Ash Wednesday

That's a picture of little girl praying at an Upward game although this post is all about our big girl.
She learned about Mardi Gras this week at school (king cake and all). I thought it would be a good time to also talk to her about Ash Wednesday as it falls right behind Fat Tuesday. She told me that she remembered me and her dad going to Ash Wednesday last year (the fact that this stands out in her mind from LAST YEAR gives me this thought...her in a new home for less than a month and these strange new parents coming to get her from the church nursery with black crosses drawn on our foreheads. Bless her...she probably thought we were crazy).
Anyway, she got really excited about the whole concept of Ash Wednesday and wanted to go with me to the service. Little girl did too but I thought this would be a special little date just for me and my oldest child (and, let's be honest, little girl in big church...we just aren't there yet).
BG wanted to sit in the very front row, which we did. She was on the edge of her seat the entire time listening to Pastor Jack . This child is definitely her father's child. She was most excited to hear Jack say that the ashes came from the palm branches she (and the other kids) waved last year on palm Sunday. She was VERY proud of her ashes (and cried for a good two minutes when they came off when she changed her clothes for bed).

She has always been receptive to church and all that she learns there. She is into it. She has lots of questions. Questions that often times I have to send her to Jonathan to answer because they are too complex for me to explain. She'll stay on a thought for days, turning it around in her mind and asking everything she can think of until it's right to her. Watching her last night be so excited to get all that knowledge while her friends around her wrote on offering envelopes (as I did too as a kid!) made me really excited for her future and hopeful that she will continue to be curious and grow to be a strong Christian women. It makes me want to be stronger in my faith, not just for me but for her too.

She's an amazing kid...her dad's child through and through. She's our easy child but even still, our personalities clash sometimes and it's been a chore lately in patience with me in mothering her. I hate that.
Last night was so special. It was a night with the word 'repent' strong in the air. The Lenten Season will probably be more meaningful this year than it ever has for me. We've been busy this past year with so many changes going on and I really have fallen back in my prayer and my study. This is reflected in everything I do and that's not a good thing at all. We have a new baby coming and these wonderful two at home already. Last night it weighed more heavily on me than ever the responsibility I have to serve and love others (especially my family) by Christ's example.
I'm pumped and ready for these 46 days leading up to Easter. Instead of giving anything up I will be adding to my daily life prayer and study. I'm ready for change!

***Big girl wanted to give up water for lent...we talked about it and decided that probably wouldn't be a good idea. Learning will be enough for her this year. No need for any sacrifices just yet:)***
***Little girl wanted to know if we had gotten tatoos on our heads and is really looking forward to experiencing this service next year:)***
***JD has been at Camp Sumatanga for (Pastor) Licensing School all week. We miss him terribly! He's fighting a stomach bug, has no cell service and says he's never been so homesick:( Hooray for tomorrow when he'll come home!
***Baby girl's room will be painted tomorrow by our GG while I'm at work? Have I ever told ya'll how wonderful GG is?