Ash Wednesday

Sadly, I didn't get to go to church this Wednesday because I am in the middle of 3 night shifts in a row. However, I love Ash Wednesday. Here's one of my favorite songs from services when I was a kid:

Ashes
We rise again from ashes,
from the good we've failed to do.
We rise again from ashes,
to create ourselves anew.
If all our world is ashes,
then must our lives be true,
An offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

We offer You our failures,
we offer You attempts;
The gifts not fully given,
the dreams not fully dreamt.
Give our stumblings direction,
give our visions wider view,
An offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

Then rise again from ashes,
let healing come to pain;
Though spring has turned to winter,
and sunshine turned to rain.
The rain we'll use for growing,
and create the world anew,
From an offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

Thanks be to the Father,
who made us like Himself.
Thanks be to His Son,
who saved us by His death.
Thanks be to the Spirit,
who creates the world anew,
From an offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

It's a very simple gospel song, but the lyrics are just so beautiful and poignant. I always get chills when we sing it!

Are you giving up anything for Lent? I'm not so good at giving things up (therefore it'd probably be good for me to make myself do so); instead, I'm making a "Lenten Resolution" to go to church every Sunday this season. I know that sounds like a small thing, and very easy for some. But it's hard to want to get up and go to church when you've only gotten an hour or two of sleep! I like the church we've chosen for now, but I wish it were closer. The drive also makes it hard to get up and go in the mornings. But I'm excited for the "Just..." series they're doing right now (see several posts ago) and I really need to re-center my life on the One thing that matters most and Lent is a great time to do that.