Ladies and gentlemen, I interrupt this week of blogging book releases to share just a little something beautiful. Last night at Ash Wednesday, two of my six children participated far more than usual. My five-year-old Michael did really well following along with the liturgy and readings. Even better, when he got lost, he was disappointed! He cared! But equally moving to me as a mother was that my newly-four-year-old Anastasia (we call her Tasy) participated in praying the litany! Now, don’t get me wrong, she said each line exactly after everyone else said it. 
But the something beautiful is that our pastor allowed the time for her to do it. All of those “Have mercy”‘s melted my heart.
Proud isn’t the word. However, I am extraordinarily thankful to God that my children are raised in the Church, hearing God’s Word, singing substance, and receiving God’s gifts of faith, forgiveness, life, and salvation.
Another something beautiful: maybe you’ll be able to relate. Our oldest daughter Elizabeth is 10-years old. She’s been in piano for just over a year so she can read music enough to read a melody line from the hymnal and sing even less familiar pieces. Well, I am very proud that, in our little congregation—maybe 20 people in attendance, 9 of whom were my family, and a cappella as we were due to a lack of organists and keyboardists in the area, my daughter and I were able to sing out together. At one point, I could only hear the two of us and my husband. But what a joyful sound it was! (You know, for Ash Wednesday ;))
Just thought I’d share.
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