Ash Wednesday...

So today is the official first day of Lent...40 days until Easter. It's a beginning of a big time for Christians...a time of reflection and sacrifice. I became Catholic 5 years ago, right after Kurt & I were married. We were married in a Catholic Church and you sign this piece of paper that says you will raise your children Catholic if you get married in a Catholic Church. I thought that it was sort of wrong that I raise my kids in one faith, while i was another. Also, Kurt was probably unlikely to become something else, as being Catholic is like being Italian...you are what you are. Plus Catholics always sort of seemed cool...the rituals, the statues, the candles....it was sort of mystical to me.

I was raised Baptist. We went to church every Sunday and my family was (and still is) very active in their church. Lent for me growing up was like a party for the whole 40 days. There were potlucks every Thursday at church (got to love the Potluck) and the anticipation of Easter was exciting. The Catholics have a different take on Lent and it is all about sacrifice and reflection. There are no parties. There are no potlucks. There is just prayer and prayer and mass. Catholics give up something during Lent typically, but I don't. I use the time during Lent to really go above and beyond and do good for others...random acts of kindness. I am reminded as I do these good deeds of the sacrifices that were made for me to live this awesome life. Is it right that I don't deny myself something like Coke, Candy, Sweets or whatever? I don't think so...it's all about being a good Christian.

I don't think that I will ever be FULL ON Catholic. I will always have my strong foundation as a Baptist that grounds me and is the core of my being. I love that I know the Bible forwards and backwards, unlike many of my Catholic friends. Thank you Sunday School and Camp Lael! I do like the ritual of being Catholic. I like the ritual of mass.

Also, being Catholic has helped me (hopefully) make my husband a little more aware of his religion. He is typical...perhaps didn't pay attention (like most) in CCD. Today, as I was making his lunch, he said - "What, we're out of lunch meat?"....me: "It's Ash Wednesday, remember eating packzi yesterday?" I think he rolled his eyes. The no meat thing gets him and he HATES following it. I think only because I found out that the real reason why there is Meatless Fridays and on holy days is because back in the day (Middle Ages) they wanted to promote the fishing industry and going meatless was a way to do that. It is pretty wrong. But foregoing meat can be a sacrifice by eating less and using the extra money to donate to a good cause or ones in need. Kurt will do it...grumbling. Hey, it's his sacrifice...he feels it more than most.

So today we'll go get Ashes on our foreheads...pray at mass and start Lent. I am looking forward to my 40 days of good deeds....what will I do today?