Reading!

I am now reading a book by Cecil Hook, actually, he only put it together. The book is really written by Leroy Garrett and Carl Ketcherside. It is about "our" heritage in the cofc.

There are several things in this book that have spoken to me. The realization that the restoration movement was much like today in that there were opinions being stated as "scriptural" and people used their own beliefs and interpretations to judge others' standing with God. Nothing new under the sun! Yet, they pursued to change things. One statement Garrett makes concerning Thomas Campbell towards the end of chapter 2 is that Thomas set forth unity principles. "The church, he insisted, is by its very nature one, and cannot help but be one, if it be God's church." There is no truer statement and yet it seems to be hard to accomplish and learn. If only we could come to some understanding of this statement!

Another statement in chapter 3 which caught my eye was Campbell's thesis which stated, "private opinions are not to be made the basis of Christian communion." It readily conceded that there would be differences of opinion in interpreting the scriptures, and this would not be discouraged. "Opinions are private property, and a man was entitled to as many as he desired. But he was not to make his opinion a test of fellowship or make his own interpretations a means of judging others."

These two statements are large to me. This is the crux in my mind as to what is happening in the cofc today, which is turning people out rather than bringing them in. We must make certain it is God who decides who is in or out, not us. Ketcherside's mantra became "Wherever God has a child, I have a brother or sister." And when asked about accepting "brothers in error", he would reply, "That is the only kind of brothers I have!"

We are all sinners and we should all be searching. The minute I think I have arrived, I think I have failed. So come along with me on this journey down the searching path and I would love to hear what you think about these musings and other topics.

Down Time is Good!

With my sister and her husband here, we have had a lot of down time. We won't be going anywhere and we have to stay pretty calm and quiet. So.....we have sat and talked and talked and talked. It has been good. My sister and I have caught up on many things and that is a good thing.

I went this morning and picked more blueberries. When I arrived back home, T and C were sitting on the porch. C had just gotten up and come outside. It was a cool morning and we enjoyed staying out there for some time. I then came back in and made homemade blueberry muffins. I think we have one left! They were good!

The kids came over this afternoon, took naps and then the little girls went swimming. Later we had a lot of fun just talking and enjoying watching the girls play.

I think I will be ready to do something tomorrow and so we might go rent a movie. Of course, just being is a good thing!

And it is important to be with someone who has trouble being anymore. You see, my brother-in-law has some health issues and we have to think of what we do and how we do it to accomodate him. It is worth it, though and I will do that any time they want to come. They really came here to rest and get some relaxation. So.....that is what we are doing. Life is good.

Took The Test!

Well, I took the test as well. That is the spiritual/religious test out there on some of the blogs. I came back as a Methodist! That was a surprise. I was secondly emergent/post modern. That didn't surprise me. I guess I have just enough old teaching in me to keep stricter, but want the freedom from emergent! Who knows. I just know it was interesting to take and I didn't even know some of the persons it listed as important. I plan to look them up and check them out. Maybe they are important and I just didn't know it!?! Naaaaaaa~!

I am excited about my sister and her husband are coming for a visit. It will be good to visit and play and just be. It is too hot to do too much but we will have fun watching movies and talking and I hope my sis and I get some alone time. I think we will go pick more blueberries in the morning. If you read my blog you will know I am a blueberry fan. I have several bags in the freezer, but I go through them pretty often. They are so sweet and delicious in cereal. If they are frozen and you put them in the cereal, they keep your milk so cold and it is great! Anyway, I am happy they are coming. Pray for T as he has a hard time with travel.

I heard from "future" family again. It was good to hear from L and I want to write back again. It was good to hear that she is positive about the future as well. I think we both have the same "sense" and it will be fun to visit on line and get to know each other well.

I have to work today. I say have to because I only work two days a week. It is not much but it is surprising how dependent we have become on that little income. I guess it is true that you live on what you make. The more you make, the more you spend! I will be out for two weeks starting the end of June and it worries me some that we might get behind, but I thought yesterday, I just have to trust! I planned this vacation, I am going and having a good time and we will worry about the income later. Besides, I don't have much to do at work.

If you know of a good resource for Alzheimer's knowledge, let me know. My boss' wife is in the beginning of the last stages, I think, of Alzheimers. She is getting worse every day. I am suppose to help the household employees help her! I'm not real sure what I am suppose to do. I feel helpless. How do you stand there when your 78 year old boss comes to you and his eyes start to redden and he tells you she is now forgetting little things like setting the table! All I could say was "I'm so sorry". And I am. How do you fight a disease that allows you to forget how to do such simple things! It is mind boggling and very scary. So, I will go to work today and wonder exactly what I am suppose to do. But I think I will be spending a lot of time researching on how best to help him.

