Ashes to Ashes

It's Ash Wednesday.

Cassidy and I just came back from getting our ashes at church.  While we were at the Liturgy of the Word, our church's preschool came so all the kids could receive ashes.  It was cute.  Most of the kids had no idea what was going on, but that's kids.

It reminded me of attending St. Peter's Catholic School, going to mass every year, and receiving ashes.  My classmates and I used to compare whose ashes were blacker, bigger, stayed on longer, etc.  You get the idea.  Our theory was the bigger and blacker the ashes, the more sin you had.  I think we had this theory because our teachers were the ones giving out the ashes.  Who knows if it was actually true, but it was fun to compare.  We were kids, but every Ash Wednesday, I remember this.  This small moment in time when I was a kid.  It's a good memory.

Unfortunately while at church today, something completely inappropriate happened.  There was a gathering of parents hanging right next to the alter waiting, phones ready, to capture their child receiving ashes.  It was inappropriate.  These parents were right next to the adult ministers giving out ashes, standing right behind them to capture a picture with their phone.  There were a few parents hanging on the outskirts (end of the pews) snapping off pictures, but isn't that a bit too much.  It's not like their kids are getting baptized or their another sacrament.  It's just ashes!  It's not even a Holy Day of Obligation.

I'm not one to normally judge someone for taking pictures of their kids.  Hell, I haul my camera almost everywhere I go to capture memories and moments of my kids.  But, I also know when enough is enough and to up the camera away.  And I know how to live in the moment and realize not everything needs to be capture on film.  Sometimes it's better to experience the moment and live in it than to have a camera strapped to your face all the time.

Anyway, today is the start of the Lenten season.  As for me, I've decided not to give up anything this year.  Instead, I've decided to make a big effort to just be happy.  Happy I have a healthy family.  Happy I have a house over my head and food in my stomach.  Happy I have a kind, loving, and supportive husband.  Just to be happy, even on those days when the kids don't listen, I am sleep deprived, and I would rather just crawl up with a good book in a corner alone.  I'm going to be happy because even though life might have bad moments, my life is pretty damn good.

Cassidy with her ashes