Ash Wednesday, Already, Tomorrow?

Wow, Lent begins early this year. For the past few years, I've made it a point to give up chocolate for Lent. I might be old school for doing that, but I have some good reasons to back it up. I truly do love my chocolate. Giving it up for 40 days and 40 nights is a real sacrifice for me. Doing it while connecting it to Lent and what Jesus suffered for me, for all of us, motivates me.

I never seem to have any trouble making it all the way through. The big trouble is looking at the chocolate in the house the night before Ash Wednesday. That's tonight. 

I've got "stuff" in here. There's no way I can devour it all before midnight without putting myself into a chocolate coma. 

I've got little candy miniatures (Hershey's, Milky Way, Kit Kat, you name it). I've got hot chocolate mix pouches. I've got sugar-free chocolate syrup which I often squeeze into my yogurt for a treat. Chocolate cookies? I must have some of those, too, around here. And I've got a few leftover Valentine candy "bargains" from the marked down cart the day after that holiday.

I wrote one post two years ago about my reasons for doing this, "Lent and Chocolate," at this link. It probably explains better in that post than I can now.

Well, Lord Jesus, I'll go have one or two wee pieces, and then it's done until Easter. You suffered so much for us. This is just one small way in which I can keep reminding myself this Lenten season of that suffering. It cannot compare to what you did. But it's a start.