Greetings from Austin Street

Welcome to Ash Wednesday.  I remember Ash Wednesdays when the kids were young. After worship, they wanted to go somewhere like the grocery store or other public place with their ashes proudly on their foreheads.  They loved to see others wearing ashes too. Tonight, we needed to make a stop after worship. I watched other throughout the store with and without ashes.  Those who were still wearing their ashes would smile knowing the reason for the recognition. As we were in line checking out one of the clerks in the store came over to me. I could tell by her apparel that she was not of the Christian faith. She asked me about the ashes. I began with the words, “In the Christian faith …” and then I went on to explain (briefly) that the ashes signified the beginning of the season of Lent as a time of repentance, self-examination, self-sacrifice and prayer for the next 40 days.  She smiled and said thank you and went back to work. 

I think the Lenten season for me is always a journey. I am not exactly sure what I am to learn during the next 40 days, but I do know that I am to fix my heart, soul, mind and actions on God. I am to listen and learn what God is teaching me and I know that by the end of the 40 days my life or parts of it will once again have responded to the creative gift of transformation by God’s very hand. I hope to gain wisdom. I hope to have a heightened perception of what God’s will is for my life and to see how God is working through the spiritual eyes of faith and an open heart.  Join me in this Lenten journey. Let us pray for each other offering a repentant heart to God who loves us so very much and walk the path of forgiveness.  The ashes I wear tonight are not a sign of showiness, but a witness that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness and the sign of the cross claims that through Jesus all sins are forgiven through faith.

“For dust you are and to dust you shall return.”

Genesis 3: 19

Take joy in this Lenten journey and be led by the Spirit of God. Wear comfortable shoes and gt some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene