Lent

 "Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage."

Last night Peanut and I attended the Ash Wednesday service at our church.

I debated taking her. There were no kid classes. She would have to sit with me.

Confession.

I like to church by myself.

Solo.

I can also eat in a restaurant by myself, see a movie by myself, the list goes on, but that's another conversation.

When I worship by myself, I can get lost in the act of worshipping. I take my shoes off. I let my feet feel the ground. I open my hands, turn my palms turn the sky to receive. For that one hour, I can (sometimes) turn off my overthinking mind and just be.

I hold a value that it's important for Peanut to experience church in various forms, so therefore I took her with me.

As I looked around the church in candlelight, I suddenly had this remembrance that Lent is dark.

From ashes you were made, and to ashes you shall return.

Is Lent too dark for kids?

The worship team began to sing and I looked over to see Peanut, palms up, loudly singing, eyes closed and I remembered, Peanut was made to worship.

In times of darkness.

In times of light.

Xman went to a youth event once in which the sermon was a hellfire and brimstone version of the gospel. He came home and commented that they never got to Jesus. Each time there was a focus on the evil of the world but never on the Savior.

Darkness but no light.

You have to learn about the darkness. It's inevitable.

BUT there is light.

Beautiful light.

I read once that we are Easter morning people living in a Good Friday world.

That's always stuck with me.

We want the light.

There is no light without darkness.

There's no resurrection without the cross.

Mama Warriors, I understand the idea of Lent is denominational (a conversation for another time) but I hope you spend time over the next few weeks preparing your heart for Easter.

You don't wake up Easter morning to pretty church clothes, baskets, or egg hunts without some preparation.

There's no Easter morning without Good Friday.

There's no light without darkness.