What do we do about the ashes?

What do we do about the ashes?

I attended our church's Ash Wednesday service this evening. A very wise minister -- Chuck Echols -- once told a class I was in that if you want to experience Easter to its fullest, start with an Ash Wednesday service, be sure to attend a Maundy Thursday service and then a Good Friday service. I did that the year he mentioned it, but I'm not sure that I've done it since. It really did make a difference on Easter.

I didn't want to attend the Ash Wednesday service. S is out of town, G and J both had church activities, so if I skipped the service, then I could have an hour and half of "me time." "Me time" becomes important when S is out of town, and I have the responsibility of the boys all by myself. But I kept thinking about what Chuck had said. So I went.

Do you ever feel that way? Unenthusiastic.

Anyway, I'm glad I went. It was a very nice service. The youth were involved in readings, which is always special. The kids attended, too. Good sermon, good music. Allright, Chuck, you were right.

What do we do about the ashes?

My boys had already begun making plans to give something up for Lent. I don't push that, but I'm more than willing to be supportive of it if they make a commitment to do it. Joe talked about giving something up, but doing it privately. I posted the other day about committing to do something that would create a closer relationship with God. I don't know what I'm going to do about Lent.

What do we do about the ashes?

"Mom! I neeeeeeeeeed to go to WalMart. I only have one pair of shorts for track practice." Funny thing, that. He had tons of shorts last year. I guess it is entirely possible that he grew out of them all. Talk about unenthusiastic. I did not want to go to WalMart. Have you ever noticed how many syllables an almost-teenager can add to a simple word? We went. G is now outfitted to run around his Middle school. But what do we do about the ashes? The ashes feel like a brand. The dark cross stands out to me, even though I can't see it. Do I take it off prior to shopping? Is it a statement of my repentance and Christianity to leave it on? Does it seem counter to the idea of piety in private? Conundrum.

What do we do about the ashes?

Oh, and J is a tad upset that my ashes look more like a cross than his. "Yours looks like the cross Jesus was crucified on."