Ash Wednesday is ONE week away! Have you started thinking about what you are going to do for Lent? I usually give up stopping for fast food on the way home, and I pray a Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the car on the way to school.
We "give things up" as a form of penance, to purify our hearts and focus on our relationship with God, and to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. There are three pillars of Lent--fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. It can be a good practice to choose something from all three pillars to give up or to add to your life for these 40 days (or you could keep doing it forever!).
Here are a few articles with ideas of things you could do for Lent, rather than just the normal chocolate or soda.
Life Teen's "20 Weird Ideas"
Life Teen's "20 Creative Ideas"
Life Teen's "102 Things You Should Really Give Up"
Catholic All Year's "Outside the Box: 66 Things to Give Up or Take Up for Lent"
