Ash Wednesday

Have I even mentioned yet that today is Ash Wednesday? This evening was to be our first time ever to attend an Ash Wednesday service. I don't really know what it means, although I am pretty certain that GeorgiaGirl5 has something about it on her blog. If not, she has a great post about Fat Tuesday. The only experience I have with Ash Wednesday is when we used to attend the Main Post Chapel, I would be waiting for the Catholics to finish their Ash Wednesday service so that I could go in for Praise Team rehearsal and how when they all came out of the sanctuary, they had dirty foreheads. I'm simple. I know. So, I was looking forward to learning more about the church calendar (again over-simplifying, but it has been a LONG day and I am beginning to get a little loopy). Well, 12 year old daughter wasn't feeling well, not up to going to church and so we decided to skip the service tonight. However - Wednesday is the night that we go out for dinner because it is rehearsal night (usually). So we still had to go get food. My 15 year old daughter drove us to McDonald's. Which entailed being on the highway(not like a california freeway - but a big enough deal for us)Where the speed gets up to 55 and once you get into town at that time of day, there is a lot of traffic on the road and it can get somewhat hairy. I explained this to her and asked her if she felt like she was prepared to handle that and she said yes. Thus far, she has only driven as high as 35. I said, all right - here we go. So we loaded up into the car. She adjusted her mirrors, made sure every one of her passengers was securely buckled in, and backed us out of the carport. Once she was facing forward and ready to drive out of the driveway, I told her that if at any point she feels overwhelmed or like it's more than she is ready to handle to SAY SO, do not let PRIDE stand in the way. And then we prayed. 12 year old son asked God to not let us die. (brat) I asked God to protect us. Thanked Him for this milestone in her life and to keep giving her confidence balanced with a healthy respect for the power that she holds in her hands. How on earth did I come to the day when that little toe-headed child who liked to rock too hard on the rocking horse is driving us out to dinner? My life is full. And hard. And blessed. And easy. And crazy. And cradled in the arms of my God.