We are coming upon the season of Lent. Lent is the 40 days (plus 6 Sundays) before Easter. We officially start the season with our Pancake Supper on Tuesday evening (sometimes called Fat Tuesday- from the words- Mardi Gras) followed by Ash Wednesday services both Wednesday morning and evening. Ash Wednesday, like Lent, is not mentioned in Scripture! We are free to observe the tradition if we so choose. It is an opportunity to make external (sign of the cross in ashes) and internal practices that enrich our journey of faith. The external alone will not do a thing to change what God will do with the internal. Ash Wednesday is a time to acknowledge that we all “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans). We come before God and repent, meaning we turn from our sins and change our behaviors. During the time of Lent, we can choose to add practices that will help us renew our faith and spiritual walks with God or choose to abstain from certain practices that might be distractions. Personally I like to refrain from something in order to partake of something else. When we say no to one thing we say yes to something else…. We need to be careful what we are saying no to and what we are saying yes to.
I will have lots of information out for families and children at the Pancake Supper and at both Ash Wednesday services. One of my favorites is an article about the book Sleeping With Bread….. that will be my next blog entry….