I did not grow up with the tradition of giving up something for Lent. We didn't celebrate it like a lot of folks do. We used to joke "I am giving up strawberries for Lent". Well, I hate strawberries, so it is not really giving up something!
There are two schools of thought about sacrificing during Lent. Give up something that is not too much of a temptation like the author mentioned or give something very meaningful to you. It may seem silly to most folks, but I love popcorn, buttery, salty popcorn. I could eat it by the gallons, especially at movies. It is a big temptation to me to give it up for Lent. I may not go to any movies so I can resist temptation better. Like the author of the devotional, I also fail. I failed at giving up popcorn a few years ago. I fell off the wagon, but got right back on for the rest of the season.
The point of it all, as I finally learned, is to sacrifice something in honor of the sacrifice that Christ made for us at Easter time. While he may not ask us to sacrifice our lives at Easter like he did, he does want us to give our lives over to him so we can have a personal relationship with him. Won't you do that today?
Lord, thank you for your sacrifice at Easter. Please help us honor that sacrifice with our lives each and every day, not just during Lent.
Wellness Wednesday
The Flu
So I thought I had the flu yesterday. I was up late Monday night with symptoms. I had bad symptoms Monday morning. I called into work and slept until noon. I felt much better after that. I got very hungry, which is a good sign. Some people starve a cold or feed a fever. I just feed everything! ha! I guess I ate something that didn't agree with me. Very odd! What should you do if you have the flu? What should you do to prevent it? Here are a few easy steps:
- You can prevent most flu symptoms by getting a flu shot if you are able. Not everyone can take a flu shot. Be warned that not every strain of flu is in the shot. For 2012-13, one of the nastiest strains is not in the shot. The good news is that getting a flu shot can help make the symptoms milder and help you recover faster.
- Wash your hands. A lot! Any time you touch something in public, be sure to wash your hands before touching your face or eating with your hands. Some common things we forget about: menus at restaurants and hand rails on stairways. Wash, wash, wash!
- Depending on your flu symptoms, drink a lot of fluids. There are a lot of different opinions about what you should drink. Check with your doctor. I prefer something like Poweraide Zero that has some electrolytes and stuff, but not the sugar content of Gatorade. Some folks prefer Sprite or 7-up instead.
- Watch what you eat, if you can eat. You body may try to tell you what it is craving if you feel like eating it. Try to stay away from high fat foods. Stick with whole grain crackers and low fat cheese or something like that.
- Get your rest and follow through until you are well. We have a tendency to get back to our normal routines as soon as we feel a little better. Take your time. Get well.
I hope this helps! Get well or don't get sick at all!
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We too can know this God and be assured of His presence. He has revealed Himself in His creation and in His Word. As we ask Him to make Himself known to us, we’ll learn that He is even more than the owner and creator of everything! - Our Daily Bread web site
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