Sunday Musings

One of the reasons I started blogging here is that I wanted a place to comment on the pastor's sermons on Sunday.

The church we go to has a unique little niche. Actually every church has a niche, it's just a matter of figuring out where you belong. I am not one to complain that this or that church is too deep or not deep enough or too worldly or too exclusive. I may think those things when I visit a church, but it just means that I don't belong there. I don't hold it against them.

The pastor and his wife have a heart for people who don't enjoy traditional church. He has listened to people's reasons for not attending church, and the general uncomfortable feeling and made some changes to the typical church service.

Today was another homehitting message. Randy(the pastor), continued his sermon series "Saving Christmas". I love that this church teaches how to have a real relationship w/ the Lord. Today he taught that the secret to joy is in the daily time w/ the Lord, memorizing scripture and praying and worshipping.I am not going to claim no other church has taught this before, but maybe just hearing it in this BASIC way, maybe now I am ready to hear it? I don't know.

So many times I would hear a sermon and attempt to live it out, all the while not having a time everyday where I would read the bible and pray. Maybe it was assumed I was doing it, maybe I thought that was too easy and wanted to skip to the "better" parts, I don't know!! I know if I would read a book that suggested the first thing you should do to help w/ whatever the topic of the book was would be to pray and read the Bible, And THEN here are some other things to try, after that, I would just skip to the "after that" part. Probably intending to pray and read the bible, but never actually doing it! Trust me that it is very hard to live out bibical principals in your own power, in fact it is impossible and leads to much frustration!!

Another thing I like about this church is that he purposely does alot of "men" things geared to men. He figures if you appeal to the husband, the whole family will benefit. If the church is full of men who love the Lord and love to come to church, the women's minitries and the children's ministries will automatically grow too.

Having spent most of my childhood in an all male household, I always thought I knew alot about the male species. And then I got married and had 2 boys and I REALLY thought I knew alot. Randy talks alot about men and they characteristics of men and I have really enjoyed learning EVEN more about male tendencies.

For one, a few weeks ago, Randy was specifically talking about dating relationships and he said that men in chick flicks aren't real men, that men in real life don't do those kinds of things, so you need to watch out for having unrealistic expectations.I need to watch it for myself and it is something I need to impress upon my girls as they grow! Just the other night we were watching tv and the guy puts his hand on the window longingly and the girl on the other side puts her hand up too so it is against his.

I said to the kids "SEE!? This is what Randy is talking about! Real guys don't do that!"

Well, we have to dash off to choir practice for the kids, but I am glad to be able to express myself here. I don't really think about all the other people at church(during the sermon), I feel that the sermon is a conversation that the pastor has w/ me, and now I can come here and give my "response". ;)