Ash Wednesday!

This year is my first Ash Wednesday as an official Catholic.  Last year, Ash Wednesday was one of my favorite services, but I was sad because I couldn't participate in mass proper.  This year, I was able, and it was pretty neat.  However, I think my favorite part about this year was helping serve soup instead of helping to make it.

Our Parish requires a day of fasting, but that just means you eat two light meals and you're done for the day.  It was nice to be able to serve people one of those two meals.  They were all really thankful to receive it!  I know I was really thankful to eat dinner tonight after going most of the day with only a light breakfast.  I'm glad that we weren't required to fast all day, though.  I remember fasting on Good Friday and how difficult that was!

In preparation this year, I was considering adding eating only two light meals a day to my Lent list.  I actually feel like I have more energy after doing this today, and even though I'm kind of hungry, I don't feel like it would be terrible to cut down the amount of food I eat.  Not to mention I can see how it would make me cook less portions, waste less, and lose weight, so all around good things!

This year, I feel like I'm in a much better place to give up more for Lent and to stick with it than I have been in the past, so I'm going to give this a try!

Lent list of give-ups/add-ons:

1. Daily Blog of course
2. Eating two light meals and supplement with one light snack/day
3. Stop swearing
4. Be more outgoing towards others, including praying more for others

That looks like good stuff.  Sorry about the weak first post.  I promise I have much more to talk about this year!  I just didn't want to blow all my material at once, despite my excitement!  Since today is Ash Wednesday, I'm going to stick to the subject.  Come back tomorrow for more things!