Why I don't go to church (even though I was raised to do so)

Short version, anyway.

A friend said something yesterday about someone saying hurtful words. In commiseration, I answered her post with "hurtful words are the worst. It's the main reason I quit going to church altogether." Someone then responded to my response, saying she wasn't sure what church had to do with hurtful words, because "her" church spoke the "truth."

Well, I think she may have taken my comment the wrong way. I wasn't speaking of church in the preaching/teaching/edifying sense. What came from the pulpit was certainly appropriate for my belief system, and yes, that church does teach "truth" as I accept it to be.

I was actually referring to "church" in the greater, body of believers sense. Some of the most hurtful words said to me were uttered within the confines of a church building by members of a church congregation. My point was, things were said to me in the setting of "church" that in the greater world would never be spoken out loud, and it was because of "hurtful words" that I no longer attend. Basically, it's the first thing that came to mind when I heard the phrase.

In day to day life, you would never walk up to someone and ask them why they were underdressed (V. "Sunday" attire, not v. clothing). In my workplace, I've never been accused of "inappropriate touching" when I've given someone a hug. I've never been wealthy or popular, which made school hard, but even with those strikes against me I never felt alienated by every single one of my peers--yeah, I faced the everyday hurts from the "in" crowd, but never everyone, all at once.

It was because of hurts like those that I left the church I'd been raised in as a child & went to another, more rural congregation. That was fine for a few years, until someone there said something to me so outrageously hurtful that I literally ran away and never came back. I won't say who or what, that's not the point. The point is what was said was the sort of thing that makes me to this DAY wrack my brain to figure out why that person thought what they were saying was in any way, in any sort of situation, appropriate to say.

So, two strikes, you're out. After 19 years of hurtful words, I left. I don't regret it. If you ask my daughter about Jesus, she will tell you He is the Son of God & lives in her heart. She's as "Saved" as I am, and if she chooses to go to church later on, I will do everything I can to make that happen. But for me--I am serving the Lord in my life, but from my home.

Vacation, etc.

Back from a vacation to visit my BFF Nicole up in Flint. We had a nice, relaxing time, knitting, watching Gilmore Girls, and generally hanging out. Didn't really "do" much but that was rather the point. Nic is a great hostess & I came home very relaxed.

Rode home on a Greyhound, and that was somewhat eye-opening. I understood, in theory, that Michigan was having it tough; but literally driving through the rotten downtown areas of Southfield, Pontiac, and Detroit made me appreciate Jackson all the more. We may be in the top 3 counties for unemployment, but at least our city uses the resources to keep things looking decent, and by extention, keep things safe. Many of our more "rotten" buildings are pulled down relatively quickly and though things stand empty oftentimes, they don't seem to be quite as subject to utter decay. Also, our bus station is WAY cleaner.

While on layover at the Detroit station, I saw a family have a run-in with border patrol. I'm just paranoid enough not to post my opinions on this on a public forum; suffice it to say, even I was uncomfortable with how the "situation" was handled.

When I got home, Jeremy & Tessa were really happy to see me (as I was them!!). Nothing like a break to make you appreciate one another even more. Jeremy did such an amazing job making the house look nice & it felt so good to come home & be able to just relax back into it right away. The cats & dog missed me too, I thought Jack was going to wag his tail right off, & Clee actually slept next to me, which if you know her at all you know that is really, really out of character for her.

Lots to do at work on Friday as well, although I hadn't realized how much the bus would take out of me on Thursday, so I ended up leaving a bit early. I did get a lot done in the morning though & felt productive at any rate. It'll take the better part of next week to finish off what I started, but I have a concrete plan of attack & the ability to follow through now. I really do like my job.

Also...BIG NEWS....Jeremy is published again! Woo hoo! He has a poem in the upcoming anthology Open Wounds, along with many other local writers of note. I'm really proud of him, as well as all of those in the book.

No rest for the rested, this is going to be a busy month!