Church

I went to church on Sunday with my parents and my kids. My mom had called me and asked if I wanted to go with her and my father. She told me to call her at ten if I was planning on attending. I decided that since church was at 10:45 there was no reason I couldn't get the kids and myself ready. Now, with my ADD it is hard for me to get through a sermon with out forgetting to listen. I do catch most of the lesson that pastor does for the kids in the congregation (when the kids go to the altar). Go figure. Anyways, the pastor was talking to the kids about the "voice" they hear. And that this voice they hear (especially) when they are afraid or need to make a choice-- is the voice of God. This really hit home for me, because I often have voices in my head. No not those types of voices, not the voices telling me that there are microphones in my house recording everything I say. I often hear God talking to me. I can ask him a question (usually I ask it in my head) and I will get an answer. And often those answers make me feel better. Something has been weighing heavily on me lately and I swear that when I asked God about this particular situation (again), God said, "I will tell you my answer, but you never listen to me, I am starting to feel like a broken record." God is right. God often gives me great advice, and for a moment right after God has spoken, I feel better, I feel relieved. However, the next day or night the same "problems" re-occur. I am going to keep asking and I am going to keep listening---I am glad God is so patient.

At the church service I got the giggles. I get the giggles very easily--even in the most inappropriate times. During one of the readings, the woman reading the scripture kept repeating a specific word. I could have handled this word one or even three times, but not 14 times. Here it goes the word was...fornication...sorry--but that word makes me uncomfortable--and after the fourth time the woman said it, I actually laid down in the pew and covered my face--I did glance up at my mother who looked horrified that her 30-year-daughter was acting like a 13-year-old. After I pulled myself together (still laying on the pew) it took me awhile to get the courage up to actually pull myself upright. After I sat up and carefully glanced around the congregation hall and saw that no one was looking at me I felt better. My mother also gave me the look of horror when I asked her when communion was (she knows I look forward to the wine) I know I should probably drink the grape juice--but I prefer the wine--and God told me (he really did) that it is okay for me to drink the wine on Sundays as long as I don't sneak behind the alter and drink the whole bottle. I also enjoyed this Sunday's prayers--I always enjoy the prayers (when we all stand and someone from our church says the prayers). This week I appreciated the prayers even more than usual. We prayed (a woman from our congregation led the prayer) that people would no longer be discriminated against for their race, their culture, and wait for it......their sexual orientation. This is huge for me. I got goose bumps when this sweet older lady said this--as this is something I pray for regularly. I love my church.