Today is the Feast of the Annunciation, when Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary & said she would be with child. It’s a FEAST day which means what we give up for Lent we can indulge in just a little.  So, after a virtuous vegan lunch, when I passed by the Mad About Chocolate Shop to get treats for Mama i decided to really whoop it up with a small cup of their European hot chocolate.

Not caring that it was not vegan, i enjoyed each decadently delish dark sip before passing by the Blackbeard Bakery to get Mama two chocolate croissants.  Curiously, one of the croissants disappeared on the way home.

How on earth could that happen, you ask?

It started at a stoplight, when the bag was within reach for a tiny nibble to taste for freshness.  At the next stoplight, another nibble for quality control. Then, the next stoplight (there are many on the way from downtown) a larger nibble for the pure enjoyment of tasting it.  Finally, at the next destination, the chocolate croissant completely disappeared (munch, crunch – all gone!)

My African boss used to say, “Lead us not into temptation – we get there fast enough on our own.”  Virginia fell off the vegan wagon, splat!  Temptation & a little premeditation, methinks.   At least the second croissant made it safely home to Mama (that’s one way of looking at it.)  But I didn’t tell her there were two — she doesn’t know one disappeared. Thankfully just the one chocolate ganache brownie procured from the Chocolate Shop made it home safely for her enjoyment.

Obviously, by ordering TWO chocolate croissants, i wanted one.  i ate it. i enjoyed it. It’s a feast day & all that.  But still, Vegan Virginia blew it, big-time. Decadently dark hot chocolate is not too much of a stretch (just a wee bit of milk), but the croissant, a big stretch (eggs! butter! milk!)  Vegan sackcloth & strict ashes tonight (salad for supper!) Thankfully, tomorrow is a new day to start again.

So, all this is relevant to Lent, how??  Well, temptation is temptation. Maybe it’s not chocolate and you’re not vegan, but struggling with something a bit more serious.

Sitting at stoplights where it’s easy to be sidetracked when we should be moving forward by faith. Falling off the wagon into temptation & missing the mark. Splat, we hit the pavement of our failure… & it’s hard to get up again.

But, God’s mercy is everlasting.

God is patient with us, so too we must be patient with ourselves …

“Patient people know two things intensely: 1) There are always options, and 2) Some options are better than others.”   Pat McCloskey, OFM

grace, peace & options

    Virginia : )

“Be at peace and let your soul feed upon the sweetness of heavenly Love, without which our hearts are lifeless and our lives joyless.”   Saint Francis de Sales