Sunday, Sunday

Technically, Sundays are not counted as the days of Lent.

We visited a small Baptist Church this AM.  I'd not been to a Baptist Church in many, many years.  I was really excited to visit this church.  They've a lovely website that shows a group of people committed & excited to be part of this church.  They also have all age groups represented.  We found the website to be an accurate representation of this church.  They were friendly & excited.  But i kind of over looked doctrine.

I don't worship the Bible.  I worship God.  I believe the Bible is God's Word & his instructions to us & so much more.  But i don't worship the book.  I'd forgotten that some churches lean toward that.  

One thing amused Duane & i greatly.  This pastor said that he believes that this little church will be instrumental in a revival of this valley, because, "We are the only ones doing it right in following God."  Afraid i smirked, because he must have seen my face (there were about 20 people there) & he said, "If our visitors have a problem with that, i would gladly discuss it."

But the amusement i had (& Duane shared) was that a small part of the reason we aren't attending the Lutheran church much is that the pastor believes they are "doing it right" when (almost) no one else is.  The Lutheran pastor actually identified one other church in this area he felt was following the Lord.  We found it quite amusing that one of the (many) reasons we're church hopping should be part of this church's sermon.  We also know that essentially all the churches believe that they are the only ones "doing it right." 

I love the Lord, i seek to follow Jesus, & i (of course) like & am comfortable with my own belief system.  But what works for me may not work for you.  (I'm not talking about essentials to the faith here, but worship & service styles.)  I firmly believe that when we come before the Lord no one will have "had it all right." I think we're rather like the blind men & the elephant.

There were some things this pastor did that i appreciated.  When he was giving interpretation of a scripture he did often identify it as his opinion. There were other things as well, but my brain is beginning to fog over.

The Lenten devotions this week have been on the Transfiguration & the "mountain top" experience of Jesus, with Peter, James, & John.  People often talk of "mountain top" experiences with excitement, but i think they aren't always pleasant.  I had a friend who recently had severe altitude sickness while on a trip.  I wonder if it was pleasant for Peter, James, & John?  One of the scriptures indicates they were terrified.  I'm sure it was amazing, but not particularly comfortable.  

This has been rather a challenging week.  The migraine may be a mixture of sinus headache.  But it is there & has been for a while.  I have another "pseudo-cold" which means a latent virus i carry shows up when i'm stressed or have allergies & then i have cold symptoms (& almost always a really nasty cough) without being contagious.  

This sounds like it belongs on my "regular" blog, but there is a reason for the background.  

I'd hired someone to come help me make meals & do some clean up.  I spent quite a lot of $$ this week in anticipation of making a lot of food for us to freeze for the days when i've no energy.  Then i got sick.  

I would never have someone at my house if i thought i was contagious.  Or, on a rare occasion, i would work something out where i stayed away from them while they cooked.  Or i'd have them take the food & recipes & make it somewhere else, then bring it in (& probably pay much more).  But at least the food wouldn't spoil because i was too sick to manage.  When my help person heard i was sick, she chose not to come.  I can't blame her, but again, i wouldn't ask it if i thought i was contagious.  

So, we went into panic mode here as i tried to manage the food that i'd bought that won't last.  (Now that i've said that, the strawberries are probably toast.)  I wasn't thinking & i made the pot roast for Duane (i still cook meat for him sometimes; i'm not trying to force him to be vegetarian) on Friday.  He helped, & between us we got it in the crockpot & i went back to bed.

But that night he told me he thought it ironic that i served meat on a Friday in Lent.  Ok, i wasn't raised Catholic.  Even when i've attended a liturgical church, "rules of Lent" are not my focus.  He just laughed it off.  He isn't much on following the "rules" either.  Except, i get the feeling he'd be more comfortable with vegetarian or fish on a Friday.  I'll try to remember.


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