The more I write, the more ideas I get. All of them come from personal experiences. This particular one really shocked me. You see, I moved to a province that wasn't protestant and catholic like Alberta, but rather Christian or Non-Christian. Christian schools were private and fees were charged. But what I really noticed was the people. They were very dogmatic with their approach to God whereas I was much more pragmatic. I had a hard time 'getting' their way. But I tried. Everything was based on scripture...yet I saw very little evidence of anything resembling Godly behavior and love. I am very spiritual. I have talked to God since I was a wee girl as He was my only friend during all my years of abuse and struggle. I have a very intimate and spiritual relationship with God--yet I can't quote any verses of scripture!
With this difference, I felt like an outsider for all my time spent on the island. Never did I feel the Jesus love that they were all reading about. Heeeelllloooo...anybody actually getting what you are reading here??? I would do some bible studies with them and see so little spirituality in them. I was insanely bored as we read this or that as no one seemed to get to the fruit of the matter. Perhaps I am missing something, but I must say, I detest religion per se. It is not my way...I am not one to go with rules and religion is full of rules as are those who follow it.
Here is an example. Our contractor was part of the Christian Homeschoolers Group. I thought it would be nice to get to meet his wife, so I set up a visit. They had a beautiful piece of property. She greeted me outside with her three beautiful, long-haired daughters. They showed us around outside and of course she started asking me about my Christianity and I said we don't go to church, but that I was a firm believer in God as He has had such an impact on my life. But I did say I would be interested in finding a nice church with homeschooling families. She proceeded to tell me that her church would be way above me as I was a 'baby christian' and I wouldn't understand it. Say what? What won't I understand? I was flabbergasted. Why on earth was I trying to befriend these people who obviously didn't want to be befriended because I wasn't an 'adult-enough-Christian' for them!!
After hearing this, she started guiding us back to the van. I thought that was rather brief, not even a tour of the house, but I could tell I was not welcome. So with a polite smile, she said good-bye. Well, Kara had other ideas being around 1 years old and wanting to nurse. After about 20 min. of nursing Kara in the van, she came out and said she had some cantelope for us and we could come inside and eat it. OK. So we all leave the van, me and the kids, and go inside. She then has her 3 daughters perform the violin, piano and harp for us. It was superb. I noticed 2 pianos. I asked about the one electric and she said they were giving it away and did I want it. Ahhhh....now I know why God brought me over to this woman's house--it wasn't to make a friend, but to get a piano! Gotta love how He works! He is simple--he is not complicated and you don't need to memorize scripture to have a relationship with him. I am not saying that is wrong, but what I am saying is that this group of Islanders were missing the bigger picture completely.
So we loaded up our new piano and Kyle started lessons the next day as I had found out their was a piano teacher right around the corner! He is a natural and although we have not practiced for awhile, we are now starting up again. As I was planning on writing this, God put the book Never Lonely into my hands by Joseph Girzone which is a sequal to Joshua which I got at a used book store years ago and loved. RIght in the first chapter, it discusses this exact issue! How uncanny is that! Again, just God working with me. Its dark as I type so I can't quote, but I will add a couple quotes soon that fit right into this. I used to think that I was the one that didn't have it right...but more and more I am rethinking that and feeling blessed that I in fact have that spirituality that so many Christians lack. He comments in the book that no amount of going to church or participating in church activities can make you spiritual. I am starting to see more and more what my gift in life is. I never thought I had one and would always yell at God for not giving me a purpose and leaving me to feel disconnected. But He knew I just needed more life experiences under my belt before He could unveil his purposes to me.
Reminds me of when I took my life insurance course and we each had to write a one page paper on how we would make a life insurance sale. The next day we went around the room and everyone talked of all their credentials and yadayada...zzzzzz...boring!! I mean life insurance is boring enough!! Then it was MY TURN! Being different, I had chosen to write about REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE...as I do now. I said a heartfelt story of how my mother died unexpectantly at age 43 and I didn't have a father (that is what I used to say), and how she left 3 children with no money because she had no life insurance. Had she had some, I wouldn't have to be sitting here today trying to sell it!! Well, I WON! She chose mine as the best. I beat out all the high marked people with my heartfelt, real life response. And, I actually used that all the time to sell insurance and was one policy away from getting the Lamplighter Award which they hadn't given to a Canadian for many years. You had to sell 12 life insurance policies in a year--I sold 11. That was along with the home and auto quotos I had and I did win both the home and the auto for Top Canadian Sales Rookie of the year...just had to throw that in there for my ego!!
The point of the story is clear. You don't have to be so theoretical about God. You can just embrace what he does in your life and have a relationship with him that isn't so complicated. Works for me anyways.
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