Day 1: Ash Wednesday

Today is day one of Lent and also day one of my 40 days of thankfulness. Today I got to worship for the first time in an Ash Wednesday service at my church. This is common is most "liturgical" churches (at least as far as I know), but not in the Baptist tradition in which I was raised. And...well, I get excited over small things. So, I was most excited about "getting the ashes" on my head. I think I felt I had missed out on some part of the awesomeness of Lent without it. So, yay....I got the ashen sign of the cross for the first time!

And, more importantly, I am thankful for the reminder that this is a time of self-examination, repentance, and ultimately, forgiveness. And I love this...

"Shout the message!

   Don't hold back.

   Say to my people Israel:

   You've sinned! You've turned

   against the LORD.

    Day after day, you worship him

   and seem eager to learn

   his teachings.

   You act like a nation

   that wants to do right

   by obeying his laws.

   You ask him about justice,

   and say you enjoy

   worshiping the LORD.

    You wonder why the LORD

   pays no attention

   when you go without eating

   and act humble.

   But on those same days

   that you give up eating,

   you think only of yourselves and abuse your workers.

    You even get angry

   and ready to fight.

   No wonder God won't listen

   to your prayers!

    Do you think the LORD

   wants you to give up eating

   and to act as humble

   as a bent-over bush?

   Or to dress in sackcloth

   and sit in ashes?

   Is this really what he wants

   on a day of worship?

    I'll tell you

   what it really means

   to worship the LORD.

   Remove the chains of prisoners

   who are chained unjustly.

   Free those who are abused!

    Share your food with everyone

   who is hungry;

   share your home

   with the poor and homeless.

   Give clothes to those in need;

   don't turn away your relatives.

    Then your light will shine

   like the dawning sun,

   and you

   will quickly be healed.

   Your honesty will protect you as you advance,

   and the glory of the LORD

   will defend you from behind.

    When you beg the LORD for help,

   he will answer, "Here I am!"

   Don't mistreat others

   or falsely accuse them

   or say something cruel.

    Give your food to the hungry

   and care for the homeless.

   Then your light will shine

   in the dark;

   your darkest hour will be

   like the noonday sun.

    The LORD will always guide you

   and provide good things to eat

   when you are in the desert.

   He will make you healthy.

   You will be like a garden

   that has plenty of water

   or like a stream

   that never runs dry.

    You will rebuild those houses

   left in ruins for years;

   you will be known

   as a builder and repairer

   of city walls and streets.

    But first, you must start

   respecting the Sabbath

   as a joyful day of worship.

   You must stop doing and saying

   whatever you please

   on this special day.

    Then you will truly enjoy

   knowing the LORD.

   He will let you rule

   from the highest mountains

   and bless you with the land

   of your ancestor Jacob.

   The LORD has spoken!" -Isaiah 58