Did you ever have someone learn something about you that you did not possibly expect them to learn? Well, I did, but the kicker is, I put that stuff in a blog on this page. So, how in the hell did I expect people not to learn this stuff about me. My pastor, Kirk (I will let you search on your own for him, look up "The Cheese Song"), stopped me last Wednesday and mentioned that he "googled" me. Shit! He knew about this blog, about my old blog on blogger.com, about my sad attempt at web design from my Law and Technology class. Dammit! I swear in my blogs. I write about the things I observe. These are not for church, let me assure you. For days, waves of mortification plagued me. Allow me to lay some background though . . .
I was born into the Catholic Church, communed there, and just about confirmed there. Before the handcuffs and blinders were placed upon me, we moved away and slipped into heathenism. Then in middle school, mom sought to make sure that I did not end up somewhere in hell (trust me, I have enough jokes about how I am going to end up running hell), so she took me to the Lutheran church she had liked. My first exposure to Protestantism, and certainly, my first steps into rebellion and inquisitiveness that are imbued in my character today. Great-grandma, Irish Catholic extraordinaire, was none too pleased. And there I stayed, a Protestant, a Lutheran . . . occasionally, I battled with bouts of atheism, or more appropriately, agnosticism. I even ventured back to the Catholic Church a few years ago, but I never felt good at church. Something was missing. I wasn't doing it right.
Flash forward to finding the United Church of Christ (the "United Church" of Christ, not the United "Church of Christ" - which means something different). I walked into the local UCC church near where I live. There was music, and something that I had never really experienced at church, JOY. People were damn glad to be there. I was immediately drawn in. The message to me was very simple at this church. God has spoken, God speaks. And guess what, he is still here . . . listening.
Which brings me back to the whole blog thing . . . Kirk has read my blog. He tells me this right before we go upstairs for Crazies (the youth group). It's Wednesday. I am podnering in my little noodle what Kirk now thinks about me as he mentions "I even read the circumcision blog." Earlier this morning, I came to church renewed. I sang "Flood" during the offretory. But I was not alone. Roger, the Praise Band leader, Kirk, and his son each added their talents on the piano, guitar, and djembe, respectively. As these gifts from God filled the room, you could actually see joy spread through the sanctuary. It was uplifting. I couldn't imagine a better feeling. I was thankful, and remain thankful for the gifts and talents God has given me. More than the song, He has given me a church, one where the true meaning of church hits me - a gathering of people in the name of Christ to praise and worship God. How cool is that!
As I type this, I am listening to the Cheese Song, by Kirk, which I purchased from iTunes. I am looking forward to Wednesdays, where I have decided to work with youth ministries. Wednesdays, where for now, I sing with dedicated people pulling together a Cantata for the Advent season. Wednesdays, where I find things just naturally fall into place. I am not mortified thinking about who has read my blogs anymore. It's me and read them for what they are worth. And trust me, I do have some humorous religious stories in the hopper. Later gators . . .
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