Day 1 - DUST

Today is the day all of us Catholics know very well. The first day of sacrifice is always difficult, and not to mention sometimes awkward. Ash Wednesday is a day of worship, but you can't help but laugh at the looks and comments from people about the dirt you have on your forehead. It is never a criticism, just someone trying to help you look your best.

The photo challenge today was to take a picture of "dust". Although the photo I have posted is not a new photo, it gives me a sense of "dust". The old bottles and baseball glove are old and have definitely not been cleaned, or even used, for quite some time. Dust has collected in every crevasse and after reading this post you will understand why this photo is relevant.

Dust is defined as "fine, dry powder consisting of tiny particles of earth or waste matter lying on the ground or on surfaces or carried in the air." Dust is everywhere, and if we are relating dust to lent, I think it is hard to focus on just one relation.

1 - We are dust.

We are taught that we began as dust. God created us from dust and our bodies will then return to dust at death. It is an inevitable cycle that in turn reminds us to be humble. It is so easy to forget that God is in charge of everything, and that we are merely dust destined to reunite with our creator in heaven. Now, this doesn't mean we are unimportant, it just means that we are a small piece to God's masterpiece and should remember that we still have so much to learn.

2 - Ash is dust.

Not only does the ash on our foreheads remind us of the season, it reminds us that we must make changes and start preparing for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent is a time to repent and remember how God intends us to live our lives. In a sense we are cleaning up all of the "dust" in out lives. Lent could be considered spring cleaning to freshen everything up and truly focus on what it is we want to change or do in the faith or just in life.

3 - Sins are dust.

Think about it: Dust collects when something is ignored. It collects in the corners of our homes that we don't pay much attention to. The dark, small, forgotten shelves that don't see much light are always the worst. I think we are all guilty of ignoring our sins. Our sins are just like those dark corners behind the T.V. just piled high with dust. Sins are not fun to pay mind to because no one likes to think about their faults, but the only way to grow is to learn from mistakes and to make changes. Lent is the perfect time to ask God's forgiveness and clean out all of those dark corners of your sins in order to allow more light in!

Happy Lent everyone and get to dusting!

#dust