have been lazy moments here and there that I wish I had a lazy book. Not only did I give up fiction but I challenged myself to read some of the "investments" that have been stacking up.

What am I reading?

I have also caught up on the magazines I've been stockpiling for months am reading a few gossip rags that I pick up at the Wal-Marts ;) or the grocery store. Don't count on full book reports but so far I'm enjoying myself and learning a thing or two. Go figure!