I know two posts in one day is excessive. I mean, can I really expect people to read TWO rambling posts?
But while I was taking my luxurious nap this afternoon, I was thinking about the fact that on September 10 I am going to be celebrating the 3rd anniversary of my baptism. And really, it just blows my mind that I have only been a Christian for 3 years. I am not joking when I say I can't remember life before. It seems that everything in my life up to this point was drawing me, inexorably, towards God.
This is a little bittersweet, too, of course. Last year, on my 2nd anniversary, I got the word from God that it was time to leave my church and set out for ports unknown. I spend a few months in the desert and finally landed in the biggest Episcopal church in town. So much has changed in the last year.
I don't miss my old church at all. I miss some of the people, to be sure, but I don't think I will ever again be able to live without worshipping God and Jesus in church again. (It was a Unitarian Universalist church for you newcomers to the Dunk.) I could never again spend weeks on end waiting for a passing mention of the Beloved.
I do, however, miss Steve, my UU minister. He was the one who dunked me. He was sort of a midwife-witness to the whole process. We walked on that early part of the journey together and I would love to sit over a coffee and share where the journey has taken me since we last talked. I wonder about his journey, too.
Maybe I'll give him a jingle.
Say, around September 10th.
2 comments:
On the thought of not missing the church but missing the people...
I found myself thinking the same thing... missing the faithful old woman with the welcoming smile, or the big eyes of the innocent little children, but yet not the church. Then I had a lightbulb moment, these people are the church, as are the folks at my new church. My thinking back so fondly of them echoes Paul in his letters to the people he had met. What I don't miss isn't the church, rather practices of a certain faith community. A small distinction in wording but yet a mile apart in meaning for me.
Let's schedule a real life meet up in the next few weeks! It would be great to talk leisurely before the semester begins...as far as I can tell it looks as if I'll be talking a deep breathe and running from September until December. You probably want to meet while I can still form a complete sentence!! I am not adverse to a large group of wild children fellowshipping with us. LOL
Happy Anniversary!
Neat idea, to call Steve. It really would be interesting to compare notes. He may be a radically different person too!
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