For years I have scoffed at the term they use here in the South Bend, Indiana area called “Fat Tuesday.” This “Fat Tuesday” is a tradition the Roman Catholics (at least in this area of the University of Notre Dame) use to celebrate the beginning of the Lenten Season the very next day starting with Ash Wednesday. A special pastry called the “Paczki” is sold. It looks basically like a filled roll pastry. Today was “Fat Tuesday” and instead of remembering I was wanting to lose those 18 pounds my Doctor would like me to loose, the idea of never ever tasting the Paczki won out! There were several warnings that I just cruised by: 1. My next doctor’s appointment is April 1 at 9:30 AM–putting me at four weeks to lose at least half of the goal. There is no way to loose 2 pounds a week eating pastries. (We all know this). 2. I’m NOT Catholic. I have always said we need to live up to date with God every minute of every day and we shouldn’t be doing something during Lent that we wouldn’t commit ourselves to every single day of the year. 3. This is the story behind the story: I succumbed to my base nature and wanted to have a taste. The best deal was on half a dozen. My logic was I would have a little taste and toss them out. After all (my mental logic goes..) they couldn’t be all that great or they would sell them every day of the year! So I bought the 6 Paczki’s in a nifty Paczki box with a small coffee. The total cost was–wait…..for…..it……666–that’s right $6.66!!! If that was enough of a “stunner,” I couldn’t get enough of them. They were delicious! The only one that I couldn’t try was the prune filled one. You heard that right…PRUNE FILLED. (My only thought is this Fat Tuesday must also appeal to really, really old people). My conclusion is: Although I’m not converting to Catholicism–I am converting to Fat Tuesday! As soon as I finish this blog I am calling my Doctor’s office to see if I can move my April 1 appointment to mid-April rather than face the music. (You can see how I manage my own hypocrisy). If you are reading this today–on Fat Tuesday–be sure and go get yourself some of those Paczki’s! If not: remember it next year.
The Christian Resource Group 