I'm a Baptist.
In church today a little girl who was probably five or six came forward and said she believed in Jesus and wasn't ashamed of Jesus and wanted to make a public proclamation of faith (she didn't say the last part, she was only five). The pastor asked her if she was good at shaking hands and she said she was. He said, "Good! Every good Baptist is good at shaking hands." True dat. He didn't say anything about casseroles and covered dishes and fried pies and scoping out yard sales on Saturday mornings, but most Baptists are good about those things too.
My husband grew up in a different church, and believed a lot of different things than I did. I was okay with that when I met him and as we got closer to marriage we worked most of it out. How we worked it out was this: he started coming to church with me and said, "Hey, I believe this stuff" and then he converted.
Okay, it makes me laugh to say he "converted". Because we're Baptists. You just come on in if you want to. It's not like there is a ceremony or anything.
I know a lot of people look down on Baptists, for various reasons. I don't pretend that I know everything about the Bible or God or anything. It's just what I believe.
I was really fortunate to go to a Christian college for one year, in 1993-1994. It was pretty liberal, as Christian schools go. Most girls were actually there to earn their B.S. degrees instead of their M.R.S. degrees. No one insisted that girls can't wear pants or go swimming. We even danced. A lot.
I also met people of all kinds of religious backgrounds and beliefs. I met people from other countries. I met people who had lived totally different lives than I had. And they? Were awesome.
What it boiled down to, I think, was that everyone just believed. A lot of people believed in different ways, but that was okay. As long as we believed then there was a place at the table. Even if you didn't believe, you were still welcome. No one was judgemental. No one was mean. We just got along. And it was really beautiful.
A lot of people find my blog and expect it to be something really different than what it is. Seeking out the word "God" in the blogosphere will get you all kinds of mixed results. Also, I know that a lot of people really don't agree with my religious beliefs because I do things like, get mad and tell people all about it and say lots of curses while driving and think it's funny when my kids fart. That's okay too. I'm cool with my spirituality and clearly, based on my children, God loves me the best.
My husband got baptized the year after we got married. He did a lot of soul-searching to come to that decision and I know he was worried about figuring things out.
I think he has. I think we both have. And I think the main thing we've figured out is that it's okay to continue seeking and searching until you find what you are looking for.
God is totally cool with that.
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16 comments:
Amen to that. I don't think one religion has it right, but I think every religion has it's strong points. I think the important thing is to find what works for you and go with it...even if it means handling snakes.
Great post.
Do you mind if I gush? Right here? Right now? Because my "I big puffy heart Chick" meter just rose a few more notches.
Like you, I was a different religion from my own Jason when we were dating. And when his grandmother found out that I was a *gasp* LDS? She laughed. His 86-year-old grandmother laughed. Then she told him that if we got married, I'd have to have sex with lots of old men before he coudl have me for his own. *ahem* I'm not sure what religion she was thinking of. It definitely wasn't mine. No dirty old man sex here. Not until my Jason is a dirty old man.
His parents are a different Christian religion, and they cry and pray for us day and night so that one day God will turn our hearts from this evil. Because apparently, being LDS means that my children "won't know the face of Jesus when they meet Him."
I am happy to say that I feel the same that you do. If I felt any other way, I would have missed out on knowing and loving some really wonderful, beautiful, life-changing people that walked totally different paths than mine, whether they were Lutheran, Baptist or even non-Christians.
Sing it, sister! :)
it's independent baptists that people have issues with (mostly) I went to an ind. baptist high school-- I did not fit in. they don't listen to music, don't dance, women don't wear pants, etc.
and cussing has nothing to do with Christianity in my opinion. It mostly came about from when the Germanic Barbarians invaded the Holy Roman Empire. The "different" words they used were considered dirty and beneath the Romans.-- doesn't really have a damn thing to do with God.
What kind of moron is your mother in law that she thought it was baptists that handle snakes?
This is a really great post. I have to give you a big giant AMEN.
loved the post. laughed out loud at the "snake Jesus" thing. Hilarious. :-) We're pentacostal/independent. No, not crazy. Just in love with God.
I can't believe that your MIL was so weird. Geez.
You already know what I think of your hag in law. And you. And your beliefs so I really don't need to comment.
But I will because I just can't quit you.
xoxo
Amen, Chick!
I was raised Southern Baptist and had been in church since I was two weeks old (they must forgotten to bring me home).
Anyway, cool beans for you!
Long story short, I am now just a follower of Christ. I think that serving God and showing His love to people in a practical way is way more important that the name on the sign in front of the church building.
I am where God has called me to be and so are you.
I could say a lot more, but that would be another rather long post of my own.
Keep on praying for your MIL and showing her the love of Christ in your own heart. Because your heart Chick, is a really good one.
Many blessings to you, Jason and the kids.
I'm with Alpha Dude. . .again. I totally believe that you are living a great faith in front of your kids. You show them the meaning of grace--every day.
Awesome post. I, too, liked the "Snake Jesus" line.
I'm too tired to laugh out loud, but I came close. (I put pics on the blog--and Caroline was on Channel 10 tonight!) If you read this before 11 - she'll probably be on at the top of their show again! : )
That was so well put. I'm all teary and stuff. But then, right now I get teary over just about anything. Yeah...will blog about that later.
I'm all about the lovin' when it comes to religion. I mean, that's what it's about right? Pretty sure Jesus said something about loving one another one or twice or so. It's so sad how many self-proclaimed Christians aren't following his example at all.
And I don't think they realize it. Which makes it all the sadder.
God loves us. We're his kids. He wants good things for us, y'know?
To quote you, Chick, "True dat."
Great post.
I have a wonderfully similar position on faith. You put it very well, especially when you said that based on your children, God loves you best. I feel that way everyday! Amen!
I envy your faith - I really do. 'im indoors and his family are all Christians, I'm afraid I'm a filthy hethen! You got re-baptised? How does that work? Is that a common thing? I always thought it was 'once saved, always saved' - but like I say, I'm a dirty British hethen. :o)
Well said... I think if more people of this world would be more accepting of the fact that there is more than one way to worship, the world would be a much better place. I grew up Baptist and am getting ready to join a Methodist church. I know they are very similar, but it's easy to understand how your faith reshapes and changes as you do.
Sorry about the MIL... totally sucks.
We tried a new church this Sunday. We've been looking since we moved to Ohio, but I just knew this church was "it" when a lady trying to squeeze past my hubby and I and uttered "sh--!" when she knocked over my husband's coffee cup. Not that I was thrilled that she cussed in church, but I was relieved to find that these were real (normal) people getting together, and as you put it, believing and seeking together. I think that when we are just real and genuine, people won't mind our imperfections, they'll still see God's love and they'll want to be a part of that unconditional love. That and the great food. Church goers know how to cook!
True Dat!
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