Lent

[Jersey Girl]

I’ll join you, Jersey Girl. I’ll give up cigars for 40 days.

- Doc

I think that's a tough one for you! I know you've prior mentioned how you like to relax with a good cigar. If you fall off the horse, give yourself grace and just get back on and ride. I'm sure that is going to happen with me. Thank you so much for joining.

[Jersey Girl]

I will join y’all with a daily walk. I’ll call it giving up slothfulness.

Oh that is good! We're sliding into blizzard season here so that's off the table for me but...not you! I wonder what you might experience on your walks? In any case, I'm sure it will be good for you and thank you for walking this journey!

[Jersey Girl]

I had come up with a plan since I did the OP. Your post here changed everything.

I should try to give up the news till April 2.

The news is a bad vice, and it would be cleansing to give it up for a while.

Yes! Recall the Log Off thread I did and you mentioned walking through the neighborhood and how good it was to see normal life happening around you? The news isn't news delivered as it used to be. News reports were previously a public service presented by actual journalists and skilled reporters. Now it's news for profit. It's intended to provoke anxiety so we continue to keep clicking in to see how fast and hard the sky is falling. I now put the independents on youtube in the same category. Their thumbnails have become increasingly frenetic and sensationalized. We're paying an administration, Congress, and news outlets to abuse us.

Do you think you'll try it? Even if not, thank you for replying to the OP. I didn't think it would have any replies at all. Just some silent eyerolling and there goes Jersey again type thing.

[Jersey Girl]

At first I came up with a plan before I went to sleep on OP day, that would focus on the natural world. I realized when I was praying before sleep how I came up with a ton of ideas and thought...this is going to be fun!

What? Fun? I realized that Jesus's experience in the wilderness had nothing to do with fun and that I was actually mentally writing nature related lesson plans for myself. Something is seriously wrong with me. I mean it. Today when I saw Schmo's reply I locked in. I don't have an exact plan. More like a concept of a plan.

It's a toxic cleanse of the news. My intention is to avoid it entirely. If I see suggestions come up in my youtube feed, I don't look at them. Pass them up without reading the titles. No CNN headline review of the front page. If it's on the television downstairs, I make myself scarce. Period. Get away from it.

This is how I'm squaring it in my believing mind. Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness and never fell to those temptations. Each time, he responded to temptation by quoting scripture.

Is the news a temptation? Yes. I think it's also a form of idolatry. If something is rigged up to draw and hold our attention, it easily becomes an addiction. If it takes my attention away from the Lord, it becomes an idol. It think it could also be considered a temptation and form of spiritual attack.

Could have said that better I suppose. So... a detox from spiritual junk food.

See? I said it right there in one sentence.

The other part of my plan is this. I want to counter the removal of toxicity by replacing it with something healthy.

Was looking at a wiki on Lent and this caught my eye:

Three traditional practices are to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent; these are known as the three pillars of Lent:[73][22]
prayer (justice toward God)
fasting (justice toward self)
almsgiving (justice toward neighbours)
Self-reflection, simplicity, and sincerity are emphasised during the Lenten season.[25]

That last part: Self-reflection, simplicity, and sincerity

I think there's some room to increase my practice of mindfulness right there and establish it as a habit. As for the simplicity piece, Thoreau and I have got that covered. Sincerity, I've yet to develop that part of the plan. I did read something about the three R's of Lent. Reflection, Repentance, and Reconciliation. I've got to work that out in my mind. That'll be where the spiritual and staying in the Word is important.

So let's just say my plan is fluid and off we go on a 40 day journey of our own. Thank you again so much, guys. Report in or follow up as you like, no pressure, no judgment. Keep it to yourself or share. It's your business what you do with it. It'll be so nice to think of you all doing it while I am.

[Some Schmo]

The news isn't news delivered as it used to be. News reports were previously a public service presented by actual journalists and skilled reporters. Now it's news for profit. It's intended to provoke anxiety so we continue to keep clicking in to see how fast and hard the sky is falling. I now put the independents on youtube in the same category. Their thumbnails have become increasingly frenetic and sensationalized. We're paying an administration, Congress, and news outlets to abuse us.

