Fat Tuesday

So, I am somewhat disgruntled. I call today Fat Tuesday because its the day to stuff all the food in as preparation for fasting on Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. But here is why I am disgruntled: I am fed up with the wrong impression/idea of Lent. Okay, here goes: Lent is about taking the journey to the cross with Christ, ultimately, its a time to focus on our relationship with God and hopefully come out of it as stronger more focused & connected Christians.
This whole giving up things for 40 days: I have done it and I will probably do it again this year... but it's supposed to be something that brings us closer to our relationship with God. If we give up something (like chocolate) and then after Easter we go right back to it.. what was the point? Where was the inner pull to be closer to God? I get it that its about making a sacrifice like Christ did - but the sacrifice of Christ keeps going. To make a temporary sacrifice that has no hopes of strengthening our faith relationship, is really only mocking the whole thing and making a game of it (I warned you I was crabby). Why not commit to giving up something that is bad for your faith - and in the end realizing you didn't need it and won't go back to it?
Then there is the idea of adding something to your faith practices. This is something Protestant churches have really focused on in the past five years. But again, if we add something we know we will not keep up with after Lent, what's the point, the game will just end. Why not add something that we truly desire to awaken within us?
So.. what do I think? I don't know! I am disgruntled because tomorrow is the beginning of Lent and I am still trying to figure out how to best lead my flock in a practice of transforming our individual (and communal) faith connection/relationship and I have no idea how I am going to do it for myself yet. It needs to be focused on gaining a closer (lasting) reltionship with God.