Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Fat Tuesday ~


Yes people here it is. Fat Tuesday. Paczki (pronounced punch - key) day.

I don't know if anyone else has paczki where they live but thank goodness we have them here! Big old fat doughnuts, stuffed with ooey gooey jelly goodness and slathered in more sugar. You can break a sugar sweat just biting into them! Eat up! Cause you know what comes tomorrow.

Lent

Catholics last chance at redeeming themselves by resolving once again to keep the same New Year's resolutions. Give em a few days and those people walking around with the dirty foreheads will be some po'd grumps without their chocolate fixes.

I always dreaded Lent. My dad was a "big drinker". For Lent he gave that and cigarettes up. Holy Saturday, the Saturday before Easter Sunday, he could be found at the kitchen table, 6 pack of beer and a pack of Kools in front of him, his eyes glued to the clock for that stroke of midnight. I always wanted to set the clock ahead and tell him about it. Just afraid he would not see the humor in it.

This year I am giving up smoking and junk food and sweets. Yeah, I should look something like that bird. Obviously I really am as stupid as my kids think I am though. I quit smoking after 30 years of doing it for a whole 4 months. That was stupid. I know I can do it. I'm like the little train that can....

So tomorrow I will be at church. Ash Wednesday. I don't mean to make fun of church or religion so don't get me wrong. I am still trying to "find myself" and where I fit in. I have found that I have turned into one of the grumpy old people that I used to laugh at when I was younger. I was born and raised Catholic. I went to Catholic schools all my life. My parents were very active in our church. I can remember mass being said in Latin with the priest's back being turned to the congregation the whole time. We never went to Mass without our heads covered. I can remember me and my sister fighting over who was going to wear the "cool hat".

Then, they changed. They modernized. The priest faced you and spoke in English. Sometimes he even walked down the aisle during his sermon. No more hats! The "grumpy old people" did not like it. They went to Mass early Sunday because they would still say it the "old way". I thought the "new way" was cool.

Now I am the "grumpy old person". I go to Early Mass because it's the "new way" not the "new new way". I don't like the "new new way". I don't want to call the priest Father JJ no matter how nice he is. I don't like kids running around on the altar during mass. I don't like singing the hymns to electric guitars and drums. It seems disrespectful to me.

So tomorrow at 8 am I will be joining all the other "grumpy old people" at Mass.

I'm just hoping that maybe the ashes will camouflage that big zit on my forehead....

14 comments:

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Dear Maggie,
I wish you well, giving up ciggies, junk food and sweets. I'm sure that you can do it as you've done it before. I am full of admiration. I gave up smoking 16 years ago. I used the patches and, they maybe rubbish but they worked for me. I could have a ciggie now but, I don't as I think I would start again and I don't want to....but, I LOVED SMOKING !!!! It is O.K. and you don't really miss it after a while.
Let us know how it's going, won't you ? XXXX

Anonymous said...

I agree with you about doing things the new way vs. the old way. I like singing hymns (Lutheran), and now with the contemporary music, they have a little band that does all the singing.

I will keep you in my prayers. You're planning on giving up a lot for the Lord and I think that's wonderful. When I quit smoking I found myself on my knees plenty of time asking God to help me quit. He did.

That was 8 years ago after smoking for 28 years. Today I craved a cigarette. Wierd, huh?

I quit via a website called Quitnet.com. I don't know if it's still around or not, but it was a lifesaver for me.

cindy said...

Soooo funny about your dad and the clock! My dad was raised Catholic, and he has tales to tell.

I don't do Lent. Well, don't do religion I guess. I do do donuts...and after your description I will do some tonight. *snicker*

the old white house said...

My sister and I fought over the cool hat too! I remember the latin mass and then the new way, I actually wish some of the new, new way you are talking about would come to my church. I love music and I remember one of the nuns telling us that singing was like praying twice... not if they heard the music I hear and sing to on Sunday! We don't always 'give up' something at our house, one year I thought maybe my kids would get more out of lent if they intentionally did kind things for people (doing them for eachother was a bonus) We'll see how this year goes. I hope giving up the cigs works out, Theresa

Unknown said...

