It's Ash Wednesday today. The beginning of Lent, the 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter. It's a time for Christians to reflect and prepare for the biggest event of the Christian calendar, Easter. The 40 days is quite Biblical, though there are disageements amongst Biblical scholars as to the absolute truth of the number. Seems, in Biblical times, 40 was a sort of slang for a really long time, like we say "a bazillion," and may or may not have meant exactly *40.* The Jews wandered in the wilderness for 40 years after escaping slavery in Egypt. Jesus went out into the wilderness for 40 days after his baptism, before starting his ministry.

Traditionally Catholics gave up meat and other things during lent, to fast and prepare for the coming Easter events. Over time, that practice has waned, but I think it's an important spiritual discipline so it's one I participate in. This year, I'm giving up junk food, chocolate, soda, and added sugar (yes, I know that soda and chocolate are "junk food" but I'm expanding on my previous years of "just" giving up soda and chocolate...there's a theme here even if I'm the only one who can see it!).

I'm also giving up computer games. So I say goodbye to Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook, after acheiving a score over 400K last week. And I say goodbye to all the fun solitare games and puzzles and so forth on MindJolt through Facebook. Whatever will I do with myself now?

This season is also a time when I get bitten by Spring Fever, despite what the weather is like outside. And Protestants have been pushing the "take on something" rather than the "give up something," so with that in mind, I'm taking on writing and blogging and journaling. I'm saying goodbye to the time-sucking games on this machine and saying hello to yoga and walking and sewing (Easter dresses!) and scrapbooking. I'm turning toward the promised renewal of spring after this winter of rest and hidden growth, hoping that growth will manifest itself outwardly just like the new growth outside.