Yesterday was Easter Sunday, which meant the end of Lent, which meant the end of my chocolate famine. For breakfast at home, I had a Reese’s peanut butter egg. (Yum!) We were supposed to have the new members class at church but they didn’t have it because of Easter (except we didn’t know that) so after we showed up at the church awaiting a bagel and coffee but rather finding empty countertops and an empty classroom, we went to Einstein Bros where I had a chocolate chip bagel with plain lite cream cheese. I didn’t have any chocolate for lunch because we ate with some friends from church but when we got home, Travis gave me my Easter present: an adorably sweet card and a little bar of Toblerone. So I had 3 chunks of that as well. Then I had a Dove milk chocolate with caramel. Travis and I went on a walk after I had attempted to teach English (I drove all the way over there and Alma wasn’t home). Then I read the Bible, took a little nap while Travis went on a little run, and then we had chocolate chip pancakes (which I had been planning for all week). Instead of putting butter and syrup on them, we topped them with blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and some frozen cool whip. They were very chocolatey and very delicious. I am almost chocolated out but not quite.

So, you may ask, was giving up chocolate worth it? Did I achieve my desired result with it? Yes and no, respectively. It was worth it because I consumed so many fewer calories over the past month and a half (even though the scale denies that). I felt better not eating so many sweets (because cutting out chocolate cuts out a lot of sweets). And I am still going to limit my chocolate intake only to Sundays (except for today, which is an exception). Why Sundays? Why not Sundays? 

As for achieving my desired result, I look back on the past month and a half and see that instead of running to God amidst my almost uncontrollable cravings for chocolate, I ran to Starbuck’s. Those skinny caramel frappucinos man…they are almost as good as chocolate. I have discovered over the past month of stress at work, stress leads to my overeating. I find comfort in food when I’m stressed because it is a little bit of comfort and goodness in the midst of “ness,” as my boss says. I mean, you can’t really sit in a quiet, dark room doing yoga meditation or take a bubble bath at work. Because unfortunately, you still have to work. 

I gave up chocolate with the hope of increasing my prayer life. But while I didn’t eat chocolate, I didn’t pray either. I don’t know why I am so bad at praying–probably because I live in a small apartment so Travis is always there–but I don’t pray on a regular basis. I get convicted of my lack of prayer often but that conviction usually only translates into one prayer that same day. After that, I fizzle out until my next prayer conviction. Up and down, up and down, my prayer life is on a rollercoaster.

But I realize that I don’t need to give up chocolate during Lent to increase my prayer efforts. Like every other holiday, Easter is just a special one day occasion that has year-round implications. We should always be celebrating and rejoicing over Jesus’ resurrection. And I should always be talking to my heavenly Father through prayer, because Jesus LIVES to intercede to the Father on my behalf. Hallelujah!

So Travis and I decided that we’re going to run the Colorado Half Marathon in Fort Collins on May 4, 2008. Yikes!

I have been running more lately but I’m still only up to 3 miles. I can do this though! Back in 2006, I went from running 2 blocks in August to 10 miles in November. So I know I can physically do it–but can I do it mentally?

I have found that running is more of a mental sport than a physical one. True, there are a lot of physical ailments that go along with running (lost toenails, torn muscles, shin splints, sore calves, chafe like no other). But for me, the days that I struggle most with running are the days that I either don’t feel like running or I’m being a wimp and telling myself “I can’t do this…it’s too hard…I just want to walk.”

Anyway, today is the first day of my Hal Higdon training program. Mondays are for “stretching and strengthening.” When I told Travis what I was going to do today, he said, “Aren’t you ever going to run?” because I did the elliptical yesterday at the Y instead of running and then I’m not running again today.

It’ll come! Tomorrow I run 3 miles, Wed is 2, Thurs is 3, and Sunday is FOUR! I have only a little more than 2 months to prepare. Wish me luck!

Random side note: Last night after we went to the Y, we stopped by the grocery store. There were Girl Scouts outside selling cookies so naturally, we bought 2 boxes–samoas and thin mints. Both have chocolate! I’m going to hide my half in the freezer though because I know that Travis will eat them all otherwise.

Just a little side note: I didn’t really notice how much chocolate I had been eating until I stopped eating if for Lent. It’s everywhere and I ate a lot of it! And as much as I have desired some–and been offered chocolate chip cookies, Milano cookies, expensive chocolate/hazelnut things, and even made a giant chocolate chip cookie for my husband–I haven’t caved! Only 32 more days to go!!

So like a lot of other Christians during the time of Lent, I decided to “give something up.” Even though I grew up in an Evangelical Lutheran church, my family didn’t really celebrate Lent. I do remember getting a wooden cross at the beginning of Lent and every Sunday leading up to Easter, getting another piece to add to the scene–some nails, a sponge for the wine, a pair of dice, a thin strip of purple cloth. We didn’t get a tiny crown of thorns though…maybe they considered it dangerous for little kids.

But I like the idea of celebrating the traditional church holidays. I mean, we celebrate Advent, why not Lent? The church that Travis and I attend out here doesn’t celebrate Lent though. At least, it doesn’t have an Ash Wednesday service tonight. I had kind of wanted to go. I even contemplated going to some random Lutheran church around here but that might just be weird. Add to that the fact that I don’t really agree with Lutherans’ theology either. Hmmm…

So the thing I am doing for Lent is giving up chocolate. I figure, it’s as much of a vice as any other. I eat chocolate like it’s going out of style. I know that I will have pangs of desire for chocolate during the next 40 days. So instead of eating chocolate (or just substituting another indulgence, like ice cream), I am going to use the time I would spend eating chocolate to commune with God. And whenever I am reminded that I can’t have chocolate, even though I really want some, I will be reminded that this world is not where I belong and I am bound for a better one.

Losing weight wouldn’t be bad either…