Ash Wednesday

I am the Baptist of all Baptist. My grandfather is a retired Missionary Baptist preacher (if there is such thing as a retired preacher). My dad is a Southern Baptist minister of music. I, of course, attended a Baptist church from 9 months before I was born until I graduated high school. Upon graduating high school, I then left to attend a Baptist university. Now, I work at…. an interdenominational church. All of this is really just backround to say that, thoughout my life I have attend church but have never really experienced some liturgical church practices, specifically the season of Lent.

Last year, Christina and I decided that we would observe Lent to the best of our knowledge. We followed along with Mars Hill on their Lent observances, and we found them to be so spirtually profound and moving. So, we decided that we would observe Lent again this year. I am sure that we are doing things the wrong way as considered by liturgical practices, especially since we are doing a lot of it on our own. We are using weekly readings from the Mars Hill Lent ’07 website, and will be following along with the sermons from their podcast.

Today is the first day of Lent, and as such now is when we are to give up one thing in our life, so that when we have an impulse for that one thing we take that time to reflect on God and to pray for strength through it. Last year, I gave up coke (meaning pop, soda, soda pop, etc..) and Christina gave up Frosted Mini Wheats (she eats them constantly). We have both decided on what we are going to give up this year, but I still can’t decide if I actually want to post what it is or not.  I will, however, be posting about my experiences and reflections on this Lent season and living with out “it”.  Let’s just say I really like it and am addicted to it probably more than anything in my life, so it will be a daily struggle to do without.