Sunday, January 4, 2009

Scattered Sunday Thoughts

So, I haven't been on blogger in quite a while.  We've been so busy lately and when we're not busy, I don't feel like being on the computer.  I just like to chill with Josh.  I guess I should fill in where I left off last blog.
We had an excellent holiday.  It was so nice to have both my parents and his parents together for Christmas.  I hated that my parents had to go back to Louisiana.  I wish they'd just suck it up and move up here.  We also enjoyed watching the niece and nephew open presents.  They are so cute.  I love watching them with the twinkle in their eyes and excitement all over their faces.  They get so worked up over each present and they are so innocent.  Who knows, maybe kids are in our future, but for now we'll just keep enjoying everyone else's. 
New Years Eve was pretty fun.  Ryan and Marci had us and Matt over and we played Catchphrase until we started to get the same words over again.  That's really a fun game, but you'd think they would have more words and phrases in the memory.  I mean, you could probably fit thousands of words on what little memory that chip has, but we only played for about 4 hours and we started getting the same words again.  Cheap! Seriously.  
Today Josh and I went to church and Tom talked about the Apostle's Creed.  He spoke about how we should not make saying that each Sunday just another liturgy, but make sure we mean it and understand what we're quoting.  I've always tried to really pay attention to the words and let them come from the heart so that it's not empty worship.  I've also done a few studies in the past on the Apostle's Creed, but Tom made some excellent points this morning.  He talked about how in the creed it states that "we believe IN"  not "we believe THAT".  There is a difference between believing that God exists, but believing IN Him implies relationship and that we rely on Him.  
There is a difference in "knowing" something like being able to quote churchy answers, and actually believing.  I mean, I "know" God loves me and wants to help me when I'm down, but sometimes we have a hard time "believing".  If we really believe then we walk in his light and really live our lives to glorify Him.  True belief leads to change.  
 So, being Methodist is new to me.  All this liturgy stuff has really been an adjustment.  I'm not knocking it, but it just not how I roll.  I'm used to my old non-denominational church.  We said the Apostle's Creed sometimes, but not every Sunday like now.  I guess that's why there are different flavors of denominations.  People are different and like to worship in different ways.  I think I'm starting to get used to all this liturgy a bit more.  I'm growing to find more meaning in the words.  God's been showing me to really step out of what's comfortable and adjust to make this new way of worship special to me.  I do miss praise and worship songs though.  Music is my favorite way to worship and I'm not used to the older hymns.  I like them, but I still miss the other stuff.  I guess it's just what one is used to.  
Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of Tom's series on the Creed.  I'd like to know why the Methodists leave out one of the lines.  Maybe he'll touch on that one week.  
Well, that's all the randomness I have right now.  I gotta get back to church.  I've started helping with the youth.  I love those kids.  They are great and most of them have a deep desire to know Christ more.  I love seeing that in them.  It gives me hope for our future generations.  It's getting harder and harder to be Christian, especially with the peer pressures on teens.  

2 comments:

Sharon said...

Sorry we missed New Year's with ya'll. I'll tell you all about that later - in person. We missed you though and hope to hang out very soon!!!

Karin said...

We wish you guys could have been there too! Hope all is well in the Blackburn home. I'm sure we'll see you sometime soon.