"You, uh, got somethin' on your forehead?!"

This morning I went to get a quesadilla, before Wednesday morning prayer, and both ladies were sitting down. Now usually they are moving a mile a minute, because of all the people ordering. I thought they were out of stuff to sale, but they told me that today was "Ash Wednesday" and everyone was "fasting". Since I don't believe in it (quite frankly I think it's the stupidest thing ever because they "abstain" from meat...I love meat!) I didn't remember. This is the beginning of the celebration/ritual leading up to holy week and passover. Supposedly every one fasts on this day that begins the "count down", but as I looked across the street this evening there were tons of vendors outside the Catholic Temple with corn, tacos, fruit, and all kinds of other foods. In Mexico, everyone goes to their temple and gets the priest to rub a cross on their forehead. People get off work and do whatever it takes to get to the temple to partake in this tradition. When I picked Mase up from school, all the kids were coming out with crosses on their heads. I had forgotten to warn him, but I asked him what he did when they asked him if he wanted a cross on his forehead. He told them, "I told them, 'I don't need one, I'm a Christian!" He's a pretty cool kid! I thought that was a great response. The bad news is that every Friday from here until after "passover", it will be hard to find a taco! :) At the end of the day, I had to eat a quesadilla with FISH in it (sounds weird, but it's not half bad) and my son made me proud! Sunday we will challenge the church with what the Bible teachs about all this non-sense. Please keep the church in your prayers as many have done this tradition for years and always understood it to be "what God wants". We are trying to teach them it's not about "meats" rather about the heart!

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

"Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean..." Romans 14:20