I have been reading lately on worship and the relevance of our churches. This is not deep but I just thought I would re-post.
I have found that the older I get the more reflective I become. I am not quite sure if that is normal, but that is me nonetheless. This morning I woke up thinking about some of the places I have had the privilege to live. Until I married, all them but one were in the country ( outside city limits for you city folk).
Maybe some of you have heard your parents or at least your grandparents talk about the simpler way of life or the good old days. Growing up in the country is just that type of living. In those days there were many things you didn't have in your community. You didn't have drug problems unless of course you count smoking rabbit tobacco as a drug. It didn't alter you mind but it would burn your insides because it wasn't a processed product but right off the stalk. We didn't roll in paper but made our own corncob pipes from, you guessed it, corn cobs and hollowed out cane.
Another thing you didn't have was a supermarket. Oh, we had a little country store as most communities did that sold gas, and a few staples to tie you over until you could go to town. Today you might call them a convenience store. They always had a big jar on the counter with a pink brine that kept the pig's feet pickled. Yes, lots of folks ate pickled pigs feet, I am not one of them. If you wanted bologna, you would tell the store owner and he go to the cooler and get this big long loaf of bologna and take it the slicer and slice the amount that you wanted. Oh, and gas at his store cost $.32 a gallon. No kidding.
Another thing different was jobs when you were a teenager. Most of us guys, would help on the farms in the community. I remember there were six of us that worked together as a team hauling hay, and unloading feed and seed trucks, and a host of other jobs needed. When it came lunch time we would go the the store, get a pound of bologna and some crackers that we would share. We each would then buy our own quart size RC Cola and have ourselves a feast. The good old days. We were all the best of friends. We would work, play, and hunt together. We would get together and go to town on Friday nights to the movies. The good old days. Not hardly a care in the world.
An important part of all those communities was the church. Many had a couple, maybe a Methodist and a Baptist. Ours, just the Baptist. It was the hub of all that happened in the community. Here we gathered to worship, see friends that we hadn't seen all week, and on many occasions have a dinner on the ground. If you have never had dinner on the ground at a country church, you have missed one of the greatest eating festivals of all time. Everyone would bring their favorite dish and we would place them on tables and then everyone would walk through buffet style and help themselves. MMMMMMMMM good eats. The children would play games and the adults would catch up on things. The good old days.
On occasion, I have the opportunity to revisit some of the places I used to live. In most, the country store is gone. Gas is no longer $.32 a gallon. My friends have moved on to other places. That way of life is slowly being lost in our nation, one family at a time. But there is still one constant in those country communities, THE CHURCH. Yes some have died with their community, but many remain. They are still the focal point of spiritual renewal and fellowship. Like the old country communities, the church where we live plays the same important part of everyday life. Many do not recognize it's importance, but it is important just the same. They are the focal point of spiritual renewal, fellowship, and grounding of everyday life. Without them the basic moral teachings would be lost. Without them many of us would be alone in our spiritual journey.
As you read this, if you do not attend the local church in your community, go. They are not perfect, but there are those there that will become your friends. They will be there for you and show you the one who is perfect and has a perfect love for you.
I don't think being reflective is all bad. It allows us to see where we have been and maybe give us a glimpse of where we are going. It is how we get there that counts.
