Remember you are dust...and as dust you shall return.

Firstly, I wanted to note, for those of you who didn't know, you're not supposed to proclaim what you are giving up for Lent to the world. Not via Facebook or blog or however else you proclaim things these days. This is the way I grew up.

Lent is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Conventionally, it is described as being forty days long. The forty days represent the time that, according to the Bible, Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan.

Since Jesus spent 40 days in the desert to bring you His word, the least you could do is not tell the world what you are giving up to honor Him. Seriously.

Over the years I have met non-Christians (tons of Jews) that practice Lent - who see Lent as an opportunity to test their will power. Which I guess is fine, but know what the significance is for pete's sake. I've also had to develop public and private Lent fasts so that I don't get harassed as to what I'm "giving up".

I will see publicly I gave up soda and gluten (bread). It's extremely hard. Not the soda, but the gluten. Everything has gluten. Check your fridge. I'm not kidding.