I grew up Catholic. I lived in a household where church attendance was mandatory at 6AM every Sunday. We prayed the rosary every night and went through all the rites of passage in Catholicism - Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. In my adult life I am not so much a practicing Catholic. I haven't been to church in a while. I do not pray the rosary at all. I do have personal conversations with God but I don't feel the need to speak to him through a priest. I do however seem to still give things up when the Lenten season comes around. Rice used to be the thing to give up. Back home we ate rice with every meal. Steak just doesn't seem to taste right without rice and soy sauce! After a few years of giving up rice, it wasn't difficult to go without it for 40+ days. This year I decided to give up desserts (breakfast muffins, whipped cream, and ice cream fell under this category), candy, and Starbucks (which ended up really meaning any kind of coffee and lattes). Anyone who knows me will tell you that I live for desserts, will usually not pass up a piece of candy, and Starbucks lattes and I go together like a Filipino and patis!
I won't lie and say this lenten journey has been easy. It hasn't. My workplace is filled with cubicles packing a "snacking" punch - you can pretty much find anything you're craving: chips, cookies, candy, cheesecake (yes, cheesecake!). I can also say that I'm probably a glutton for punishment. To ease my stress levels - I bake. This past month made no exception for me because I was unable to have my comfort vices. I baked a few different times in the past month and as much as I wanted to eat an oatmeal craisin cookie, chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting, and have a slice of my citrus delight cake...I didn't.
I am now in the homestretch and am hoping I don't falter and shove a twinkie in my mouth before Sunday.
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