Day thirteen...Ash Wednesday

I look up the histories of hymns that we sing in church. I follow up when our wonderful pastor, Reverend Will Robinson tells a story to the congregation (I have a very difficult time following the occasional sports analogies. And now that we are members of the Presbyterian Church, I find myself searching for information on the histories and specific beliefs followed by the church. To me, it is truly fascinating information to learn.

Questioning things, beliefs, understandings...I think is vital to a person's growth and understanding of their beliefs.

Last year was my first ever Ash Wednesday service. I had no clue what was going on before the service. Afterwards, I jumped right into the books and stories that I gathered from folks.

The bible doesn't mention Ash Wednesday or the practice of Lent, particularly. However, it does say much about repentance and mourning. See the Bible verse below as an example.

I found this particular blog, by Mark D. Roberts, extremely helpful...
http://blog.beliefnet.com/markdroberts/pages/series/ash-wednesday-practice-and-meaning.html/

I wish you joy and comfort as we begin this spiritual journey today, Ash Wednesday 2012.

Remember to listen... listen and be open to the understanding which is available.

Link of the day...
Lent intercessions - http://www.faithandworship.com/Lent_intercessions.htm

Quote of the day...
"A Christian should be a striking likeness of Jesus Christ. You have read lives of Christ, beautifully and eloquently written, but the best life of Christ is his living biography, written out in the words and actions of his people. If we were what we profess to be, and what we should be, we should be pictures of Christ; yea, such striking likenesses of him, that the world would not have to hold us up by the hour together, and say, “Well, it seems somewhat of a likeness;” but they would, when they once beheld us, exclaim, “He has been with Jesus;”"
-C. H. Spurgeon

Bible verse of the day...
"So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." Daniel 9:3