On his way home from work, today, Mr. Potato Head picked up Gramma Potato at the Retirement Home and brought her to their house for supper tonight before they came to church.  While they were passing the macaroni and cheese and the hot dogs they talked about what Lent is about. 

“Lent,” Mrs. Potato Head, the grandmother said “Is a time to be a little more quiet and think about what you are doing.  Because, sometimes, if you stop and think, you might recognize that what you are doing is not always a good thing.”

Polly said “Can I have the ketchup?”  And then remembering what Gramma Potato had just said, she added “Please.”

“So tell me Mom,” said Mr. Potato Head, “You usually give up something for Lent don’t you?  What computer game did you give up this year?”

Haman said “Polly, could you pass the ketchup . . . PLEASE?” 

“I gave up Tetris and Spider Solitaire.” said Mrs. Potato Head.

“THANK YOU!” said Haman. 

Mr. Potato Head said “I decided to read the Lenten Devotional Booklet every morning when I get up.  I thought that would be a good discipline for Lent.”

“I need the mustard, PLEASE,” demanded Haman.

Mrs. Potato Head said “Doing a devotion is an excellent Lenten Discipline.”

“Can I have more milk, PLEASE?” asked Polly.

Mrs. Potato Head, the MOTHER, said “Polly, two things. First, you are interrupting our conversation and second, you know you should eat more of your food before you fill up on milk.”

“I was just trying to be polite because it is Lent.” said Polly.

“If you are being a Show Off about being polite, then you are not really being polite.  You are just trying to draw attention to yourself,” explained her mother.

“But I LIKE attention!” reported Haman.

“Don’t we all!” chuckled Mr. Potato Head.

Mrs. Potato Head looked at Mrs. Potato Head and they both smiled and shook their heads.  “Like father, like son!” they said to each other.

Then Gramma Potato said “I expect the best kind of polite behavior is the quiet kind.  God is not hard of hearing!

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.”  

THE END

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