Church and family

Renee, Thank you so much for the two stories you shared. It has been
a long time since anything so specific and powerful has happened in
my life.

I find myself consumed right now with thoughts that are close to home
and family and my mom's situation and I begin to think that maybe I
am being selfish since all my energy seems to just be on MY families
situation rather then solving something bigger in the wold. I
mentioned a week ago how while my family was out in the desert
recharging our batteries a coworker died in a car accident. I brought
close to home the fragility of life and the need to stay connected
with those we love because we don't know how long we might have them
around. That same week the extended family of the lady who died had a
new grandchild born and the entire family has been praising God for a
new life while also praising God for a life well lived. It is a
mystery to me.

I must say that the most honest person on this list seems to be
Johnny right now. He writes that he is on the outside of something we
call "church family", looking in and wondering if it is worth the
effort to participate in church and Christianity and a personal
connection with God. I say he is the most honest because I suspect
many (all?) of us had been in church and had those same questions,
just we are too reserved or uncertain to give such thoughts voice. Or
maybe, it is just me.

All the messages about church and conversion and relationships and
clubs has really struck a nerve with me. I and my family have been
members of a little, small town church for over 15 years. Serving,
being involved, leading Sabbath School, elder in church, leading
children services, running the PA, operating the library, church
secretary, work bees, volunteer time, mega donations, and for what.
The church gets a new pastor, he declares how the church is to
operate and says from the pulpit that if you don't want to get on
board the new plan (his plan), then you might just as well go to
church somewhere else.

And we do, we church at the beach, we church in the mountains, we
church at home, we church in the desert. Lucky there are three of us
so we can be in compliance with the verse, "where two or three are
gathered.....", got that covered. There are quite a number of us who
have stopped attending that church, moved membership, stopped,
switched or otherwise made changes in how we observe Sabbath since
this little church has taken on a tone so righteous, so self
righteous that it is better to be somewhere else. God Bless them. God
bless us.

We also have a number of friends in that church who have sent cards
and letters and called saying they miss seeing us at church. It has
been genuine and heartfelt and we have appreciated the contact.

Happy Sabbath,

Craig

> Renee wrote,
> While we're talking about testimonies, ... let me share a couple
> experiences that have blessed me personally, and where I felt that
> God intervened recently in our lives personally.
>
> I was December 17th, just 2 days after we celebrated our 20th
> anniversary. Brian was driving as we were on our way to church. We
> had been a bit short of sleep because of having had the flu that
> left us plagued with a lingering cough that seemed to attack us at
> night while we were trying to sleep. I was reviewing the Sabbath
> school lesson during the hour drive to church, so that it could be
> fresh in my mind so that I could "teach" and not "read" the
> lesson. About 2/3rds of the way there, my cell phone rang, (which
> it never has to my knowledge on the trek down there). I answered
> it, and a lady named Ashley asked for Catherine. I told her that
> she had the wrong number. She apologized, and I assured her that
> it was no problem, and wished her well and we hung up. Brian's
> response was, "she didn't get the wrong number,... the phone call
> just woke me up." He had just fallen asleep ... DRIVING... when
> she called. I phoned her back after church just to thank her and
> to let h!
> er know that I didn't know whether she was a Christian or not, but
> that God had used her to save us from what could have been a deadly
> accident. The route we take is windy and mountainous, (such as we
> have in eastern Kentucky). There have been many fatal and serious
> accidents on this road, which is currently under major
> reconstruction because of this.
>
> A few days later she called and left the following message on my
> cell phone.
>
> "Hi Renee, this is Ashley. I was the one who called for the wrong
> number yesterday, and I wanted to just let you know that I
> appreciated your message. I am a Christian, and it's funny that
> that happened that way because I was actually reading my Bible that
> morning and a series of events happened where I almost didn't make
> that call..but I ended up making it, and I just wanted to let you
> know that I think that God was working through both of us
> yesterday. So thank your for your call and have a blessed holiday.
> Bye."
>