Last Wednesday we were driving to church for Ash Wednesday service. Number One Son was excited to tell me all about what he knew about Ash Wednesday. It's kind of his thing to want to remember all about certain dates and the traditions that go with them. When one holiday ends he starts preparing for the next one.So as we were driving, he was telling me that tonight the pastor was going to put ashes on our foreheads in the shape of a cross. He then went on about the ashes being from palms and lent is starting and then palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter,....etc. I had to cut him off before he got to Flag Day.
Sweet Pea was uncommonly silent during all of this. After a few minutes she sheepishly said, "I don't want Pastor to put ashes on my forehead."
N1S immediately piped up, "Why? It doesn't hurt."
I asked, "SP, do know what ashes are?"
"No"
I explained that ashes are just like dust.
She seemed relieved to hear that. I asked her what she thought ashes were.
She said, "I thought Pastor was going to put those ashes on our heads that we leave there for a long time and they burn a cross into our foreheads."
"What kind of church do you think we go to!?"
I had to wonder, when did she ever see anything like that going on in church? I know some kids think of going to church as torture, but I didn't think they were being literal.
