Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Separation of Church & Family

Well where to begin with this post. I feel that there has been something missing in my life and in those of my family as well. I believe it is going to church, learning more about God & our connection to him. I do have a very deep spiritual belief in him that I don't think necessarily fits into any one specific religion. It's more of a broad belief in God. I believe that God is the Alpha, Omega- he is everything/everyone. I believe that he created us & this earth. I believe that he is known to me as Jesus/God but to others he is known as something different such as Allah,Budda orwhatever else is out there. I believe that he created this earth & us, knowing that we would have religious wars, but that he made himself available to everyone in the form they would best accept. There is nowhere in this world that you can go without learning or hearing of God or some religion. So to me you might take a different path with your beliefs in this life, but I think all roads lead to God. Now I'm not saying that I don't believe that Jesus isn't the son of God- I do, but I believe that this was the way he found to get into my heart. I believe God has touched my life in numerous ways & truly believe with my whole heart that he has a plan for me. I just wish I knew what it was. I believe that I have felt the presence of God in my life several times, I am an avid prayer & believe in the power of prayer. I believe in God & have a love for him that I do want to honor that by teaching my children about him, I want to build my marriage upon faith & a mutual belief in him. I want us to be a God fearing honorable family-here’s the hiccup. I don’t know how to do that!! There seems to be a major separation of church & family. Brad and I have tried several churches on for size when we first moved to TN. And eventually found one that we though fit. We became regulars in the pews and even in bible study. But it ended with a bad experience with some of the people there & it really put a bad taste in Brad’s mouth. I'm willing to overlook it so our children grow in that church to learn & have the church family, but Brad is unwilling. Ever since I’ve tried to get him to go to others & even back there but it’s all I can do to get him to go every now & again. I have a yearning to join a church, to be a part of a community & a church family. I want to go to bible studies & learn but it’s really hard when #1 you’re husband tells you point blank, “I know in my heart I LOVE GOD, and I LOVE YOU, and understand that both are connected, a church is tough for me, I see way to much judgment from people and that really gets under my skin, I really wouldn’t mind to sit and read the bible aloud with the whole family.” And #2 you’ve never grown up doing this and it’s hard to give up your Sundays, Weds and get into that routine when you are as busy as we are. To understand how I came to my beliefs you'd have to know that as a child I was raised Catholic. My father was a non practicing something- with a great anger towards God because of what he saw in his life through fighting in the Vietnam war, my Mother claimed to be die hard type Catholic, but never actually read the bible and only went to church some Christmas's & some Easters. I went to CCD but never any further. I'd never went to a bible study or anything else. However I was taught the Lord's Prayer, my Rosary, to respect God and believe in Jesus as my savior. I was taught to believe in Angels and also believe in Saints- all the while my Mom would take me for Tea leaf and psychic readings so it's no wonder why I have a broad vision of my belief in God. Brad grew up only going to church with friends from school so he was never really taught anything much either. Believe it or not but my limited knowledge of things I'm the one who knows more!! AHH! I am proud to say that through the years since Brad & I have been together I've seen his relationship with God flourish & was witness to his acceptance of him in his life! I was wonderful, but now there is a disconnect. What to do, what to do! I feel like I’ve been put in charge of the families spiritual path but I am failing them horribly. I guess I need to pray on it. Oh & for the 3 people reading this blog, try not to judge me to harshly. I do my best to be a good person and honor what I believe to be true to me & my relationship with God. I know that a lot of Christians will condemn me to hell because of some of my comments but I guess that will be for me and God to work out.

2 comments:

  1. http://uuc.org/

    This is the church that I am thinking about visiting with my family. My husband is a die hard southern baptist, and I was raised the same way. But as I grew older I formed my own opinions and they are alot like yours. Check it out, this may be what you've been looking for :)

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  2. Thank you for the referral. I think I identify most as a Methodist, with a few tweaks along the way such as my all roads lead to the same path. I do however have a hard time with Atheism. It's been my experience that the Atheists that I've met have been very confrontational about my beliefs and trying to convince me otherwise or treat me as though I'm dumb for believing in God. I could be more tolerable of it if I felt a respect for my beliefs and one of those you believe what you believe & I'll believe what I believe type things but it's usually not that way. Besides I also feel broken hearted when people tell me they don't believe in God or something. When I hear someone say we came here by a big bang theory or that when you die it's just blank it tends to turn me into someone who is a spiritual converter and I don't want to be that pushy "bible thumping" person cause I'm surely not educated enough- all I can tell them is my experience which for some reason I feel driven to do cause I do believe if you don't believe in anything- that's when you go to H. E. double hockey sticks.. :( Again this is just what I believe.

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