March 31, 2010
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Holy Week

Posted in Fashion, Forsyth Woman, Looking Back by Wendee | Tags: , , , , ,

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What traditions are special to you during this time of the year?   Christians throughout the world are celebrating and remembering Holy Week this week.  It begins with Palm Sunday and concludes on Easter Sunday.  

It has always been fascinating for me to hear about individual and family traditions that occur yearly.  Lent, Tenebrae, Good Friday, Maundy Thursday, fasting and other traditions and terms common to others, were mostly unknown to me growing up.  With the exception of our yearly Easter Cantata, which generally occurred the Sunday before Easter, our family’s focus was on the celebration of Easter Sunday.  To me, as a child, this meant a new dress, hat and white gloves!  It also meant chocolate marshmallow bunnies, malted Easter eggs, Easter baskets, Sunrise services, inspirational and celebratory worship services, lunch at my Grandparent’s house and a big Easter Egg Hunt with my cousins.  Other than dressing up, it was a simple and joyful time of celebration. 

Shortly after getting married, I remember hearing the terms Lent and Maundy Thursday.  My husband explained these terms to me because they were part of his family traditions.  Since that time, I’ve come to appreciate many different traditions.  One thing still puzzles me though, why is the day Jesus was crucified called “Good Friday?”    

What traditions, celebrations and remembrances are special to you this season?  By the way, I was quite proud of that little pocket book and my hat!  My older sister thought she was pretty special too!

February 17, 2010
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Lent begins today!

Posted in Forsyth Woman, Looking Back, What's Your Favorite by Wendee | Tags: , , , , , ,

 

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What is Lent? Are you giving up something for Lent? Perhaps you are part of a new thought pattern and you are going to be “Doing Something” for Lent.

In the Christian tradition, Lent is 40 days of fasting and prayer beginning with Ash Wednesday and concluding on the Saturday before Easter. I can already hear all of you math whizzes right now . . . saying, “Wait there is more than 40 days during that time period!” Your right! Sundays are not included in the 40 days of Lent. So for all of you folks who are fasting during Lent, did you know that you could take Sundays off? Yes, that is right; in fact, you should never fast on Sundays because Sundays are celebration days (or feast days) in the Christian tradition. Every Sunday is considered a “little Easter.”

Today is Ash Wednesday and you may see people walking around town with a dark smudge on their foreheads. This indicates that they have likely attended a worship service where a black cross, made of ashes was put on their forehead. This worship service marks the beginning of the Lenten season and reminds the worshipers “from dust they came and to dust they will return.” It is also a symbol of repentance. So if you see someone, with something on his or her forehead today, you might want to ask before you try to wipe it off.

There are many traditions for families and faiths that surround the Lenten season.  Do you have any special memories of this upcoming season?