So my first celebrated Ash Wednesday was really pleasant. After getting up at the crack of dawn to go to church (ok I exaggerate), I had a nice long day ahead of me - oh, yeah, and Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence. Even though I'm not really a Catholic, I am celebrating along with it for discipline and frankly, for fun. In Catholicism, a day of fasting means every Catholic in the house 18 or older eats one regular sized meal and two small snacks that do not add up to a meal. A day of abstinence means no meat - fish is ok. During Lent, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting, and all Fridays are days of abstinence. Why? Well, Friday is the day Jesus was crucified so it is a special day of penance, of reflecting on our sin to prepare for the Resurrection - so that we can die with Jesus and be raised up with Him again.
Actually in Catholicism, all Fridays are considered special days and some people choose to always give up meat on Fridays, while some people choose other disciplines, like extra prayers or time with Jesus, or good works just for Him. One reason I love Catholicism because it redeems the whole calendar making all seasons holy and joyful - there are holy days all the time, and everything has a name, even Ordinary Time.
So anyway, yesterday was a day of fasting and abstinence. When I got home from mass, I fed the kids cereal and I had a small bowl of Cottage Cheese with a few crackers. That was my first little snack. Then I greeted Lee. He made me wipe the ashes of my head saying "Nobody wears them all day, they wipe them off as soon as they get home, and you look goofy. Besides, I am 24 years old and I have never seen ashes on any one's head in my whole life" (Yes there is a point to my repeating this.) Now, I have never seen anyone with Ashes, either, but I knew that wasn't true, because they had been discussing it all week on Catholic Answers forums. I let it go - there is a fine art to not pushing it with Lee and someday I will have it mastered. With all things Catholic, I am treading carefully.
Wrote a letter to Lisa, then scrubbed the kitchen and tidied the living room. By one o clock, I was STARVING! (well... you know what I mean.) So I busted out the fish sticks and scallops I had bought this weekend, and made a small fish feast. I ate a good meal, maybe a little too much, but not as much as I would normally eat. I also had a small side of the cottage cheese with it. That was my big meal for the day - only one snack left.
Then Lee got home. The first thing he said was "Well, I was wrong. I have now twice seen the thing I have never seen." Turns out his Astronomy Professor happened to be one of those crazy Catholics, and had a big fat smudge of ashes on his forehead. Score on for letting it go. This means next year he will let me wear mine ;)
Then I rode my bike on the sidewalk outside the house with the kids, before Lee announced that it was time for the Annual Lee Bostwick Takes His Dad Out to Red Lobster trip. Yes, we were headed to the Oasis of Yummy Seafood. Good news? Lots of non-meat dishes there. Bad news? I only have one snack left.
We met his dad and Uncle John there. Uncle John is Nan's step-brother, but he hangs with the Bostwicks. He is a Character. When we see him, he hugs me a lot and is very affectionate towards me. He seems to really like me. He gave Lee and I a Borders gift card for Christmas, which just goes to show how much he likes us.
Anyway, I ordered a nice Virgin Pina Colada (could not have stomached any alchohol), then ordered Fondue for my dinner - easy to pick at without eating too much. Nibbled at the appetizers and picked at the fondue - turns out I was too sick to eat anything anyway. I did get a bit of my favorite mushrooms, and the Pina Colada was excellent. John works at Red Lobster, and after my drink came, he assured me that anything Red Lobster makes could be ordered virgin (I was hesitant when I asked the waitress for it, I guess).
Of course while we were there I felt the need to tell Dad and Uncle John that Lij and I went to an Ash Wednesday service (because they are such religion buffs) (haha). Dad had heard of Ash Wednesday but did not know it was a "church thing", and John knew it was a Catholic thing - Red Lobster gets a little busier on Ash Wednesday because they serve seafood. Oh, and I saw someone at the restaurant wearing ashes.
When we headed to Wal*Mart. A trip to the bathroom revealed that Olivia and I were both quite sick - but what can you do. We picked up a greenhouse tray to start all my seeds in and some plant food, a queen sized sheet set for the new bed, some Easter wants, and some stuff Lee wanted. Then we went home, and watched a movie together.
Altogether a lovely say.
3 comments:
ok, first off, what are you guys gonna do with a queen sized bed? Oh yea, for when the kids climb in... secondly I want a greenhouse so you had best tell me what they look like.
I grew up with only Jews and Catholics (and Greek orthodox) and I saw ashes every year.
yeah, so far its great for when the kids climb in - they never spend the night in bed with us anymore, but they wanna snuggle in the mornings a lot.
The greenhouses are around lawn and garden, near the seeds. They are simple plastic trays loaded with peat pellets. They look like a black cooking pan. You fill them up with water, the peat grows into little growing elements, plant a couple seeds in each one, then put the clear lid on and it holds warmth for the seedlings and retains moisture. You could probably make something yourself that worked as well, but they are very cheap. Then you can take the little pellets out and plant them right in the ground when its warm outside.
That's cool - I might have to mention that to Lee.
Oh, and did you know there's a big Greek Orthodox Cathedral in the area? It's in Nan's neighborhood. They have a Greek Foods Festival every year and we walk down with Nan. It rocks.
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