How many times I've said 'just right' this week, I don't know if I could count. We've been reading folktales/fairy tales, and this week my focus was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You know the drill, big bowl/chair/bed-too hard, medium bowl/chair/bed-too soft, small bowl/chair/bed-just right. I feel like that is how my journey and now our journey has been to find a 'just right' church.
I grew up in a small church where everyone knew who I was and watched me grow up. I grew up going to church, singing hymns with the sun shining in through the windows, and getting loads of handshakes and hugs.
Then I went to college. I was in for culture shock my first few Sundays, and I never really adjusted to the big church idea. There were multiple locations and multiple services in one church, so many on the pastoral staff, and just sooooo many people. This works for some people, but not the introvert, old fashioned girl that I am. I just never felt very comfortable, or excited for church because I never found the one that was just right for me.
Then student teaching started and I went with the Abrahamson's to their church which had a branch in Cedar Falls. This was a whole new bit of culture shock because of the video pastor from the main church. This was way bizarre for me! And church was held in an old theater,so there were no windows for the sun to stream in. Again, it was a huge church, and I didn't know that many people. Again, it wasn't just right for me. Dustin started coming to it with me too when we started dating, but he kind of felt the same way I did. It wasn't just right for us.
Finally, for a while, our lives have slowed down a bit and we are at home more weekends than we are away. We were finally able to try a church closer to home, and much more like the church setting that I've been searching for. Dustin had been invited many times before we met, and we finally took up the invitation. It's the small crowd type of church. There are plenty of hugs and handshakes. There is sunlight streaming through the windows. There are hymns. We both feel so happy at this church. After many months of praying off and on about finding a church, we have found one that is just right for us. I am so excited to continue to attend, and someday raise our babies in this church. It has been a long time coming and quite a season of change, but it feels good to have found a new home church that is full of believers, loads of fellowship, and just a short drive down the road.
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