In our house we always observed the Lenten fast and abstinence rules regardless of the age guidelines. When our children got old enough and realized they weren’t obligated to follow the Lenten fast until age 14 they were aghast … for a little while.
I can’t claim that my husband and I made them adhere to the rules because of some extreme sense of piety. It was just easier. If we were discussing “what to give up for Lent,” they could too.
Of course, when the kids considered that we were never a household of separate menus for kids and adults, they realized that eating simple, plain meals of pancakes, tuna casserole or tomato soup with mom and dad on Friday nights during Lent was no big deal.
It became second nature to have days of discussion and consideration about what to give up and to get ready for the Operation Rice Bowl box to become the new table centerpiece for the next 40 days. The kids would decide which recipe to try first on the Rice Bowl calendar and which one was too “icky” to consider.
We usually refrained from dining out during Lent, mainly for the sacrifice but also for the cost of six people. We always stocked up on fish sticks, mac and cheese, and ordered some scrod fish from the Schwan man. It got a little tricky when the kids had sleepovers at their friends’ homes or attended a birthday party. But most of the time they didn’t mind picking off the pepperoni and thank goodness there’s no meat in birthday cake and ice cream!
Then when Easter came around, we celebrated and most of the time returned to indulging in whatever it was we gave up. We remember those days fondly and even now with some of the kids not practicing their faith as regularly as they should, they still practice the traditions of Lent and understand what the sacrifice is and was for.
We sometimes too reminisce about the lessons that our little Lenten fast and abstinence sacrifices taught us. We realized that we could survive on less and that it was a good reminder of those who hunger and not by choice.
This Lenten season handed me a new lesson. I have been on a low, almost no salt, diet. It is medically necessary that I forgo all the wonderful things that provide flavor and even enhance the sweetness of food. Gone are the crispy, salty chips and fries. Gone are the cashews, almonds and peanuts crusty in the beautiful white grains. Gone is the flavor.
However now that I am several weeks into the new lifestyle, I have learned a new lesson much like my kids learned long ago. First, I learned that making a sacrifice really isn’t that bad, especially when the gains are great, and when you constantly take too much of a good thing, it will turn bad on you. Getting rid of the salt intake I previously consumed has reaped some good rewards. I feel better and I discovered that food has flavor beyond the mask of salt. And these lessons can be applied to so many other things in life.
All the traditions and sacrifices we practice during Lent can turn us away from old habits that pulled us in a less than Godly direction. Without the distraction of earthly desires, we can reflect on what’s important. Without the distraction of unhealthy choices, we can feel better physically, and we become more alert to the relationship between our lifestyle and our overall health. And without distractions of ill health and tiresome routines, we can more easily focus on building a closer and better relationship with the God who loves us and gave us all things as well as the free will to make decisions about all His gifts.
Here’s hoping that your Lenten season is full of the wonderful flavors of forgiveness, mercy and love for God who made all things.
