Tags
#betterinbetterout, 40 Days of Water, Being Contagious, Better In Better Out, Blood Water, Blood Water Mission, contagious, faith, Lent, Lenten Observance, Slacktivism
No, I’m not giving up water for Lent. I am giving water for Lent.
Full disclosure, I’ve never participated in Lent before now. While half of my family is Catholic, we did not celebrate the Lenten season in my home. As an adult, I’ve seen others of many faiths choose something to give up for Lent. (Not always connected to a religious or faith observance.) I think because I’ve never fully understood it, I’ve never participated.
Until today that is when my friend Kristen shared a post on Facebook encouraging others to take part in 40 Days of Water. It was immediately what I needed for several reasons. The first is a bit selfish. I desperately need to increase my water intake for health reasons. What a better way to jump-start the effort than by creating a habit to support a great effort. But, as I learned more about it I realized that selfishness is exactly why I should be sacrificing and observing Lent.
40 Days of Water encourages individuals to give up their coffee, tea, and soda habits and drink tap water for the 40 days of Lent. This isn’t just a concept born out of slacktivism. Each week, Blood Water Mission asks you to donate back the amount you would’ve spent on these not-so-healthy and expensive beverages. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. The money you donate supports clean water projects in Uganda. (I believe this to be a true mission since my friend Kristen (mentioned above) personally knows the founder.)
Here is another reason I love this campaign so much. They’ve thought of everything! How do you know how much you should contribute? Because they’ve given you online and mobile tools to track your would-be consumption daily. They also know that giving is contagious so they’ve created social tools where you can share your progress and invite others to join you. (Click Here to View My Profile)
I cannot wait to see what the results are (health and dollars) at the end of my 40 Days of Water. If you see me around carrying my glass of water, I hope you’ll encourage me in this effort!
Do you observe Lent? Will you join me in 40 Days of Water?