Agreed. I used to just avoid videos with titles suggesting This is the end of Trump because it's not the end until the screwup dies. His fans are too stupid to come around.

Now those titles/headlines actually piss me off. It's been over 10 years and they're still wrong. Screw you, click bait.

Do you think you'll try it? Even if not, thank you for replying to the OP. I didn't think it would have any replies at all. Just some silent eyerolling and there goes Jersey again type thing.

The problem I realized today is that it's almost unconscious behavior. I found myself scrolling headlines this morning before even realizing I was doing it.

I'd have to put a sign on my monitor: NO NEWS!

[Res Ipsa]

Week 1: Did 6/7. 39k.

Day 8: To and From light rail, downtown guided walk, 10k+
Actual: Done, 18k

Day 9: Big block 3k
Actual: Small block 2k

Day 10: Big block 3k
Actual: Done

Day 11 : Shoreline 5k
Actual: Done

Day 12: Ballard 5k
Actual: Done

Day 13: Big block 3k

[Jersey Girl]

Lent Day #1:

Got on youtube after my morning tea. Did great poking around until I reflexively clicked on a video short. Self corrected and clicked right out. Did not read any politics related thumb nails, no headlines on CNN front page. All good.

Watched a 5 minute video of the Buddhist Monks speaking at their rally in DC. What he said resonated. His advice...when you wake up in the morning do NOT touch your phone. It steals your peace. You lose your peace the moment you react to what you see so don't do it. Instead you say, "Today will be my peaceful day", a mantra or chant. That's how we put peace out into universe.

My phone is usually off entirely or it's on airplane mode in another room so I can check it visually when I'm expecting messages. Otherwise the phone doesn't exist for me. The computer and youtube are the gateway drugs to destroying my peace.

I'll continue to pray for peace each day as usual and for the Lord to help me exercise self restraint when it comes to media and break what often becomes habit. They don't call it click "bait" for nothing!

Don't. take. the. bait.

(Currently sick. Went to primary/urgent care. Virus. Tired and weepy, not sad. Probably won't update tomorrow or I'll make seventy thousand incoherent posts on drugs. See how I hid it in the above post? See how fake I am?)

[Philo Sofee]

I will join y’all with a daily walk. I’ll call it giving up slothfulness.

I too will join you on this part! I need it and its a great way to give up slothfulness. THANKS Jersey for the invitation! I shall return and report.....

[Jersey Girl]

The news isn't news delivered as it used to be. News reports were previously a public service presented by actual journalists and skilled reporters. Now it's news for profit. It's intended to provoke anxiety so we continue to keep clicking in to see how fast and hard the sky is falling. I now put the independents on youtube in the same category. Their thumbnails have become increasingly frenetic and sensationalized. We're paying an administration, Congress, and news outlets to abuse us.

Agreed. I used to just avoid videos with titles suggesting This is the end of Trump because it's not the end until the screwup dies. His fans are too stupid to come around.

Now those titles/headlines actually piss me off. It's been over 10 years and they're still wrong. Screw you, click bait.

Do you think you'll try it? Even if not, thank you for replying to the OP. I didn't think it would have any replies at all. Just some silent eyerolling and there goes Jersey again type thing.

The problem I realized today is that it's almost unconscious behavior. I found myself scrolling headlines this morning before even realizing I was doing it.

I'd have to put a sign on my monitor: NO NEWS!

Part I bolded. Sticky note. I put them on my computer all the time. Not going to bug you about it, promise.

[Jersey Girl]

I will join y’all with a daily walk. I’ll call it giving up slothfulness.

I too will join you on this part! I need it and its a great way to give up slothfulness. THANKS Jersey for the invitation! I shall return and report.....

Was just thinking about this. If I recall correctly slothfulness is one of the 7 deadly sins listed in the Bible. Best wishes on your 40 day journey to abstain from slothfulness for Lent.