FOR THE LOVE OF COFFEE

I am sure that many of you have either heard that today is the beginning of lent or for those of you that participate have officially started the 40 days of giving up whatever luxury you have chosen to attempt to go without. I say attempt because I know not everyone out there can make it till Easter. As for me, I grew up knowing of lent because I had multiple friends that are catholic and they participated each year; however my family never took part. But this year I decided I needed to step outside my comfort zone and try new things, challenge myself more & try to become a better version of myself. So what the heck, why not give Lent a shot. I wasn't sure what I wanted to give up at first, naturally facebook was out of the question (props to you out there who decided to give it up) and I don't have many things that I'm really attached to, unless I wanted to give up my dogs, but I don't think my mom would be very excited to take them. And then I figured it out

*light bulb moment*

COFFEE! It's something that has been part of my daily routine since, forever. And I've never attempted or really ever wanted to take coffee out of my life. And with a big Dutch family, coffee practically runs in our veins and we are known to go thru about four to five pots of coffee at a Sunday afternoon family get together. And with one of my cousins getting married the end of March; I was starting to get a little nervous about really giving up my beloved beverage of choice. But again, I wanted to try new things this year…so coffee it is! I also decided if I'm going to take part in this I better do some research on it. And just in case you are curious also, here's what I found:

Wikipedia:

Lent (Latin: Quadragesima, "fortieth") is the Christian observance of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.

The traditional purpose of Lent is the penitential preparation of the believer—through prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events of the Passion of Christ on Good Friday, which then culminates in the celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

During Lent, many of the faithful commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxury as a form of penitence. Many Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches bare their altars of candles, flowers, and other devotional offerings, while crucifixes, religious statues, and other elaborate religious paraphernalia are often veiled in violet fabrics in observance of this event. In certain pious Catholic countries, grand processions and cultural customs are observed, and the faithful attempt to visit seven churches during Holy Week in honor of Jesus Christ heading to Mount Calvary.

According to the Synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent forty days fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan. Thus, Lent is described as being forty days long, though different denominations calculate the forty days differently. In many of the Christian churches, Lent is regarded as being forty days long, but the Sundays between Shrove Tuesday and Easter Sunday are not typically regarded as being part of Lent; thus, the date of Shrove Tuesday will typically be slightly more than forty days before Easter Sunday.

This event, along with its pious customs are observed by Eastern Orthodox, Oriental, Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans and some Baptists. Lent is increasingly being observed by other denominations as well, even such groups that have historically ignored Lent, such as some Baptists and Mennonites.

So now you know the historical reasons behind Lent and maybe I have convinced you to partake as well. If not, I hope you still keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I begin this little journey. As for you coffee, I will see you at Easter!

ta ta for now!