Thinking about Lenting

I can't believe it is Lent again, already! Every year since I became a Christian I have observed Lent in one form or another. Actually my Lent story pretty closely reflects my Christian phases:

1) Giving up something - not sure why, but trying to be obedient.
2) Giving up something more - whatever the "giving up" thing is about, it doesn't seem to be working. Logical response? Do it more.
3) Giving up something really drastic (see above)
4) Realizing that being vegetarian for over a month is a complete pain for everyone around me (still don't cook at this point) and deciding that the substance of following Jesus is not about making trouble for others, but reforming one's own soul. Decide that the best path for this must be martyrdom.
5) Flounder for a while with token efforts at self-punishment.
6) Realize that Lent is not about self-punishment and decide to take on positive Lent disciplines.

The nutshell version of this last position (where I am now) is found in a quote from Jesus Creed:

Getting rid of sins is not the whole story: growth in grace is both ridding ourselves of sin and acquiring something new. What is that something new?

So here we all are - looking for something. It doesn't have to be something new - the rhythm of the church year brings back the old and the new, and everything old is new again. This Lent I am reading the Bible (gasp!) and the Old Testament, at that. Not much older than the OT, and yet to me it is almost all new, having been nearly twenty years since I started reading it through the first time.

I think this reading is also different because I am reading it as the Word of God - didn't know that the first time. Reading a living Word with the Holy Spirit looking over your shoulder and pointing things out is much better than reading a history book with NIV notes!