Fat Tuesday - My Plans for Lent

With Easter season upon us I have been contemplating what Lenten sacrifices I will make.  In the past I have given up a range of things like sodas & sweets to Internet use and television viewing.  I always like to add a good deed as something extra.  One year I devoted my Wednesday afternoons to picking up my young niece from school and spending the day with her.  Another time I prepared weekly batches of donations of the things that my family no longer uses or needs to give to the less fortunate.  Since we live a pretty simple life already, it's hard to come up with something significant enough to do without.  This year I have decided to give up ALL at home Internet use.   I've done it before and it's really not a very easy thing to do, especially if it's the only real entertainment that you indulge in.  This will free up more time for me to spend for religious contemplation, nurturing my home life, and also to get a jump start on spring cleaning.  I cannot cut myself from the world altogether but will only allow myself a total of 15 minutes to check emails, etc which I will do from the office (during my breaks of course).   I want to eliminate any distractions when at home.  I will also forgo any spending that is not an absolute necessity.  That means no online shopping, no eating out for lunch, NOTHING extra.  Basically groceries and baby items only.  This year I will again prepare donations - it really is helpful twofold: someone else who needs it will be able to have it, and it helps with the spring cleaning.

Even if you are not a religious person and do not recognize the Easter season, it is good practice to think about all the excess in our lives and what we could do without.  Realistically, how much time do we spend online - shopping, blogging, social networking?  The time that we spend (waste) is time that we could be doing other things. More meaningful things.  I've been a culprit, I mean who hasn't?  I just try to be more and more mindful of it since I have a husband and son who love me and want to spend quality time with me.