Lent and Chocolate

Lent is fast approaching. I've decided that one thing I will do is my new fave Lenten practice. I'll give up chocolate except for my mini-York patty or Tootsie Roll Midgie before bed. That means I will have no hot chocolate, no cakes, and no cookies with chocolate. And, certainly no major chocolate candy.

My middle-aged nephew has asked me, as of yesterday, to stop bringing in candy for him. That usually only works for about two weeks and then he'll ask me one day, out of the blue, "Do we have any candy stashed? Anything?" So, even though it sounds like we'd ditch candy for a while, it's a bit unpredictable.

I only have a few more days to ditch (meaning, "EAT") the small amounts of chocolate candy in the house that are "mine." I have a pack of the small Peanut Butter Cups that I hide in the closet and bring out for him at two-a-day. I guess I'll be forced to eat those before midnight Tuesday. It's a sacrifice I'm prepared to make. Yummy.

Seriously, I love the warm feeling I get when I succeed at any of my Lenten projects.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I might make the ultimate sacrifice this year. I'll give up ALL chocolate, even those mini-York patties or Tootsie Roll Midgies at bedtime. I've recently discovered these yogurt coated mini-pretzels in a bag on a rod at Walgreens, for only 99-cents. They look like white chocolate but there is absolutely no chocolate in them. I could eat one of those for my nighttime treat and that would be all right with me, and definitely within my limits for my Lenten effort.

Sweet Jesus, I will give up that beloved chocolate this coming Lenten season. It is nothing compared to what you gave up those 40 days and 40 nights in the desert and mountains so long ago. It is nothing compared to how you suffered immediately afterwards. Still, I hope you will accept this small effort on my behalf.