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	Franklin County, Kansas, USA

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Agriculture

Lifestyles

Thursday, March 12, 2009 11:37 AM

Family: Lent temptations all around

‘Reason for the season’ helps keep urges in check

By JENALEA MYERS, Herald Staff Writer

Editor’s note: During the Lenten season, Herald Staff Writer Jenalea Myers will be writing regular updates on the Birzer family, their chosen sacrifices and their Catholic faith.

They admit it’s been difficult, but the Birzer family is working hard to avoid the things they chose to give up during the Lenten season.

For Betty Birzer, evening basketball games have tempted her urge for late-night snacking. For her daughters, Jennifer and Jaime, opportunities for snacking on chocolate, desserts and candy are endless.

But, it’s the “reason for the season” that helps keep them focused on their chosen sacrifices. The Birzers, like many Catholics and others of faith, are observing the Lenten season until Easter, which is April 12 this year.

Lent is 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter and represents the time Jesus spent in the desert, where the Bible says he endured temptation by Satan.

“I’ve done pretty good so far,” Jaime, a freshman at Ottawa High School, said of resisting temptation for her chosen sacrifice, chocolate. “I’ve seen a lot of chocolate that I really wanted, but not being able to have it has made me realize that there are a lot of other good snacks that I forgot about.”

Jennifer, a senior at OHS, originally had chosen to give up snacking but changed her sacrifice to desserts, pop and candy.

“It’s been hard, but it’s bearable,” she said.

Along with giving up something, Betty Birzer also is adding something she views as beneficial to others during the Lenten period. She’s using each Friday as a chance to reconnect with an old friend with whom she’s lost touch.

“I did send out a couple of letters, but I haven’t heard back,” she said.

Picking out cards to send has been a good experience, though.

“It’s so fun to pick out a greeting card and send it off,” she said. “It brightens my day just to go to the card section.”

Jenalea Myers can be e-mailed at jmyers@ottawaherald.com.