Every first Thursday I join a group of bloggers writing around a spiritual topic. Today, Ruth is the host, and she chose ashes as the topic. Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. I am Episcopalian and attend an old historical church that was built by slaves in the mid 1800’s. I’ve attended this church for close to 40 years. In the last year, my friend Annie has taken the position of priest in charge. She is the first female priest in the history of our parish. Annie’s compassion and her ability to be present in the moment comforts me, even when she was marking my forehead with a smudge of ash and saying, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”
Impermanence. We are not here forever. It’s not the most joyful thing to embrace. But in understanding and accepting my impermanence, I can be present in the moment. I can feel the soot on my forehead and touch the bread of life and know that I am loved.
The sign of the cross in ashes is the same gesture the priest makes with oil at baptism, saying “You are marked as Christ’s own forever.” No one can take away my belonging to God. Some days, especially during Lent, I need to sit with this belonging and be okay with who I am. I am enough.
Reflections on the Teche 
Dust to dust. It seems a grim sentiment to most. However, to me, this is freeing. I a not in control. Only God Who made me is. I am free to trust and have faith that he will be enough for me. I can trust that He will equip me for such a time as this. In HIm, we are truly enough. Thank you for sharing.
Lovely connection. Thanks!
Oh yes, always enough, my dear friend.
Your post is a spiritual meditation. I appreciate your sentiments. How bless you are to blog with a group of spiritual women.
We are an open group, so let me know if you’d like to join.
Thank you. Let me give it some thought😄
Oh, just reading that your church was built by slaves put me right back in the middle of African Town which I finished yesterday. Such a powerful book!
These words from your post are so powerful – “I can feel the soot on my forehead and touch the bread of life and know that I am loved.”
I have African Town but haven’t started it yet. Thanks for your comment.
So good.
Beautiful reflection. I love the last three words especially – I am enough.
Enough is my one little word and it seems to crop up a lot in my writing.
Thank you for writing about this. It is always buoying to me to see others embracing the spiritual side of ourselves, because I think about that aspect a lot, but have to quell it more than I would like as a public school teacher. Mind, body, spirit!
Margaret, your one word is beautifully displayed in this post. Using the word impermanence in a positive life has given me a sense of peace. Perhaps, I think too much about mortality. I have seen close friends pass away the past few years at young ages and it hurts. Thank you for this line: “But in understanding and accepting my impermanence, I can be present in the moment.” Time moves us quickly and distracts us from truly living. Being in the moment with the Lord brings strength. Enough-such a accepting word to live life by this year.
This is such an important topic. I am trying to be in the present, taking one day at a time instead of projecting my fears and worries toward the future. Thank you for writing this!
This line: “No one can take away my belonging to God” – the power and the joy. Blessed assurance, just as we are… we are enough because He is all. Beautiful incorporation of your OLW.
Lovely reflection. Thanks for sharing.
I love the reminder that the sign of the cross is the same at baptism as it is for ashes. Beautiful! Thank you, Margaret!
Margaret, I read your post this morning when I saw the email notification, and I remembered SJT. Oh, boy. I’ve been distracted. But when I read this: “No one can take away my belonging to God.” I was blessed. Yes, let’s “sit with this belonging” throughout Lent and beyond. Thank you for this great word today.