Ash Wednesday

today's daily blog
is from our night owl
tina~in_ut

~Ash Wednesday in Utah~
~For Zona~

Growing up in Southern California, I had no concept of what it would be like to live someplace where people didn't understand your beliefs, or at least be somewhat aware of them. The church on the corner nearest our house was Baptist. The next closest church was Presbyterian, followed by Calvary Chapel, and then our Catholic Church. On Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of Lent, our church was packed with all the students in the school and our parents. Some of the other churches had services, some didn't. We would get our Ashes on our foreheads, and of course, compare whose was darkest or biggest or whose looked like a cross or just a smudge. It stayed on until it wore off from rubbing our forehead or until we washed it off at the end of the day. If we went somewhere after school, no one looked at us funny or commented. It's just the way it was!

For those of you not familiar with Ash Wednesday and Lent, here is a little explanation. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the 40 days of Lent, which doesn't include Sundays and ends on Holy Thursday. Lent is a time of new beginnings and is an Old English word for Spring. Catholics believe it is a time to simplify your life, especially by eliminating harmful behaviors and attitudes. We use the time for fasting, prayer, "giving up" something, and, equally important, doing a little extra something for someone. As children, we always, ALWAYS gave up watching television. We were allowed to watch one program once a week during Lent. It was always The Brady Bunch! You have no idea how it killed us to give up TV. We also gave up candy. Back then, on our way home from school, there was a Carnation Ice Cream shop that sold candy for a penny or a nickel…..AND I LOVED IT!!! So giving up candy was hard for me. Oh, I almost forgot…..you aren't supposed to let others see, by the look on your face, or any other way, that what you have given up is causing you any discomfort or stress. Not until I was older did I realize that my mother had a hard time with that part. On Friday's and on Ash Wednesday, we do not eat meat if we are over the age of 14 yrs old, and we are asked to also Fast, meaning that we have only one meal or one regular meal and two small meals. I have to laugh because I remember my mother just whining that she was "so hungry"!

On Ash Wednesday, we go to mass and during the service, the priest uses ashes to make a cross on our foreheads. He uses the leftover palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday which are burned and sometimes mixed with Holy Water. The priest says, "Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return." The ashes symbolize repentance and purification. They are a reminder to us that life passes away on Earth.

In 1993, my little family moved to Utah…..just Mr. Tina~, my one year old, and me. Mr. Tina~ went to work for the Catholic Church and I went to work for Delta. One of the first questions people asked us was, "Are you a member of The Church?" My answer was always, "Yes!" Mr. Tina~ had to always correct me and tell them we were Catholic. I just thought it was the craziest question! Mr. Tina~ started telling everyone who he worked for, and that quickly nipped the other question in the bud! Our first Ash Wednesday was hilarious for me…..and it was just a regular day for Mr. Tina~ I went to Church like normal, got my ashes, and went off to work. On my first break, I was walking around and noticed the odd stares. Now I know what you are thinking…..but these stares were even more strange than the ones I normally got!!!! Then, one lone soul decided to be brave and whispered to me that I had dirt on my forehead. Of course I laughed and explained what it was. You would have thought I was from another planet. (be quiet Lynn~) She had no idea what I was talking about. The next year, the same thing happened….and the next….and the next. I don't know if it's the devil in me or what, (again Lynn….shhhhh) but now I make sure the ashes are in the shape of a cross and they are DARK!! It's fun to see who the first person will be to say something to me. I guess I took the diversity for granted in SoCal. It's something that I miss and something I wish my children could experience here.

I'm not going to tell you what I'm giving up for Lent, but I will tell you that it'll benefit me, as well as others. I also want to look for something I can DO to help others. I have found that sometimes that is more important, and hubby and I are trying to teach our children the same.