The Joy of the Season

Yesterday, I woke up and got ready to head to campus for another full day of classes. As I was packing my lunch, I hit a little road block:

For lunch, I had planned to eat the leftover pizza from dinner with a great friend the night before. This pizza was DELICIOUS. (FYI: I recommend BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse in Baton Rouge.) Then, as I was getting out of the refrigerator, I realized…FRIDAY=NO MEAT! “Stinking Lent!” was my first thought. Reluctantly, I put the deep dish pizza away and turned for the can of tuna and an apple.

Usually, when I tell people that I gave up Coke (or soda, for my northern friends) and meat on Fridays for Lent, their response is, “but you’re not Catholic.”

Oh dear friends, I may not be Catholic, but I am most certainly in the season of my Savior’s death and resurrection!

Fasting is a practice that is biblical; therefore, it is not intended for only those who practice Catholicism. Jesus did it (Matthew 4:2). His people did it (Daniel 9:3). He commanded us to do it: “‘Even now,’” declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning’” (Joel 2:12).

Once I packed my tuna sandwich and accepted that I would not be having my pizza at all on Friday, I realized that giving up meat one day a week and not drinking cokes for forty is really the least I can do. The season of new life is here. Jesus has died and conquered the grave. I find great JOY in showing my respect and awe of my God by fasting during Lent.

When you’re reverent in your fasting, pizza doesn’t seem much better than tuna anyway.

New Addition: Things I will miss about Louisiana….

This is a new little addition to my posts. Until I move to Pennsylvania in July, I will add a thing or two that I will miss about Louisiana to my posts.

Things I will miss about Louisiana….

My students are learning about Louisiana music in their music class right now. On Thursday, the music teacher played Jambalaya. Mrs. Dart and I were sitting in the back of the classroom doing some planning and grading. When we looked up, we realized we were both dancing in our seats, and so were all 22 of our 3^rd graders. Oh Louisiana, how I will miss your music!!!