It’s Sunday morning. I hear a knock on the door. Rufus hears it too and barks his head off. He gets really worked up when someone’s at the door. Extreme enthusiasm.
We don’t get visitors at the door often. But when we do, it’s the neighborhood kids.
Conrad jokingly said: any kid that shows up at the door on Sunday morning we’ll take to church with us.
The girls answered the door. They told the boy at the door that they can’t come out and play because they are leaving soon.
As they came back in, I asked them: did you tell them where you are going? With a look of confusion they answered: no.
“Well, it’s not a secret. Go ahead and ask if he wants to join you for Sunday school.”
So they run out to ask him if wants to come to church. He said yes.
He has a brilliant curious mind. He is polite and creative and clever. I wrote his mom to ask if he can come. It was last minute. We were leaving in 10 minutes. His mom declined. She is purposeful and thoughtful in her parenting. And she has had plenty of experience with the church establishment. I may have not been clear about our openness and joy to have him join us.
But church is such a layered visit. It’s not a trip to the park. You hear things there. You meet people. And it can stir up the mind.
About church and faith. I am a follower of Jesus. I believe. I am unapologetically a believer.
Personally I am open to any and all help on this parenting journey. Church community helps me. My values are clear and strong. And I believe in all my limping as a mom, the girls grow up with a clear path ahead. And we work on helping them define their values, beliefs, faith. I think they are good company and I am careful about the company they also keep.
In my average but traveled life, I have witnessed some misguided church leaders, and spiritually oppressive church communities.
I have many neighbors who are weary about church. I don’t blame them. I think we as followers of Jesus, believes, we carry much of the burden of this perception.
Note that I didn’t say the blame. But with clarity and transparency and courage, we can be light and speak with conviction about our faith, about the hope we have in this life through Jesus Christ.