Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts

Friday, March 11, 2011

The Sacrafices I Make

It's Lent.  A season of preparing, of forgiving, of re-examining, of sacrafice.  A season to talk about what this all means with S & C.
This morning, I asked them "How should we celebrate/remember Lent as a family?"
A couple of blank faces looked back at me. I was thinking 'oh oh, I'm in trouble here' and at the same time thinking 'what can of worms am I opening?'
"Well, we could pick a charity and figure out ways to earn or save money that we would give to them," I said.
 A little interest perked up on their faces. But, they were not totally convinced.
"How about giving up something as a family?" I asked.
Both heads nodded vigorously.
"YES!" they both shouted.
"I know, tv!" spouted S.
"Yeah!" answered C.
"OH Crap!" thought Mama, "why do I do these things to myself???"
Then the  kids said "Mama, I think we should go without tv one night a week. And, spend some time working on something about Lent or doing something special together."
First, I was proud that they agreed on something and something that was such a nice idea. But, second, I really don't want to go a whole night without the television. It's my relaxation and escape after they go to bed. It's my down-time. It's, well, my crutch.
"I think it should be Weds nite" C continued on as if they hadn't noticed my panicked, deer in the headlights look and the thought that they better not pick Tues nite 'cause if this Mama doesn't get her Biggest Loser fix, watch out!
"No, not Weds, it should be Mon or Fri" S replied, "cause those are the two nights we don't have anything else going on. So, it'll be harder not to have tv, more like a real sacrafice and then we have time to do something else. As a family. together."
Well, darnit all anyway, who raised these smart kids who are so responsible????!!

The reality of it is, I am the one who doesn't want to sacrafice. I am the one who is pondering that it's sometimes a looooong time between the end of school and the end of the night. I am the one who is hesitant to do this. I am the one who is making excuses.And, frankly, there's no good reason for it. It's simply my stubbornness, my unwillingness to step out of my comfort zone, my lack of faith. Wow, looking at what I just wrote, this really was all about ME. Completely the opposite message than the one I intended to send.  Ouch.
This tv fast is a small thing to do. It'll last a relatively short amount of time and I know the gains from it will be worth it. This will be a great way to remember a much greater sacrafice that was once made for all of us.

So, Mondays it is. No tv from after school to the end of the night.
It's settled.
Except for one thing.
Now........who's gonna tell the Hubster?!