Lent Day One - Ash Wednesday

Last year on Easter, I came back to God in tears and on my knees after the end of an abusive relationship. That's why this year is so important to me, why I'm making such a big deal about Lent, because I want to truly celebrate Easter in remembrance of what last year meant to me, and to do that I feel the need to practice Lent and focus on God for the next 40 days.

Yesterday, I attended my very first Ash Wednesday service. These services are not the norm in my church, so even though I grew up in the First Church of God (Anderson), I've never attended one.

It was amazing. A time for reflection and prayer, mainly. I found it meaningful. We took our ashes, got our communion and went to the altar to pray and take the communion as we felt moved to. Perfect.

Ash Wednesday.

And seeing my church friends in the middle of the week was also nice. :)

As for giving up soda and working on that sin, so far so good. I honestly don't really miss soda that much yet, but I did have a coworker lock up my last Dr Pepper in her filing cabinet. And I'm not missing that sin either. Both do cross my mind, but I just take a deep breath and say no and move on.

“I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
‘Hear, now, and I will speak;
I will ask You, and You instruct me.’
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
But now my eye sees You;
Therefore I retract,
And I repent in dust and ashes.”

Job 42:2-6 (NASB)