We are dust

Ash Wednesday reminds us that we are dust and will return to dust someday. Janet Marie Good shared her recent Ash Wednesday experience in the Daily American:

Lent always felt like a time that I had to give up things for God. To suffer in his name. How sad.

This Wednesday I felt the enormity of his words, chewing at my insides, urging me to take the right path. So I think I am going to try something different this Lenten season. I am going to give things to God, instead. My time, my actions, my thoughts. Gifts of love. Sharing joy and happiness in his name seems so much more significant.

In his caring and kind way, God spoke to me through a humble, beautiful man in a long flowing robe, who gave his people everything he had on his last Ash Wednesday as a pastor.

It's up to us to do God's will while we are here on this earth, to share the love and joy of Him.

My repentance for Lent

I have decided on my repentance for Lent. I'm going to give up saying negative things about people. Jesus wants us to follow John 13:34 -- to love one another.

I often fail in loving my neighbor -- if someone lets me down, they go on my "negative" list until they do something to make up for it. This practice is not working for me. . .I'm unkind to many people and making myself miserable. It has to end.

It's time to give up this self-defeating style of thinking and live life the way that Jesus wants me to experience it. Happy Ash Wednesday!