weekend entitlements

This whole fasting thing has served to uncover a lot of unfounded principles that I unconsciously live by... and it's only been 3 days. Unfounded principle # 1? On the weekend I am entitled to eating and doing whatever I want, no matter how explicitly counterproductive it is.

Think about it. During the week, abstaining from unnecessary pleasures is really not that difficult because you're in productive work mode. But come Friday around 4 or 5, what do you want to do? Relax, indulge, be totally listless and not feel guilty about it. Yes, it is much more of a chore to abstain from dessert and Facebook on the weekend. (I didn't want to admit it, but I made Matt change my FB password. It is really that bad.)

Surely there are several reasons why so many of us voluntarily sell ourselves into the weekend trance.

But today, thanks to the fasting, instead of living in this typical hypnosis, I have a clear mind. This clarity makes me more inclined to worship the Lord, to pray, to consider what my purpose will be for the next 10 minutes and the next 10 years. And I do, in fact, feel happier... for what it's worth.

So, these weekend activities are gifts, not entitlements. And as soon as I begin to feel entitled to anything, I become a slave to it. Perhaps there is truth to the 80's song, "Everybody's working for the weekend." My unsolicited advice? Work for the Lord; let the weekend work for you.