Preparing for Lent

Growing up Lutheran, Lent was a season I observed every late-winter. Lent is the 40 days before Easter (some might know it as beginning the day after Fat Tuesday). For me, the purpose of Lent is to recognize the greatest sacrifice in humankind - Christ. By sacrificing something during Lent, I am reminded of the sacrific that He made for me.

My classic lenten practice is to give up something sweet. Ice cream, all sweets, chocolate. Been there, done that. Giving up sweets is truly a sacrifice for me, and has been an excellent lenten observation for me in the past.

This year, though, I have decided to practice the season of Lent with a different observation.

Enter the $2 challenge.

I learned about this from Christine Sine of the Mustard Seed Associates (check out her blog with excellent resources at godspace.wordpress.com). The basic premise of the $2 challenge is to select a period of time when you will only spend $2/day on food as an expression of solidarity with the half of the world's population that lives on $2/day or less EVERYDAY. You can then donate the money that you saved on this food budget to an organization that helps provide food for the people who live on $2/day or less.

As I'm preparing for my week of living on $2/day, I have many thoughts running through my head. Can I do it? Will my studies be affected? Will I be irritable? What will I eat? Should I exercise? Will I be able to sleep? How will I share meals with friends? Can I study in coffeeshops? What will I do about all the food I am surrounded by everyday?

The classic verse of Matthew 4:4 comes to mind: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Do I believe this? Yes. Have I experienced it? No.

Sure I've had moments of hunger before, but never 7 days of limiting my food intake. I've never even been on a diet. Giving up sweets for Lent was difficult, but I could eat as much of any other food as I wanted to: fruit, juice, sorbet (can't compare with ice cream!), homemade bread - things that would satisfy my hunger, though not necessarily my sweet tooth.

So this lenten observation is completely new to me. I'm still in the research (trying to figure out which foods will be the most satisfying on $2/day), anticipation (trying to pray about this challenge), and logistical (when is the most feasible time to do the challenge during Lent) phase.

I'll keep you posted.

Check out: twodollarchallenge.org

ps More to come about the rest of my Lent plans!