Lent...what are you giving up?

Did you know Lent is the forty day period before Easter?
Did you know it begins on Ash Wednesday?
Did you know you skip Sunday's when you count the forty days because Sunday's commemorate the Resurrection?
Did you know this is a Catholic observation?
Did you know I know a lot of people who have taken on the tradition of giving up something for Lent, even though they are not Catholic?
Did you know I think that is actually a great idea?
I do.
Know why?
Because I think anything that gives us an opportunity to sit down and do a little "soul searching" about life and the direction our own life is going is very beneficial.
Most of us don't do that enough.
I know I don't.
Did you know that Lent is traditionally a time marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities?
Did you know that now a days, many people just use it as a time to give up a vice, add something to their lives that will bring them closer to God or give time and money to charitable organizations?
But remember, Sunday's are feast days and thus, when you vow to give up all chocolate for forty days, you can cheat and eat all you want on Sundays.
Now isn't that nice?