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?Â
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.Â
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!
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