Ring around the rosy,
Pocket full of posies,
Ashes,
Ashes,
We all fall down!
It seems like such a morbid little nursery rhyme when you consider that the above dearly loved verse was originally a portion of a longer poem that was sung by little children whose siblings were dying at alarming rates as a result of the Beubonic Plague. ...at least, that's what one theory says.
And yet, the truth is that because of sin in our world - ever since the fall of man - death has been a reality and part of life. Its painful and sad because its so unnatural and not what God intended for us - but God helps with that as well.
Thus we have the Ashes on the foreheads of Christians throughout the world today... in the form of a cross.
This is the hidden joy of Lent put into a very visible and tangible thing. Ashes, a symbol of repentance and mourning taking on the shape of that which has redeemed the dearly loved 'dust' of the world.
So having a dirty thumb today is a great joy in this otherwise messy world!
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