So all summer I've had these strange longings to visit churches, not because I want to leave my awesome church but well... I don't know... just for fun, I guess. Maybe it's sort of like Fight Club's Tyler Durden and Marla Singer and their addiction to support groups, except my "tourism" is with churches.... Or maybe it's not anything like that at all.
Anyway, since I go to my church's late afternoon service (which works well with my occasional sleeping in habits) I have Sunday mornings free to fulfill these notions that seem to grab... only me. But you have to admit that it's nice to get the attention for being the new person at church. Everyone feels the obligation to introduce themselves, shake your hand and try to get you to come back.
Yesterday morning I thought I would visit the cute, little, old church on the corner near my house that runs a weekly food bank for the needy in town... and this church is just so cute, little and old. If I ever get married again someday I think this kind of a church wedding would fit my very nontraditional tastes well - especially with its chipped white paint, a modest spire, charming barely-lit candles, and chromatic carpet of times past.
Also, the pastor's wife likes to stop by my house from time to time and chat and invite me to things, so there was a little obligation to visit there too.
This Baptist-affiliated church was quite different than Mars Hill Church and my two youngest kids and I were somewhat of a spectacle. We fumbled around the well-worn hymnals and sang the wrong verses. Chloe dropped her crayons so we had to crawl under the pews to gather them back up. Brian had to go "potty" and we had to walk right through the middle of the church with all eyes upon us to get to the bathroom. Then we fought yawns during the mumbled scripture reading.
But the sermon was fantastic. I am reminded with these church visits that no matter how it's done, there are people everywhere that love Jesus and that the Bible is preached to some extent in some form or another. It is amazing that we like to quibble at secondary issues or feel that our church is a little closer to God than others. But then it's also nice of God to put up with us and still care for us so deeply.
My attention was caught by a beautiful lady in the front row who resembled the church building in human form, and was probably just as old. She had shiny silver hair pulled back in a loose, curling bun with an antique hair clip. She wore a bright pink, tweed dress-suit that reflected her nodding, supportive smile. Had she faithfully attended that church for many years? Perhaps her whole life? What was her story? I wanted to shake her hand, spend the afternoon talking over tea maybe? but I lost her presence in the crowd when church was over.
On the walk home, we talked about all of the neat things we liked about church and all of the friendly people. Although we might never visit that church again (unless I get married and my groom-to-be doesn't mind), my thoughts will go a little broader as I spy that quaint church on the corner, or hear its steeple bells ringing.
Yay!!!
I just started my second year of the quarry!!
Feels good to be back...
I'm so excited to learn and grow!
I know that this year is going to be filled with alot of laughs and giggles!!
I love my team, they rock!
I'll have to update more later, but I gots to go! :)
Until next time.....
1 Cor. 2:9 "However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
Are you signed up!?!?! I am soooo excited to discuss the following book:
The 5 Love Languages:How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman
Roger and I were in hysterics after we took the short quiz in the back because BOTH of us scored 0 on one of the Love Languages. That's a good thing but we didn't know it about each other so after twenty years, another new revelation.
Sign up and show up tomorrow at The Rock Church at 7pm. We're going to have a great time with lots of laughs guaranteed!
I just came home from a week in Ohio. What a good time I had. I met some very special people. I think people come into our lives for a reason. I stayed with Doug's family for the most part, I met his who entire family. I learned about growing up in Ohio. I learned how other people live.
I spent some time with Doug's nephew who has touretts and has ocd, and other disabilites. I spent time with D's Mom, who is older and has sundowners. There was a few times I would go outside and just pray for these people. Okay, and cry.
They made me think about my own life. Does it really matter how many coach purses that I have? I need to not be so materialstic. So what if I have gained 60 pounds, am I happy? Instead of accepting peoples negivitive comments, I need to stick up for myself and NOT accept/recive them. I like me, and its taken me many of years to accept that. I have a excellent relationship with God. I need to be happy for what I have and not be sad for what I dont have.
If they only knew God. I talked about God, and my church, only to get shut down. D has a computer screen that is 42 inches. I figured that I cant get shut down using that huge thing! but at what point do I stop talking about God?
I went up to Amish country. The shop's were pretty neat. The people were very nice. There were amish and mennonites living in the village. I learned about their history, and how God works in their life. I also toured the cemetery, the city of Columbus ( pretty cool ) the hood, the white national socialist hood, which I did not know that stuff was still around. I went up to Clevland.. and down to Kentucky.
I will post more later.
Here I am.
Today was kind of a disappointment. Im not really sure why. It just seemed like I was supposed to be doing some productive or important, but didnt. The day just seemed so empty.
I started off the day by talking to my friends on MSN messenger, which was really cool because they have a webcam. The sound wasnt working, and I dont have a webcam anymore, but it was just really great to type something, and then see their reaction to it. Like I'd write about something we did back in high school, and I'd see her read the line and then her face light up with a big smile. I mean, I havent actually seen A and L in over 2 years, which I didnt realize until like last week. The last time we saw each other was the day my first baby was born/died, back when I lived near VA Beach. We were hanging out that day, I took them back to their house, then later that night and into the next day ended up in the hospital, and my son was born. That was also another close friend's birthday. But I couldn't believe how much time had gone by. I couldnt believe how little we'd talked during all this time. I felt a little ashamed, all I could think was, "life got in the way." If it wasnt for school, I'd head back up to VA Beach to live.
