Mardi Gras decorations are beginning to fill the stores. The masks, the beads, and the round cakes with buried babies catch the consumer's eye with the gold, green, and purple. During this festive time, college students plan trips to the Big Easy while others host parties and plan on spending the weekend getting boozed and eating like it's...well...Fat Tuesday.

But, alas, all good things must come to end. Wednesday at 12:00A.M. is the particular time this party calls it quits. And then, Ash Wednesday. Many Mardi Gras celebrators are unaware that Fat Tuesday is not a random weekday in February where Copeland's of New Orleans has exceptional sales. It's the last day that Christians have to devour the foods that they plan on giving up for the next 40 days and 40 nights.

Does the story of Jesus wondering in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights ring a bell? Hence the magical season of Lent. There's debate about whether Lent ends on Palm Sunday or Easter and whether or not Sundays are a free day, but that's not the point. During Lent, Christians around the world give up things they love for 6 1/2 weeks, or take on new things to better themselves.

It seems, however, that in the past several years, Lent has become New Year's Resolutions: Take Two. If that diet plan didn't quite stick, then give up sweets for Lent. If that idea to become cultured and read more didn't work out, vow to read everyday. If karma is coming around, vow to quit finding joy in other's pain. If that whole exercise plan got shuffled in the mix of work and home, now is the time to start over and hit the ground running. Literally.

It is to be assumed that Jesus is okay with this. The housewife complains about her lack of sugar as she slathers peanut butter on a rice cake and feels sorry for herself. The working father can't fit in family time because he promised the Lord he'd read for at least an hour a day during this blessed time. The insecure singleton can't stop finding joy in other's pain, but it's kept secret...until Easter. And of course the couch potato turned runner makes sure everyone knows just how far today's run was, and how exhausting.

But that's not what it's about. Five simple words. One phrase. That's all it is that distinguishes the Christians from the rest of the religions. Jesus died for our sins. It's unnecessary to recant the tale of the Crucifixion, but it is a big deal. All that's asked in return is that for 40 days and 40 nights the followers of Christ give up, or take on, one thing to remember what was done for us so long ago. The basis of our beliefs.

So maybe this Season of Lent, the dieters can let it go and eat healthy in quiet, the readers won't use their sacrifice as an excuse to have quiet time, the ones who live in fear of karma will have a pure heart, and the runners can do their thing and not complain.