Last year I wrote an article about Lenten food choices at Taco Bell. It received quiet a few search engine referrals from people looking for Lent information. I answered some of them here, including:

"When does Lent start?" -- Wait for Mardi Gras (it's all over the news). Let the deprivation begin. Personally I like to give up celibacy for Lent. It rids me of that false piety and pride I have over being such a good boy and puts my focus back where it belongs: what a lascivious little heathen worm I really am.

[Update: In case that wasn't clear enough, this year (2005) Lent began the day I wrote the article, Wednesday, February 9th.]

Another indicator: Stake out a Catholic Church and wait for people to start emerging with smudged foreheads. (That doesn't count if the person drove up in a truck marked "Boiler Repair.")

"When does Lent end?" -- For future reference it ends at Easter. That should be easy enough, right?

[Update: If you can't figure out when Easter is, you're on your own! Even my cat's counting the days till the egg hunt.]

For those looking for all things Lent this year, I recommend the following site: click here for more than you could possibly ever want to know about Lent. It's exhaustive. Well, I got exhausted trying to read it.

Then there is this from FatherDave.org:

It's Lent! Today (Wednesday Feb. 9) is the first day of Lent - that period of 40 days that leads up to Easter. In the Christian calendar this has traditionally been a special time for prayer and self-examination. We kicked off that process here at Holy Trinity today with a small Commination service - a traditional liturgy from the 1662 Anglican Prayer book that is rarely used nowadays, as it is an intensely negative reflection on the reality of human sin and worldwide corruption. Personally I found our Commination to be a sobering reflection on the state of our world and on the universal need for forgiveness. It also reminded me again that I am made of the very same frail flesh as the persons whose crimes I so oppose. I too need forgiveness and new life. Well, I also need a few more sessions of sober reflection like this if I'm going to get through, so I'm going to make the most of Lent. Perhaps you'd like to too? If so, let me suggest that you join me in making use of the online resources offered by the Anglican Board of Mission (www.abmission.org). I had considered hammering together some Lenten reflections myself, as a resource for you guys, but why would I bother when these characters have done such a good job of it! You can sign up for Daily Reflections to be sent to your inbox over the 40-day period (click here). You can download their Dare to Dream Lenten resource book (click here). You may even consider joining their 40-day Fast-Food Fast, where you forego rubbish food for Lent, and then contribute the money you save to one of ABM's projects - helping tsunami victims, fighting AIDS in Papua New Guinea, and supporting cutting-edge church work across Australia (click here). It's all good!

A "40-day Fast-Food Fast, where you forego rubbish food"? But, Father Dave, the fast food joints swore to me they have Lent friendly menu items! I do have trouble imagining John Paul downing a Filet-O-Fish and large Coke every Friday, though, or noshing on a Taco Bell quesadilla just because it's meat-free.

By the way, Father Dave is an Anglican priest from Australia. He's known as the "Fighting Father" because he's also a professional boxer, kickboxer, and 6th degree black belt. He looks like a cross between Father Damien from The Exorcist and Clint Eastwood's character from Every Which Way But Loose. If he comes looking for you because you haven't been to church for a while, you'd better pay attention.

Personally, I don't practice Lent. It's not part of my traditions. I didn't even know what it was till my 20's. What do you expect from Pentecostal Protestants? For you who do practice it, though, enjoy your refraining from enjoyment!