Halftime

Oh, we're half way there
Oh, oh livin' on a prayer
- Bon Jovi

I wonder if Jon and Richie were halfway through Lent when they wrote that song.  I doubt it, but I'm halfway through Lent now.  If you're not familiar, I've decided to practice Lent for the first time in my life.  Lent is when you give up something that gives you pleasure for the 40 day period from Ash Wednesday till Easter.  Some people take extremes like television, Internet, maybe even dating.  I decided to give up soda.  I live for a soda. I love fountain drinks from McDonald's the most.  They are so yummy.  However, I made a vow to God to give it up for 40 days.

I have to say that it has been tough on me.  I've never really given up anything before.  I realized very quickly that I needed God's help in this.  You're probably thinking, "why do you need God's help?  Just stop drinking soda."  It's not that easy when soda surrounds you.  Where I work, there is a soda machine staring me down in the teachers' lounge.  I put my lunch in the classroom fridge, there's a soda can staring at me.  I go to the other classroom fridges for random things for students, there are sodas there.  One of the classrooms has recycling bins.  Soda cans all in that thing.  That's just at work.  My roommate buys 4 six-packs of Pepsi every month.  I so want to crack one open, but I can't.  When I order some pizza or something, they don't have sweet tea.  Only Pepsi.  Sad, really.

These trials are little trials to a lot of people.  However, it's truly tough to avoid something you've done all your life.  Lent is a chance for you to rely on God's strength to take you through.  Even in small things, you should always rely on God.  I know a lot of you readers are going through some struggles.  Trust me, God knows your troubles.  Some of you are facing a life-altering decision.  Maybe you are trying to give up something not just for 40 days, but forever.  Maybe something is tearing and eating at you.  My prayer is that you go to God and rely on Him as I have for something diminutive as soda.  If God can help me with soda, just think how much He can help you with something deeper and more meaningful.

This soda thing is healthy, but my gosh why can't the rest of the world cooperate with me?