Coffee, Tea, & Diet Dr. P

I’m not Catholic, but I gave up caffeine for lent.

WHY?

Oh, that’s an amazing question.

My love for coffee could be described as… passionate.  I mean, I’ve been drinking it since I was twelve!  We’re BFFs… and yes, I blame it for my vertically challenged issue.  But when it’s all said and done, coffee is my soul mate.  We spend hours together each morning.  It wakes me up gently and soothingly warms my hands as I cup them around its hot goodness.  

 And tea?  Oh my, that relationship began when my mother bought me a mini tea set back in the day.  Though tea didn’t fill those tiny china cups at first, I loved its imaginary self.  When I finally was able to drink the stuff, I realized why the Queen of England IS the Queen of England.  It just all made sense.

But then, THEN, I discovered Dr. Pepper.  It’s crisp freshness tag teamed with twenty-three flavors that BLEW MY MIND.  I wasn’t a soda drinker, those little creatures called empty calories and I fought daily.  So when Dr. Pepper went diet.  I knew we were meant for each other.  Skepticism creeped in, as it does for all Soda Connoisseurs when their favorite drink goes diet.  But all skepticism evaporated with the first sip of Diet Dr. P’s goodness.

So you can understand why, when I gave up caffeine, I gave up everything that I believe in that is good and right in this world. 

Caffeine was what got me through the long days, and the hard nights.  Caffeine greeted me inside my coffee mug each morning, it whispered sweet somethings into my heart as I sipped my afternoon tea, and it sprang me into action when I needed that little “kick” Diet Dr. P gave me at night.

And then, BAM.  I gave it up.

 I had come to realize I relied on it more for its comfort, security, and over all goodness, than I relied on Jesus’.  So I decided I’d give it up for Forty days.  Each time I thought of Diet Dr. P, or craved Coffee, I’d be reminded of what Jesus gave up for me.

His life.

And let me tell ya, I was reminded a LOT, and humbled even more.

Do you guys celebrate Lent?  What’d you give up?