If you are interested in taking the spiritual/religious test, here is the link. Good luck and let me know what your results are! It could be fun to try other answers and see where you end up!
Take care, and live life to the fullest.

http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=43870

Company coming!

I have told my children often not to assume anything. Assumptions can get you in trouble. I can think of so many times when I have been disappointed only because I made an assumption.

Specfically, I can remember going to my folks for vacation or a visit and making an assumption that certain things would happen. When these certain things did not happen or happened differently than I imagined, I was disappointed. I have learned over the years to not make assumptions. But I find I am still making assumptions!

I assumed in my mind the reason T & C were not coming! I assumed in my mind it would be best for them. Yet when C called yesterday, she was confused. She thought, or assumed, she had told me they were coming unless she called. I heard, or assumed, she didn't think they would be coming! Was this a lack of communication or what?!? Anyway, our plans for the weekend have changed again and we are expecting company. I am excited they are coming!

But this gets me to thinking/assuming? How many times have I taken scripture and made my own assumptions? Maybe a scripture or teaching I have heard all my life and make assumptions because of this! Is interpretation an assumption? Can I really interpret the mind of God? What do I do with what I read? Got me to thinking!

I pray that I make less assumptions about scripture and look at each reading with an ah ha experience.

Feeling Better!

It is amazing how being on antibiotics one day can make a hugh difference. I started them yesterday after visiting the endodontist. I have to have tooth surgery in July. Not looking forward to that, but want to keep the tooth.

Found a great quote on wade hodges blog this morning. ” we were betrayed into adoption of the fallacious philosophy that purity of doctrine can only be preserved by separation.” I had to read it several times before it made any sense, but I agree with it whole heartedly. I think it is part of the exclusivity problem we have found in our church life for a long time and are finally breaking out of. I want to break out of it anyway. My only problem in breaking out of the exclusivity problem is accepting too much. This has been a question on here before. How much can we accept without losing what we have? This is a problem for me and I am still struggling with it. I want to preserve what I need to, but accept all I can. There is a fine line and I know I will never have it perfected, but I want to keep trying.

May the God of peace bless you and yours today.

Medication not the Cure!

I have been put on new medication recently to control my cholesterol. It was too high my last visit, especially the bad cholesterol so they put me on some medication. At first, I didn't think too much about it, but today I am calling the PA. The medication has affected me in two very significant ways.

First, I am so tired. I just want to sleep. This is different than the depressed feeling I had several years ago. This is pure fatigue. If I do any work outside or even on my working days of Tuesday and Thursday, I come home and fall asleep in the chair. That is really unusual for me. For instance, I had a nap yesterday afternoon, a good one of at least an hour. Then went to bed at the usual time last night and slept all night. We were determined to walk this morning, that is last night anyway. This morning, I could not wake up. Tollie asked if was ready and I said sure and snored before getting it out. He finally got up to shower and dress and said he was ready to go, but I never heard him. He had to come over and shake me awake to kiss me good bye. This is not normal and I don't like it.

Second, I am so impatient with everything. I have come to be mellow and enjoy life and now I find myself getting impatient, especially with the g-girls. This is not acceptable. So, last night, I did not take my medication and I will not take any more. I will call the PA today and either try another medication or just not take medication for this problem. The cure was worse than the disease! I know now how my brother-in-law feels!

I also have to call the dentist because my tooth has flared up again. I think I am falling apart. We will try to walk this evening. It wasn't too bad last night, as far as the heat. It is dryer and that helps. I would rather walk everyday and try to control my cholesterol that way than taking the medication.

I believe today will be an expensive day! Bring out the checkbook.

Not much!

There is not much to write about this morning. I am getting ready for worship. I hate to say church. I think we have given the church a wrong impression to the outside world by calling worship services church. WE are the church, not the building, not the worship service. We are the church doing worship. But I believe the world believes the church is the building or organization where the worship takes place.

I have learned in the last couple of years that worship is not confined to what we do on Sunday mornings. This is the organized time for us to get together but our worship to God is what we do every minute of our lives. Sometimes it is worship to God and sometimes it is worship to our jobs, hobbies, sin, kids, another person, etc. worship is how we live and breathe and what we do every moment of our lives. Sunday morning is just our time to gather with other saints and share what our worship has been up to that time. So when I say I am going to worship, then I am wrong, also. What can we call Sunday morning? It is a worship time, but if I am worshipping all the time in what I do, then I need a different description for this time on Sunday morning. Maybe, just Sunday morning service.

Thanks for reading my ranting this morning. I am going to go get ready to go to meet with other saints and have a worship time at the building we own and see my brothers and sisters in Christ!