I need to get a webcam.
Speaking of which, I kinda wanted to do a few video blogs, til I realized how much I hate looking at myself and that my camera takes video, but no sound. So I thought audio blogs would be cool. Not for every post, but for those times when typing just wont cut it. Like, I want to post my divorce story to my blog, so I can stop trying to explain all the little bits and pieces of it over and over, but its just too much to sit and type. So I think I might do that. But now I have to buy a new headset/microphone because after moving so many times, I have no idea where the one is that I already have.
Then on Thursday my husband said he'd call Friday so we could talk about some things. Of course he didnt, and still hasnt. But really, what more could I expect of him. I knew he was going to do that, yet its still so disappointing. For as much as Ive prayed and believed God would heal our marriage, Im really starting to think there is no hope for us. I mean, every day that goes by and he's still talking about filing for divorce next week, and seems hellbent on doing it. He's not making any effort to talk to me or even acknowledge my existence. Its getting to the point where he's made me feel like such complete crap, that Im starting not to even care what happens. I see myself becoming so totally apathetic about the whole situation.
I dont know what I doing, Im just rambling now.
I gotta say what's on my mind,
Cause something about us,
Doesn't seem right, these days,
Life keeps getting in the way,
Whenever we try,
Somehow the plan is always rearranged,
It's so hard to say,
But I gotta do what's best for me,
You'll be okay...
Chorus:
I've gotta move on and be who I am,
I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand,
We might find our place in this world someday,
But atleast for now...
I gotta go my own way.
Don't wanna leave it all behind,
But I get my hopes up,
And I watch them fall every time,
Another colour turns to grey,
And it's just to hard to watch it all,
Slowly fade away,
I'm leaving today,
Cause I gotta do what's best for me,
You'll be okay...
Chorus:
I've gotta move on and be who I am,
I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand,
We might find our place in this world someday,
But atleast for now,
I gotta go my own way.
What about us?
What about everything we've been through?
(What about trust?)
You know I never wanted to hurt you.
(What about me?)
What am I supposed to do?
(I gotta leave but I'll miss you...)
I've gotta move on and be who I am,
(Why do you have to go?)
I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand,
(I'm trying to understand.)
We might find a place in this world someday,
But atleast for now,
(I want you to stay.)
I gotta go my own way.
I've gotta move on and be who I am,
(What about us?)
I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand,
(I'm trying to understand.)
We might find a place in this world someday,
But atleast for now,
I gotta go my own way.
I gotta go my own way,
I gotta go my own way.
Where's your favorite place to have Sunday brunch?
Well, I dont know about brunch, but my favorite place to be on Sunday morning/afternoon is Caribou Coffee. Im there right now! I love this place. And usually, at some point while Im here, my friends will randomly show up, so thats always fun too. Even when they dont show, I just like being here. :)
Type out well-known bible verse in bold, italicized font, just slightly larger than the rest of newsletter.
Check.
Copy and paste photos of your struggling church. Make sure no one is smiling very big.
Check.
Praise reports: Include a long list of all the hard work you're doing by teaching the foreign culture how to look, act, speak and dress more American.
Check.
Post pictures of yourself with the natives. Make sure you look very different from them so readers can identify you.
Check.
Make recipients jealous of your upcoming and much needed vacation.
Check.
[Note from Elizabeth: I wouldn't mind a vacation. Can I have some of your vacation money?]
Prayer requests: Don't forget to write about how difficult it is to live in a first-world foreign country.
Check.
Explain why you need more financial support.
Check.
Close with a well-known bible verse in small, non-bold font.
Check.
Reading a missions letter these days is about as interesting as reading a refrigerator manual. Here are some light-hearted ideas to help you as a missionary stop wasting paper or taking up too much space on your hard-drive.
1) Why don't you tell us what's really going on? Include things that personally make you think, that make you cry, that put you in awe. If nothing else, tell us how it's difficult to be honest and vulnerable in newsletters to Christians.
2) There are no newsletter commandments in the Bible. You are not limited to writing the same thing in the same format on the first day of every month. You are not even limited to this list of ideas. The Bible is filled with all kinds of writing examples: historical records, cultural descriptions, poetry, songs, teachings, encouragements, tears and triumphs, etc., etc.
3) Feel free to have fun spicing up your presentation with themes, colors, designs or candid photo shots. You can download free software and other resources from the internet if you have access to it.
4) Tell us a story! Everyone has a story. Maybe your neighbor has a story. No? Tell us some jokes!
5) We don't know anything about the people you are helping. How do they live? What do they eat? What do they wear? What makes them different from the rest of the world? Why are you there? How can we help them too?
6) Tell us what God is doing there. What is he doing with the country as a whole, its government and civil affairs? How is he providing for you and people in your church? Do you see changes in people's lives? Admonitions? Miracles? Healings? Direction? Wisdom? God has something to do with everything. Just tell us what you're observing without the Christianese.
7) Go home? Aside from persecutions, life difficulties and everyday stresses, if you are not happy where you are, maybe it's time to go to a new country or return to the States. At least you won't have to write anymore obligatory newsletters begging for money; instead you can critique them, like me. :)
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