I’ve decided to give up soda for Lent. No , I haven’t converted to Catholicism, Lutheran, Presbyterian or any other religion that routinely celebrates the season leading to Easter with forty days of sacrifice, but I do think it’s a worthwhile exercise in spiritual discipline. Now I’m not sure how giving up Dr. Pepper will bring me closer to God. . . but give me a few weeks and it might become clear, or at least semitransparent.

I hadn’t much a thought about Lent until I realized it was Ash Wednesday yesterday morning as I sipped on something funky I was told to be Dr. Pepper from the local drive through window. It didn’t taste good, it makes me fat and I spend far too much on my weekly fizz fix; but by golly, I drank it anyway. And that’s when the idea hit me — I’ll sacrifice soda for forty days, hopefully shed a few pounds and keep my money where it belongs. Of course I quickly wondered if it’s actually considered “sacrifice,” if I’m planning to get something in return. Hmm?

So just like that I made a half-hearted, completely uninformed superficial commitment to participate in this year’s Lenten season (I’m sure my Catholic-raised husband will be so proud of me). So with Ash Wednesday in full swing I swore off sodas, starting as soon as I finished the one in hand, which really shouldn’t count because it tasted awful. Later that afternoon my husband brought home a cola Freezoni (a shame to let that go to waste), so I restarted my sacrifice only after my brain freeze faded. And alas, the pop machine called my name right before Bible study last night. . . but I was really thirsty, and all the proceeds support youth group endeavors. Ah, patronage pop — is there anything better?

So I’ve started day two of my 40-day 39-day journey; and while it isn’t quite over, I have managed to steer clear of anything soda related so far. I have discovered that if I don’t drink anything, I’m less likely to pick pop. I’m not sure dehydration was the desired outcome. 

I definitely think I’m missing a key component (the super important spiritual one) in this whole process. While I’m already feeling the sacrifice, I don’t think this is exactly the point of Lent; and unless cola companies are the devil (and I’m not chasing that rabbit), I’m not sure I’ll ever come close to anything similar to the sacrifice Jesus made in the desert. Of course, I’m positive that if I think long enough and delirium sets in I’ll be able to justify every last noncarbonated liquid through my lips. I can see it now — move over ice buckets, here comes poplessness for world peace! Yikes, I need a soda.