a Lenten Devotion by Marcie Auhl 

At 88 years old I have some very fond memories of Lent.  Growing up in a relatively small town, it was a very different time. Church was important to most people.  The Blue Laws were still in affect which meant all stores closed around 5:00 PM on Saturday and remained closed until Monday morning.  Going to church on Sunday was the main and only event for most families.  

 One of my memories concerning Lent, started with Ash Wednesday.  The churches would have Wednesday afternoon services and high school students could be excused to attend, with a note from the parents. I remember walking from High School on 16th street to down town with friends to attend the services at Church.  The services explained the meaning and reasons why and how we celebrated the Lenten season.  On Good Friday the services changed to an earlier Friday service, and we were excused earlier in order to be in time for the services at 3:00, the time Christ died on the cross.  

One particular Friday Service left a lasting impression on me. As we were walking, the skies changed from a beautiful sunny afternoon to a dark cloudy sky.  The closer to 3:00, the darker the sky got.  By the time we arrived at church it began to lightening across the dark sky.  We all looked at each other and discussed how this was probably how the sky had turned dark as Christ died and the Temple curtain split on that Good Friday Christ died for each of us. This experience made this Good Friday Service more meaningful and special for each of us.