Today I'm linking up with the fabulous community of writers at Lisa Jo Baker's blog for Five Minute Friday. This is just for fun. No backtracking and rewriting. This is writing for five minutes straight for the fun of it. Come on over and read what others are writing on the word willing. Or better yet, set your stop watch and join us today? All are welcome!
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For the first time in my life, I had a cross made out of
ashes drawn on my forehead on Wednesday.
I didn’t grow up around conversations
of Ash Wednesday or of Lent or of what are you going to give up for 40 days
till the resurrection Sunday?
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| photo credit--Google |
The pastor started out by answering this question:
What
are the ashes all about anyway?
I was glad for this, well, because I really
didn’t know. I had an inkling, but that is all. He said that in the Bible,
ashes are a symbol of grief, repentance and of prayer.
Oh, now that began to make sense. I can relate to all of
those. They embody me. They resonated.
The ash cross drawn on my forehead.
At first I didn’t
want that. I leaned to my husband and said, do I have to? But, by the end, I
truly wanted that picture on my forehead.
I was all in.
See, by the way he explained it, the ash cross is just a
reminder of my humanity.
My frailness and my need for a Savior.
It doesn’t mean
I am dirty.
That I am unworthy.
Or unimportant.
Rather, a true reminder of who
I am and who I am not.
A reminder of who Christ is and where I am in
relationship to him.
I am his daughter.
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| photo credit--cardinalseansblog.org |
Yes, I am willing to remember this.
I am willing to
remember my humanity in light of Christ’s divinity.
In light of the suffering
he paid for me.
In light of his Light and Salvation.
Yes, I am willing to remember that there is nothing that
I can do to grow myself.
That my mess doesn’t get the last word.
But that God
is my History Maker and Life Changer and he promises to make a message out of
my mess.
How about you? Did you grow up with the tradition of Ash Wednesday? I'd love to hear what it means to you.
Thanks for stopping by today, friend!