My husband has been asking for "punchkeys" all day!

I haven't yet decided what to give up for Lent...it should be my daily Starbucks fix because that would be a real sacrifice, but I'm weak and not sure I could stick to that...eeek! My 8 yr old daughter is very into the idea of Lent this year...which I think is great...and she claims she is going to give up not 1 but 3 things this year: sweets, arguing, and tv...hmmm

:) T

Lori said...

I can tell you that those donuts sound like a little piece of heaven right now ~ maybe after weigh in on Thursday night!! I am not Catholic so I don't "do" lent ~ but I wish you the best in your choices. I have tried to give up the smokes but alas the weight must go first for me ~ so in between baby carrots I will light up. It really is not all that bad ~ I just came back from a wonderful dinner with some old friends ~ I will be living on celery, water and cigs til Thursday night I think!!

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

Maggie, Again I am laughing and shaking my head at the same time!Good for you- throw away those nasty cigaretts- you need to live a good long life, remember we're friends, and I want you around. Very selfish motive- sorry! But true!
And I can so relate. I was raised Catholic too. Only I remember wearing a tissue pinned to the top of my head because I didn't have a covering! And remember those doilies we wore on our heads?
My dad didn't like the new masses either. He called the one's that had guitars a "Hootenanny Mass". He loved the solemnity of a traditional mass.
On a more serious note- good for you to go to get ashes. We need to remember that we were made by God and we will not live in this body forever. Our time to seek God is now, and not to put it off. I no longer am a Catholic, but I am a Christian. I do however miss this beautiful reminder!
Yvonne xo

Donatella said...

I'll be thinking of you and sending my most encouraging thoughts while you refrain (abstain?) from some of those things you enjoy... Don't worry, maybe you won't miss them so much! Have a nice Mass, enjoy.
Ciao~

Julie Johnson said...

Sending hugs to you...you can do it! Keep cleaning and decorating away to keep you going! :) I'm giving up sweets...a big sacrifice for me...I think I'll feel like so much better. Funny, I had a bluebird of happiness on my blog today too....stuffed in a glass container filled with sugar. :)
Julie

Hildie said...

I'm Mormon but I went to Catholic high school. I remember the first Mass I went to I was so disappointed. It was nothing like the Godfather! They were singing with guitars! There was no latin! I was sorely disappointed.

Good luck with the self-control! I have none.

jaz@octoberfarm said...

we have paczki here too! good luck with the smoking!

The Whispering Creek House said...

oh im cracking straight up over this post! i am picturing your dad at the kitchen table..you need to draw a cartoon! thanks for sharing...

deb said...

Cigs and junk food?! You go girl!! You have more will power than I. I don't smoke, but the whole junk food thing..yikes, it certainly has gotten out of control. I wish you all the luck ☺ But seeing your Dad gave up cigs and beer I see you have inherited the will power.

I hear ya on the New New Mass. Everything is so "laid back", the way people act, clothes they wear...it all seems disrespectful indeed. It's all turned into a business now. It seems all they do is ask for money...very frustrating. I still can't get over having a married priest! My Dad's parish has a priest that converted from another faith...he's married and has kids....just seems way out there for me. He preceded over for Dad's Rosary. I have to remember that it is not called a rosary anymore ubt a Vigil now...see they keep changing things/names.

Dad would still say the mass in Latin while the priest was saying it in English. And he would say it loud too!! I was so embarrased when I was younger. I remember wearing Prayer Caps or putting a scarf on, or like Yvonne said above...a tissue because we had forgotten a covering! LOL

Anyway, so proud of you and sending all my best!
BIG *hugs*deb

Embellished Bayou said...

Those donuts sound really good....

Good luck with your Lent sacrifices! Hopefully you can quit the cigarettes for good!