Ashes

Last night Jameson and I attended the Wednesday night dinner at church, followed by a service for Ash Wednesday. Jameson and his friend Landon played in the nursery during the service, and missed the Imposition of Ashes. Needless to say, they were both intrigued, and not a little bit jealous that their parents had ashes on their foreheads and they did not. Jameson went up to Pastor Kathy and asked to get his own ashes, and Landon got them as well. Of course, that meant that I had to figure out how to explain Ash Wednesday to a 5-year old.

On the way home I told Jameson that getting ashes on his forehead was very serious business. We talked about how every Ash Wednesday you get to throw away all the bad and naughty things you have done in the past and start fresh; because of Jesus. I told him that the ashes on our heads were a reminder that our naughty behavior is burned away by Jesus, and that he comes into our hearts to make us new.

Jameson thought about all of this for quite some time, and here's the conversation we had.

"Mom! I can feel Jesus in my heart!"

Smiling I said, "How does that feel?"

"Pretty good!"

"Does it make your heart feel warm, Jameson, that Jesus is inside your heart?"

"Yes, it does!" he exclaimed. "But it must be pretty dark in there for Jesus..."

"Jameson, I bet that since Jesus is called the Light of the World he makes his own light in your heart."

"Well," he said, "I bet he's got a flashlight."

Yes. Jesus has his very own flashlight. And aren't we all so very lucky...