Fat Tuesday Thoughts About Lent

 Ugh, Lent starts tomorrow.  

So of course that means I've been adding cookies to my morning coffee and indulging any other food craving this past week, knowing that soon I'll be giving up these treats.  

And you know what?  

I feel gross.

I feel physically gross with the added sugar and lack of healthy eating.

I feel mentally gross with the loss of any semblance of willpower.

I feel spiritually gross with the laziness accompanying my prayer life.

So why do I think that indulging in junk food, staying up late to watch *one more* episode, working out less, and praying half-heartedly is living the good life?

It's actually quite the opposite.

Choosing the hard things and staying disciplined is actually what brings me true joy.

Eating healthy makes my body feel light and lean and capable.

Working out gives me an energized high and a good attitude.

Praying keeps me calm and centered and allows me to reflect on all of my blessings.

Working hard for my family and then spending time with them makes me feel so accomplished.

~ Hard doesn't equal bad just as easy doesn't equal good. ~

We know this!  I know this!  And yet the temptation is always there to choose the easy way out.  Our world loves to give us permission to do what feels good; just binge-watch a season of a show, just eat the fast food, just drink and smoke to stop the feelings.  But where does that leave us?  Feeling gross.  Feeling empty.  Feeling lazy and unfulfilled. 

Great achievements only happen through great sacrifice.  Think of any professional athlete, they continually choose to do the hard work to get to their goal.  Parents choose to put their kids needs before their own.  Service men and women give up everything to fight for the freedom of others.  

If my goal is to become a saint (which it is!) then I need to take the steps to get there.  Every unselfish action done for another, every offering up of a want, every struggle met with prayer all adds up to make a more worthy saint.

Lent is actually a gift.  It's our annual training program for Heaven.  A time to refocus on our weaknesses and strengthen our spirits.

This Lent, I want to try and remember that a life of service, a life of sacrifice, a life spent loving others is what will truly bring happiness, if not in this life then definitely in the next.