"What is that on your head?"

I think that I probably heard that at least six times yesterday...."What is that on your head?"  Heads up folks, it is Ash Wednesday!!  Although, I have always gone to Ash Wednesday service (as a Catholic and a Presbyterian), the noon mass apparently causes a stir when you have a big black "+" on your forehead.  I did rub it into a smudgy, grey "+" but it was still pretty noticeable!!

Ash Wednesday is a time for reflection.  A time to remember the 40 days that Christ was in the desert.  And I was thinking, why 40?  That seems to occur multiple times in the Bible - Noah was on the boat for 40 days & waited 40 days for the water to recede, the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years, Mary was pregnant for 40 weeks, Moses was on the Mount for 40 days. Goliath came before the army every day for 40 days before David killed him, and don't forget about Jonah and the City of Nineveh, he warned them that they had 40 days until their city would be overthrown (thank you Veggie Tales for reminding me of that one!).  Forty days is a looooong time....  For anyone, but can you imagine roaming the desert for 40 days or waiting for it to stop raining for 40 days??  That takes a lot of strength, and faith.  So, my commitment to give up caffeine and read "Love Dare" with D seems like such a small task in comparison.  I hope that I make it!! 

Seeing the spring flowers emerging from the earth and the new buds on the cherry trees gives me hope that no matter how dark the day, light will come again.  I can do anything, especially for 40 days!  As long as I know that there is a Diet Mt Dew waiting for me Easter morning, cold and in a can, please!