BLOG DAY # 83. Today is "DAY OF REST DAY!"

     In our culture, Sunday is considered "THE LORDS DAY". It is to be the day you go to church and TALK to your maker. When I was small' I had to do this on my own. My mother would give me a little white envelope , put some money in it and instruct me to put it into the collection.

     If you can imagine, a little boy walking up the hill all by himself, to attend the Catholic church in little Eldred Pa. Father Davis was our priest. I honestly can not remember either my father or mother going to church - it was my grandmother who was a devout Catholic.

     She was the driving force behind the religion that I practiced. When she passed away at 85, I think I was 10 or 11, I continued to go. Confirmation is a blurr' Catechism was also on my own. There were times I was frighted, a big church- adults- some I knew, some I did not know. Sitting by myself.

BUT I LEARNED A GREAT LESSON-I WAS NOT ALONE- THEY- THE FATHER- THE SON- AND THE HOLY GHOST- MARY- THE SAINTS- ALL WERE THERE- IN THE STATUES-THE PICTURES-THE CEREMONY-THE HOST-THE CUP. I WAS NOT ALONE.

     I HAVE CARRIED MY FAITH WITH ME ALL MY LIFE. I AM NO LONGER A CATHOLIC- I CONVERTED TO LUTHERAN, WHEN I MET SHERRY AND WE WERE MARRIED.

     YOU SEE, I NO LONGER BELIEVED IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AS IT WAS. I JUST COULD NOT BRING MY SELF TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING THAT AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED-TURNED AWAY THE CHILDREN OF GOD WHO WERE NOT CONFIRMED IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH- I HAD TURNED MORE TO THE LIBERAL SIDE OF HUMANITY-
AND I THOUGHT IT HYPOCRITICAL TO BE THAT WAY.

     WHEN I FOUND SHERRY- I FOUND A MORE LIBERAL MEANING ON GOD AND CHURCH IN THE LUTHERAN DOCTRINE. I COULD ONCE MORE BELIEVE - I COULD ONCE MORE PRACTICE MY FAITH. A LITTLE BOY- ALONE- NOW UNITED WITH ONE WHO LOVES HER CHURCH AS I DO- ALL BE IT IN A MUCH MORE PASSIONATE WAY.


   A CATHOLIC TURNED LUTHERAN- I BELIEVE MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD APPROVE!

SO TODAY IS A DAY OF REST- A DAY TO REFLECT- A DAY TO REMEMBER- BUT ALSO A DAY TO SHARE- A DAY TO LOOK BACK -A DAY TO REMEMBER- A DAY TO SAY , "PEACE BE WITH YOU!"

WE ARE ALL GODS CHILDREN- BIG AND SMALL- JUST A MEMORY TO YOU ALL.