Ash Wednesday

It's Ash Wednesday. My little ones will go to services at their CCD this afternoon. I was trying to explain to them at breakfast what it means as a start to lent. All I got were horrified stares and exclaimations of "gross! ashes! like from the garbage can?" So I calmly explained that no, not cigarette ashed but church ashes. They felt better. I went up to the church near my office at lunch.

I've given a great deal of thought to what I am giving up for lent. I've given up a whole range of things in the past, from Starbucks to shopping to wine. I always used to give up bitting my nails as a kids. I've never been to sucessful at it. This year I am setting a big goal. No negative thoughts about myself. I'm very hard on myself and never feel that I a doing a good enough job, as a parent, a wife, an employee. So I'm going to fine myself a dime everytime I think or say a negative thing about myself. I have an empty jelly jar in my office and one at home. At the end of lent, I'll go shopping with the money and hope there isn't enough to buy myself something!