Today is Ash Wednesday. This is the first day of Lent. Where does the emphasis on ashes come from? In Bible times, people put ashes on their faces and clothing as a sign of sorrow. Christians today mark themselves with ashes as a sign of sorrow for their sins.

Over the next 40 days of Lent, I will be sharing activities and devotional thoughts. Some we've come up with as a family. Some I've picked up from various mentors and books. You might wonder if I'm Catholic (since I think traditionally Lent has been observed by the Catholic Church). Actually, we attend a "non-denominational Christian church". Some refer to it as a "New Testament Church".  I like to think of it as a church that's committed to growing up devoted followers of Christ and getting outside of our four walls to share the Good News of God's love.

Celebrating Lent is something that I started many years ago when a dear friend of mine asked me if I was going to sacrifice anything for the season. Having grown up in a secular home, I had never even heard of that. So together we teamed with God (for my first time) to sacrifice something as a small reminder of what Christ did for us, and prayed for eachother specifically over several detailed needs that we were eager to see God's Hand at work on.

Year after year, I've contined to carry-on this "sacred time-out", as Kwasi Issa Kena has called it in his book In Plain View of the Cross ~ A Lenten Study. During the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, I pray for God's leading to show me what I need to give up. This year it will be sweets and meats. I've never given up meats before, so I know that I will need more willing prayer partners to give me strength to fight the temptation. Just as important, I've been coming up with a mental list of things that I will commit to God in prayer for over the days before Easter. And, I've been trying to mentally prepare myself for the extra devoted time that I will promise to spend with God IN prayer.

The fact is, sacrifice by itself I've learned, is not nearly enough. If that was what we primarily used this time for, without giving our hearts in addition, we would be like the people Isaiah speaks of in Chapter 58...

"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?"

The kind of fasting that God went on to describe to Isaiah in verses 6-14 wasn't something to be taken lightly. It would require a labor of the heart.....a covet to stand firm.....and an anticipation of God's Hand at work in their lives. We must commit this season as a special time to give God more of us...more of our time, more of our thought life, and more of our prayer power. Today I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about what great wonders will take place in these days leading up to the most celebrated event in our Christian lives....the resurrection of Christ Jesus. As my prayer list has come together (and still was even at 6:30 this morning with a new request my husband gave me!), I scroll down it knowing that God is at work in every situation. He is a Sovereign God. And all things are possible through His Son Christ Jesus. All glory be to Him!

Here's an activity to try with your family today taken from the book, Family Countdown to Easter, written by Debbie Trafton O'Neal.

She writes, "Ash Wednesday is a great time make changes for the better -- in fact, that is part of what the season of Lent is all about. How about having a family ceremony? Everybody can acknowledge things they've done wrong or bad habits they'd like to break; and they can make a resolution -- with prayers -- to change. Let everyone write his or her wrongs or bad habits on slips of paper. (If you wish, these can be shared out loud too in a family confession.)  Place a small votive candle and say a prayer asking for God's help to change the bad things. Then each person can carefully put the slip of paper into the bowl and let it burn to ashes."

As a further reminder, the spiritual leader could use the ashes to "paint" a cross on the forehead of each family member to remind them throughout the day that their sins have indeed been forgiven.

If you have extra time in the next couple days, you might consider making a Lenten Calendar. You could use this to highlight the days activitivities and the prayers that were spoken and answered. It would be a family  "living" journal entry each day that you will cherish and look forward to doing again in the years to come.

May God bless you today! 

And know that if you stopped by Home For Him, you've been prayed for!!

In His Service,

 Deborah