Fat Thursday?

I’m winning right now.

Friday was professional development. Saturday and Sunday. Yeah and yeah. Monday was President’s Day. Tuesday was a snow day. Today, the students were sent home due to a lack of heat in the building.

Five day weekend. Woot woot.

Tuesday was Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday for the anglophones. As a French teacher, I felt obligated to «faire la fête avec mes élèves».

The party has been postponed. The king cakes, snacks, and capri suns are awaiting their consumers...the consumers being growing teenagers that will pay you for saltines and pears come 7th period. So...Jeudi Gras! Fat Thursday! Ayyyyy!

I spent a pretty penny, but that’s neither here nor there. My students deserve it. In previous years, I would bake for students for rewards. This year I have given zero rewards. The closest that I have come to that is giving shoutouts Monday morning. Ehhh, rewarding kids for doing what they are supposed to do... hmmm, not quite copacetic with my teaching philosophy.

Any who...let’s get down to business.

I didn’t hear much about Lent growing up. The first time I remember learning about it was in high school. I went to a catholic high school, btw. Per Wikipedia, “the traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial.” Preparation for Easter, that is.

Some people give up things for Lent, while others will start doing something for Lent.

I decided to do a “financial fast”. For 40 days, I will stop all recreational spending. That pretty much means that I will only buy food, gas, household essentials, and pay bills. That means no eating out, no movies, no red box, andddd no makeup. Duhn, duhn, duhnnnnn....

I need to be more fiscally responsible. If you read my last post and estimated the total cost of all the stuff I bought, you would tell me to have a seat....

...Several seats....

There are much better ways for me to spend my money. Now, the true test is when I figure out what to do with the money I save. Do I transfer a certain amount to a saving account? Do I plan something special for my birthday? Do I plan a vacation in the summer? Do I donate to a Donor’s Choose classroom? Shoot, I need to donate to my own classroom. Momma needs colored paper and card stock! Am I being selfish right now? Yeah, so I haven’t figured that part out yet.

If you noticed, some of the examples I gave were more of the experiential type. I have a tendency to spend money on material things. Makeup, clothes, food. I never invest money in making memories. The joy that comes from buying material items is fleeting. Why am I so attached to material possessions?

I really want to take time to reflect on that.

In general, I just need to rethink how I spend my money. Lenten season or not. For example, I kinda have hoarding tendencies yall. I will buy more of a certain item, simply because I don’t want to go back to the store anytime soon to buy it. Examples include: deodorant, toilet tissue, paper towels, makeup remover wipes, soap, dish detergent, feminine products...

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I have a garage or basement full of stuff, but there is a shelf in linen closet that is well stocked and ready forrrrrrr….idk what….but I’m ready for it...haha. Ehhh, is that so bad? If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready. Right? I’m using this wrong, aren’t I?

When one deodorant runs out, do I really need to buy two? I think not. Just buy what you need Sharae. Only what you need.

And that’s exactly it. I struggle with needs versus wants. Of course I take care of needs first, but I don’t neeeeeed to buy half the stuff I buy.

I know there are books out there for financial fasts, but who has time to read? I don’t. I barely have time to write lesson plans. Shhh, don’t tell anybody. Command C, command V. Keep it on the down low.

Hopefully through prayer and fasting I create better spending habits.

But how is that related to Christ? He is the focus after all.

I’ll have to bring that up in my discipleship class this week.

Do you have any plans for Lent?