Church

So, I never mentioned what happened after we left the church. Several months went by and we did nothing on Sunday. We never really started doing devotionals with the kids, and we certainly didn't do what one could consider a church service at home. It was an awful feeling. We started thinking that we would just go back to the church we left, and just consider our little time away as just that, but it never felt right. Every Sunday after that decision, we still stayed home. All the while, the kids would mention "when are we ever going to go back to church?"

We decided to try a reformed church and so we went. It was very much different than the baptist church we were used to. We had gone to the baptist church for 8 years, so that was all I knew. This new church, well, they sang the Psalms with no music. They stood, sang, sat, read, stood, sang again. Rinse and repeat. It felt so awkward and wrong somehow. The people were great, very welcoming and all, but just foreign. They have a lunch every Sunday after service and we would go to it. Slowly, but surely we got to know some people. Got used to the singing with no music thing. Found out that they have no problems with musical instruments, but that the focus of worship music should be on the words, not the sound of the music. This one is still hard for my husband and myself, because my husband was a music major in college, and I am all about music.

Still we persisted. Got to know more people. All the while, the kids loved it!! They loved the kids, and the commaradarie. So, here we are. Still going, still feeling a little different. The people there are great, and very quick to help when needed. The thing is though....they are all very educated and driven, so I feel a little dumb around them. My children are not academic scholars....Some of these kids are 16 year old high school graduates! So, that part feels strange. Plus, it is small. About 100 people or so. We are seen when our children act out in service! We are missed when we don't go.

But, you know what? In our other church, it never felt like a small close knit community. Here, we still need to get to know some of the people, but I honestly feel more important to them then I did to the other church. Is that what happens in a small church? Is it because this church is full of homeschoolers/christian schoolers, so we fit in more? Is it me? I don't know, but I am glad to be back in a church where the focus is on God. Those Sunday's at home certainly did not have a focus on anything......