Ash Wednesday to the Easter Person

You all know that I am a preacher's wife and I guess my favorite religious holiday has to be Easter and all that it represents. I love it! I love that it is in the Spring. I love that Easter lillies are the flower used most during this holiday. I love the new dresses and shiny white maryjanes on the little girls. I love the music...and the stories....I love getting to sing Via Dolarosa with Rhonda on Palm Sunday. I love the fact that churches bulge at the seems....I just love the whole event. Valentine's Day Sunday was Transfiguration Sunday and my altar at church was a swan vase with Camellias....representing the Ugly Duckling I was before Christ came into my life...and the swan I am with Christ in my life....now there is today. Today kicks off Lent...which leads up to Easter. Today, Ash Wednesday, is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as 4 February or as late as 10 March. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are typically gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. In the liturgical practice of some churches, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens[1] (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil. This paste is used by the minister who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his or her own forehead and then on those of congregants. The minister administering ashes recites the words: "Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return", or "Repent, and believe the Gospel." Our church is having two services today, at 12:00 and 6:00. Since I am at school today...it is not a National Holiday....I will be attending the 6:00 service. During Lent most Christians sacrifice something...or give something up for Lent. Frank says every year that he is going to give up Work! So far that has not worked. Poor Frank. I, on the other hand, have given up things like french fries(which I adore), Diet Cokes, chocolate, caffeine(now that one was a killer)...and one year I even did something totally off the wall and wrote a letter for each of the 40 days to someone who has meant something spiritually to me. That one was my personal favorite. This year I have been praying about what I am to give up and last night it came to me. I am giving up sweets AND french fries. I am hitting myself with a double whammy.....so please pray for me as I face the next 40 days.