Today was Ash Wednesday. It started rough and ended rough.

The morning had its bright spots (a bit of collaging with the CPE cohort on Psalm 8 ) which truly did re-set my mind for the day. The majesty of God, the creative power of God reflected in the faces and images that I found reminded me that God is enough. And God is in control. And God is majestic in ALL the earth. And that refrain rang in my head all day.

In the afternoon, I sat and talked with someone who had a “wake up call” on one’s health. The patient bemoaned not getting ashes because of being hospitalized. (Even though ashes were offered around the units today, somehow the patient was missed.) So we talked about the purpose of ashes (being humbled and reminded of our physical frailty and the reality of a life to come). And finally I said, “you know, I think this whole hospital stay for you has been an “Ash Wednesday” in and of itself. You don’t need a sooty cross-shaped reminder on your forehead. You are living the reality of a mortal body and an immortal soul.”

It was a lightbulb moment for the patient and for me… and I said so.

The evening with friends at church, thinking and praying and reading and receiving ashes was short, gentle, and thoughtful. It took longer to drive down and back than it did to receive the ashes. But it was a trek worth making.

Only to come home and discover that the clothes washer decided to depart from a useful existence. And who knows when one can be delivered? And we have a full laundry of dirty clothes. I jokingly said, “from rust thou art and from rust thou shalt return…” but it hit me it was true.

The “things” we focus on — more than God, more than people, more than serving — they will pass away.

Perspective is everything.