Readers Respond: What Are You Giving Up for Lent 2010?

Responses: 86

By Scott P. Richert, About.com Guide

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I am giving up meat and sweets. Meat will be very hard to give up, but I believe sacrificing is what we are suppose to be doing anyway. I love the idea of giving up Facebook. I may do that one next year.
—Guest Tmier

I shall give up chocolate, sweets, ice cream, and too much food. I shall give up those things that Christians ought not to do . . . negative thoughts, bad thoughts, swearing, worrying, etc.
—Guest GrahamB

I'm giving up Facebook (which will be very hard to do!) and junk food (my other vice).
—brittanywlkrsn

My tongue is my weakness; I will tame it this Lent. I will forgo words that do not edify our merciful God, all negative words. I will give up meat for 40 days to support my husband because he asked me to. I gave up meat last year, and that was the hardest Lent ever. By God's grace, I can do it again.
—Guest Joan MN

My kid is in boarding school, and I am not married. I hardly cook. When I am hungry I quickly make tea and sandwich but mostly tea. I am not into fizzy drinks, juices, or snacks; its either sadza (zimbabwean staple food) or tea. Sadza takes about an hour or more to prepare. I am hesitant to give up tea—what will I have when hungry—but it is thus the more ideal sacrifice I can do. I don't want to think I am addicted, but I can drink quite a number of cups of tea. I will give up tea and drink water instead. Please pray for me. Once you give up something for Lent, is it for life?
—Guest Patty

I've given up Facebook and texting. I'm a teenager, so this is a REAL sacrifice. I even have a few naysayers.
—Guest Kaylynn

Give up meat, yes, but also the C's: (ice) cream, cake, and cookies. Use my heart and extend kindness to my neighbors.
—anitalynngrace

This Lent I am denying myself second helpings, salting my food, and complaining.
—Guest L. Gooms

I'm giving up desserts and candy. I am also going to work on not being as negative about my job and things that make me upset.
—Guest Kansasgirl

I am diabetic, so I will try anyway not to eat snacks. I will learn the Stations of the Cross with my son, who is 16 and taking confirmation classes.
—Guest Elizabeth C.

I know, this is terrible, but I still haven't decided what I am going to give up this year. I did really well losing all my pregnancy weight and now I'm 10 less than before I was pregnant, so I think dieting is out of the question. I need to do something that is REALLY hard to give up. I know of one thing for sure (TV), but I just don't think I can do it. I bow to those who can do it. I have A LOT of deciding to do in the next couple of days. YIKES. I know for a FACT that I am going to continue with focusing on saying my prayers EVERY morning before work. I also plan on reading some of the Bible. I think that is much needed, and it's been too long since I've opened it! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!
—Guest BenedictMom

So, I really don't eat much on a daily basis, and being only 100 lbs., I was a little worried about my first Lent. I found that I do eat small snacks through out the day, and I thought that would be the thing I give up for Lent, besides chocolate. When I eat a bar of chocolate, my stress levels plummet, and I don't feel bad afterward. Now, I will just stick with prayer and not snacking. Maybe even eating breakfast and dinner and skipping a lunch. Whew I hope I can do this ;)
—Guest Theresa

I am brand new to the Catholic Faith; this will be my first Lent! I am giving up sweet tea (and all sugar beverages). My friends know how I love my tea, so they are all interested to see how I do. I also hope to be baptized as a Catholic during this Lent, and I can not wait to join RCIA in the fall!
—Guest Ruth

This year I've decided that I'm going to use The Artist's Way as part of my Lenten observation. I decided to go through the process for my writing, and now that I've gotten into it, I see how much it's benefiting my spiritual life as well. I'm excited for what the rest of the study will bring for my spiritual walk and my writing. In addition to that (which I don't think really "counts" because I'm already doing it on my own), I'm going to read/study Johnnette Benkovic's Full of Grace. There are eight chapters and six weeks of Lent, so if I double up two weeks' readings, it'll be perfect. I considered going through a Women of the Bible study I found online, but there are 17 lessons, so I couldn't figure out how to make it work for Lent (for me), so I'm saving it for after Easter instead. I've also decided to give up sleep. I'm going to get up earlier every day in order to spend time in prayer, get things done around the house, and get an early start to the day.
—Guest Nicole