Thursday, March 6, 2014

Ashes to Ashes

I know that taking my kids to services where there is child care available seems stupid to some people, but I am convinced that it is a good thing.

Yesterday there was an Ash Wednesday service for families at my church, which would have been ideal for us to go to, seeing as Foster likes to make sure everyone knows he exists and Keating grunts like he is getting ready for the fight of his life. This is not the service we went to, because Andrew was going to be administering ashes at the 7:00 sanctuary service. Where is it really quiet. And obviously somber. We almost made it through the first song before Fos had crayon in hand headed for the white stone walls...Sarah Exits.

Thank God for dear Kay Porter who turned on the tv monitors in the "lobby" area so we could watch while I carried Keating around, chased Foster and said, "no, sir that's a trash can. Ewww!" (in the way Jimmy Fallon says it) about 50 times.
Kay let Fos carry her walkie talkie and he felt cool...but then, it was time to receive our ashes. I started to regret my decision to "attend" this service with the kids when we walked in and Keating immediately started grunting loudly. Werm stood up and took Keating and we walked up to Andrew...

Have you ever been to an Ash Wednesday service? It is sobering when someone tells you, "From dust you were created, to dust you shall return." Its the reality that is.

...Andrew placed his thumb in the ashes and made the sign of the cross on my forehead and declared, "From dust you were created, to dust you shall return." My eyes filled with tears, Reality. In that moment, we were both very aware that our earthly "forever" was not real. Our need for a Savior, real. And then he dipped his thumb again and made the sign of the cross on Foster's head. Foster dead eyed him. The most still I have seen him in a service, ever. Then Keating. Then Werm. I watched as the Leader of my home reminded each of us that we are going to die and that we need a Savior.

In that moment, It was worth being in the service together.



Here is to the next 40 days.