Ash Wednesday

A few funnies from church. Today I decided to take the younger girls to the Ash Wednesday service at our church..this is the first time I've ever gone, but it was a nice service. Ok, gloomy, yes, but thought-provoking. It's a somber, quiet service. There weren't a whole lot of people there and definitely no kids besides my 3 and 5yos. They sitting quietly while the vicar discussed the meaning of the ashes.... and matters of life, death, love, and faith, when my littlest one calls out, "I NEED TO GO POOP!!"
Comic relief, I suppose.
Then it's time to get our ashes put on our foreheads in the sign of the cross. We are in a slow-moving, solemn line at the alter when little BBH sees the first lady get a black smudge on her forehead and says, (again, very loudly) "I DON'T WANT THAT ON MY HEAD!!"
ANH (5) was simply disappointed because she wanted her smudge to be darker. Do I think they got some meaning out of the service? Um, maybe. But I was glad I went.
Last week, they attended a Christian youth group which they go to a few times a month called GHG. I picked them up afterwards and all seemed well. The next day, ANH says out of the blue-"Mom, at GHG they said that if someone hits us on the cheek, we're supposed to turn the other cheek..(long pause)..but what if they hit the OTHER cheek??" Then she said, "I've been thinking about that a lot."
That had been troubling her little mind all day! Since I'm a great mom who always has just the right answer...I did what came naturally. Burst out into uncontrolled fits of laughter and finally told her, through tears from laughing, "That is a great question!"
Some ideas, and maybe some church services, are a little too abstract for small children. But I do understand why Jesus loves them best...