ASHES, ASHES, WE ALL FALL DOWN

So how many times did you sing "Ring around the Rosies (Rosy?)?  And end up with the phrase, "ashes, ashes, we all fall down."  Whenever Ash Wednesday comes around any number of thoughts come to mind - in fact I shared some last year at this time ... but this year the little rhyme came to mind.  So with some help from Google, my 'inquiring mind' was put to ease.  Some say there was a connection with the Great Plague in England in the 1660's -  rosy = the rash that came; posy = the herb that was used to fight it; ashes (atishoo, (achoo) = response to the symptoms; all fall down = a pc way of describing death. Whether that's right or wrong is for you to decide ... that's my story and I'm sticking to it!  Funny what ASH WEDNESDAY brings to mind, huh?  

In worship we tried a "new-to-us" format -  services at 4 and 7 and a ' lunch' in-between. In the past it's been "be here at 7 or else!  Realizing we have a few more with night-vision problems, and families with kids don't go out on a school night at 7:00 - the early service was for the kids and "seasoned" members AKA "kids at heart".  We invited ALL of them to come forward and sit on the front steps of the chancel for their special message ... just kidding ... but the children's message was a nice touch - even had some kids in attendance! Also had two school chapels - one had about a 100 kids, the other about 40 - and they received the ashes as well!  By the time the day was over I was ready to 'fall down' as well!

Jeff and I "in our glory!" What a treat to share!

For the AW chapel I burn a palm cross from last year's Palm Sunday service (so the kids get an idea of where the ashes come from) and in the first service the palm cross was so dry it literally torched itself right in my hand, flamed up and smoked like crazy!  Usually they burn 'quietly' for about 10 seconds and then burn out, leaving most of the cross in my hand to complete the object lesson.  One never knows what will happen next!  But working "on the fly" and 30+ years of chapels got me through!

In my readings I ran across this article in the Concordia Journal by Rodney Otto - if you've seen it, great, if not, enjoy!  Concordia Journal.  I so appreciated his words.  It's what we're always trying to do - finding ways to "pass on faith' from one generation to the next. Wish Rodney were out here at PoP - what a great team player he could also be!  Problem is, he and I seem to be getting closer in age every year, six years difference now (at 62) seems a whole lot closer than six years apart when I was six! - which brings up my next thought, 

♫ Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday, dear Mark,

Happy Birthday to you. ♫ 

I didn't forget!  Hope yours is a joyful day - enjoy the leftover pancakes from Shrove Tuesday!

Tonight we attend a benefit "Soup for the Soul" which financially supports a service K and I have participated in since we've been married (she, for 10+ years prior to that)  - The Transition House.  We serve a full meal there (food provided by Providence St. Vincent hospital - we "pack" the food to the place and serve it - every first Tuesday of the month. Well, anyway, tonight is their 2nd annual "soup" gathering.  They invite about 1/2 dozen chefs from pretty fancy restaurants to prepare soup for the gathering.  It is a wonderful treat at a downtown venue called URBANSTUDIO. Click  Soup for the Soul for last year's pics.

Getting closer to completing the "office area" - which means Bernie will soon be making her appearance!

About it for now.

A blessed Lent to all.

Love ya!

Karina and Dan