This year, for Lent I am not going to give up anything completely.  In regard to temptation, I sometimes find it easier to give something up altogether, rather than practice moderation.  The last two years I have given up sweets and shopping and limited myself to two drinks, taken on one day of the week.

Part of the over-shopping seems to stem from being too busy.  I would just buy stuff because I’d say to myself, if I don’t get it now, when I do need it I’ll have to spend more time looking for this.  In the end, short-of-time-panic shopping seems to override taking inventory of what you do have, and “making do”.  And during Lent it really hit home how much time one spends wandering in and out of stores, lured by the almighty ON SALE sign.  A lot of time is saved when you cut shopping out of your life!

So here is my plan of moderation.  Sweets, once a week.  Alcohol, once a week.  As for the shopping, I feel confident that I am now well grounded in a “making do” mentality that I don’t need to give up or moderate shopping as I’m definitely in a frugal state of mind.

My husband is giving up alcohol with an exception or two.  Did you know that at times a dispensation for St. Patrick’s Day has been issued by the church for those who are abstaining from alcohol?  So over the following weeks, life will be fairly simple although very busy up until May 3rd, the day of the People4Kids Gala.

I woke at 4:30 a.m. today, really excited about my new job and a bit anxious about all the work I have to do for my volunteer job, the Gala.  For the past few days I have been suffering from a bit of dizziness and slight nausea, vertigo perhaps?  So feeling a bit queasy after being up for awhile, I made my way back to bed.  Fortunately, this was a day off from work and another hour or so of sleep seemed to improve the situation.  I considered skipping my run but by mid-afternoon I felt well enough for a bit of a jog and I really needed the mental break from Gala work.  As soon as I hit the sidewalk it was apparent that my legs were still feeling very heavy from Monday’s workout.  There was some consolation in knowing that I could not have run more than three miles, even if I were feeling better.  Well, tomorrow is another day.

As for the alcohol, our wonderful roommate Alain knows how to choose wine and is a chef,who leaves us notes telling us to “help ourselves” to wine and food.  Lately these notes have been appearing more frequently, and very close to my laptop from which I blog, example below.

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.
– 1 Corinthians 9:25a NKJV