For many in Western Christianity, this Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is traditionally a day of fasting that follows a time of revelry in some cultures (cue the Mardi Gras celebration, Fat Tuesday, and all-you-can-eat-pancakes). More specifically, it is a day of repentance beginning the season of preparation that builds up to Easter Sunday. One of the most recognizable symbols of the day is the imparting of ashes, typically in the shape of a cross, on a person's forehead as a sign of repentance. This is done to remind worshipers of their mortality and that as humans, we all are "made from dust, and to dust we will return" (Gen. 3:19). Doesn't sound like the easiest of concepts to share with a child, does it? Ash Wednesday and Lent pose some difficult challenges for parents and others who work with children in conveying its meaning and importance. However, despite these challenges, your child's participation in Lenten activit...
Whether I am officiating a wedding, or a college football game, in my jobs as a ordained Baptist minister, an adjunct college professor & a certified sports official, I am familiar with the "lines" that establish the boundaries that govern activity. In my years, I have found that it is what happens between the lines that so often leads to deeper knowledge and greater insight into who we are in the world around us. Thanks for journeying with me "between the lines."