{"id":115401,"date":"2020-03-13T00:42:11","date_gmt":"2020-03-13T07:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/?p=115401"},"modified":"2020-01-24T18:47:55","modified_gmt":"2020-01-25T01:47:55","slug":"fasting-friday-ten-meaningful-ways-to-fast-during-lent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/2020\/03\/fasting-friday-ten-meaningful-ways-to-fast-during-lent.html","title":{"rendered":"Fasting Friday: Ten Meaningful Ways to Fast During Lent"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Here\u2019s a nifty piece<\/a> that might be of help if you find fasting to be mysterious and frustrating and hard to connect with God and other people:<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t buy\u00a0anything that you don\u2019t NEED.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you can live without it, you don\u2019t need it. \u00a0Give it up for Lent. \u00a0Put the money that you would have spent into a jar. \u00a0You will be surprised at how quickly you build up your savings. \u00a0I even wrote a\u00a0book about how to save money<\/a>\u00a0(it was actually how we saved enough for me to quit teaching and be a stay at home mom).\u00a0Be sure to look at how much you saved after the 40 days & put some into savings, but\u00a0donate<\/strong>\u00a0the rest.
\nYou could even try to\u00a0earn more money (and donate some of it) with these work at home jobs.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

2- Throw Away 40 things for 40 days<\/strong><\/p>\n

Every day, you walk around your house and collect 40 things to donate or throw away\u2026 every day, until Lent ends. \u00a0 (Try donating, because you are helping others). \u00a0 Print these\u00a040 things in 40 days cards<\/a>\u00a0to help you with your daily journey.
\nFIND THESE CARDS HERE.\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>
\n\"What<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n
3-\u00a040 Days of home Organization<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Go a step further this year. I have a\u00a0declutter course that would be perfect for Lent!<\/a>\u00a0It is a day by day\u00a0cleaning & decluttering guide that lasts through Lent. \u00a0You can do 40 tasks or follow my program and just work through Lent. \u00a0It\u2019s a way for me to free up the things that hold me back\u2026 material things. \u00a0Be sure to GIVE to others through donation after your organization.<\/p>\n

4- No Gossiping.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Give up gossiping for Lent. That means you cannot do any gossiping. \u00a0None! \u00a0If someone says something negative about another person, either say something nice or don\u2019t say anything at all. \u00a0You would think this is going to be SO easy, but when you can\u2019t say anything negative about anyone else, you realize how often it happens, sadly.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
I find myself saying \u201cUgh. \u00a0The clerk at the store today was really rude today.\u201d \u00a0or \u201cI wish Mickey (my husband) would have given the boys a bath before I got home from the store.\u201d or even \u201cWow- those kids are really loud at that table, when while we are out to eat\u2026 I wonder if their Mom is going to tell them to be a little quieter at dinner?\u201d \u00a0 Simple things like that make this one really hard. \u00a0 It sort of goes along with #10, which you will see in a minute.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

5- No eating after dinner<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This one is hard for me, so it really makes me think about Lent because I can see just a glimpse of how Jesus struggled when he was hungry. \u00a0I eat most of my snacks in the evening when I am watching TV with my husband. \u00a0This year, I plan on letting myself have one bowl of\u00a0YoNanas<\/a>\u00a0every night\u00a0since it is only frozen fruit. ( Trust me, with my ice cream cravings, this is a mini-sacrifice all on its own. \u00a0haha .)<\/p>\n

\n
\n
6- Give up Soda for Lent<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This one is easy & not really out-of-the-box, but it is my struggle, so I had to include it. \u00a0I have one diet coke a day when it is not Lent, so it is my sacrifice. \u00a0 It is harder than most people think since it is such a habit & routine of mine (I just stop on the way home from preschool at McDonald\u2019s & grab a diet coke\u2026 every day).\u00a0Luckily, I have the\u00a0soda stream<\/a>\u00a0& it gets me through that first week or two (I use the\u00a0flavored water drink mixes<\/a>). \u00a0The rest is easy.<\/p>\n

7. Say 3 nice things to your spouse & kids daily.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You may think this is easy, but try to say things that aren\u2019t the normal \u201cThanks\u201d or \u201cYou look nice.\u201d or \u201cGood job.\u201d \u00a0 Try to do 3 out-of-the-box things during Lent this year \u00a0\u201cI love how you always help the kids.\u201d \u00a0 or \u00a0\u201cI love how you work hard on your homework, even when it is tough tonight. \u00a0You are a hard worker\u201d \u00a0 Try to\u00a0say this important word<\/a>\u00a0to your kids. \u00a0Remember\u2026\u00a0your words become their inner voice.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n
Try this 40+\u00a0Printable Card pack<\/a>. \u00a0(<\/strong>They are perfect for\u00a040 days of getting-to-know-you ideas & words of affirmation<\/a>)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"40<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n
8- Don\u2019t eat\u00a0out for 40 days.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Try to make easy crockpot meals, like this\u00a0French Dip Sandwich<\/a>\u00a0recipe or this\u00a0Chicken Salsa recipe.<\/a>
\nYou can try this:\u00a0 42\u00a0Days of\u00a0real food<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 this course is filled with 21 days of recipes,\u00a0menu plans,\u00a0grocery lists & more<\/a>\u00a0(Pay once,\u00a0do it twice so you can have 42 days) \ufffd
\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

9-\u00a0Replace 30 minutes of TV time with 30 extra minutes of devotion\/prayer time.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Read a devotional or bible story with your family and have a discussion about it. \u00a0Even young kids can get involved in this.\u00a0 \u00a0You can\u00a0print out & make these prayer hands:<\/a>
\n\"Prayer<\/span><\/a>
\nOr you can find a great\u00a0devotional for kids (like this one) and read a devotion every night.\u00a0<\/a>\"devotional<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n
10- Do not complain.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

We often complain and whine about things, but we need to try to have a positive outlook on things.\u00a0I tried this one year and it was VERY hard. \u00a0 You\u00a0don\u2019t realize how much you\u00a0complain until you give it up\u2026 \u00a0\u201cDo everything without arguing or complaining\u2026\u201d Philippians 2:14 NIV<\/p>\n

Instead,\u00a0use this time for daily prayer<\/strong>. \u00a0You could even try these\u00a0daily prayer cards (we use them).<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 Print them out, cut them apart and follow one card each day:
\n\"What<\/span><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Do read the rest here.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s a nifty piece that might be of help if you find fasting to be mysterious and frustrating and hard to connect with God and other people: 1. Don\u2019t buy\u00a0anything that you don\u2019t NEED. If you can live without it, you don\u2019t need it. \u00a0Give it up for Lent. \u00a0Put the money that you would […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1078,361],"class_list":["post-115401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-fasting-friday","tag-lent"],"yoast_head":"\nFasting Friday: Ten Meaningful Ways to Fast During Lent<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here's a nifty piece that might be of help if you find fasting to be mysterious and frustrating and hard to connect with God and other people: 1. 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