Regarding Lent (in direct opposition and no correlation to Regarding Henry)

Though it snuck up on me, I'm excited about Lent this year. Lent requires taken stock in oneself, realizing some bad habits, and making a change. Seems simple enough.

Mel and I have decided to give "up" eating out for Lent. We'll be cooking at home or dining with others at their residences. Since everything it seems has a caveat, this restriction excludes (this is how lawyers talk - I'm feeling the Pharisaic double speak already) coffee and beer at the local shop or pub, but includes a bagel or pastry. Watch out!

So in addition to giving something up, I'm giving something "down." Whatever the term is, I'll be attempting to read for one hour a day, everyday of Lent. This may be easy for some of you, but this will be a great discipline for me since I have the tendency to read only on certain days of the week (like my days off). The picture is some of the books I'm hoping to knock out.

As a house we'll be reading a walk through Lent with Henri Nouwen book together in the evenings. Now that I'm finally geared up, the challenges and freshness of this communal Christian season excite me greatly.