Sunday, Sunday

Gene did a service today i enjoyed more than any other in some time. I recognize that church & worship is not "all about me," but it helps a lot if i feel comfortable, not insulted or angry about things being said. The homily was on the Transfiguration. Gene said that transfiguration is not about change but revealing what is inside of us, what is hidden. When Jesus was transfigured, Peter, James & John saw him as he is, & what was normally hid day to day.

Gene said that we don't really know ourselves (or others) because God has not yet called us by name & revealed what is inside & hidden.

My take on that is that while we don't yet know ourselves or what is hidden, we are there "growing." And that what we feed our inner selves with will effect what is to be revealed. If i feed myself with negative thoughts & complaints & deliberate sin i will be stunted & not who God desires me to grow to be. Conversely, focusing on being obedient to the word of God, to be obedient to his commands, to choose to walk with him daily will grow me in the direction that will be pleasing to God.

I'm not saying we can do this by ourselves. And i clearly believe that salvation comes from God & God only thru Jesus. But we can & do make choices every day that effect how we are growing & reflecting Jesus.
______________________

I'm thinking & hoping we can be content in this church for the time being. Have to see how that plays out. However, if we have children & the church has not made major changes by then i think we will need to find another. We might even have to forgo liturgy if it means we are in a church that loves Jesus, is healthy, & has a program for children. They have some ideas now (at our current church) for "growing" a youth/children's ministry, but i'm thinking i'll believe it when i see it. And, while i as an adult can make my own decisions about discernment on what are Gene's opinions & what is Theology/the word of God, there are things he teaches that i'm not sure i want him teaching my children.

Enough said. If we don't ever have children, we don't have to worry about it!
__________________

I like squirrels. They often are not very popular here because there are so many of them & they eat gardens, etc. But i haven't grown an outside garden here yet, & so i like them. I put food out for them on the deck outside my bedroom sliding glass door & enjoy watching them very much. Jazz & Mac enjoy watching them too. They so much want to catch one. (I think they would change their minds if they actually did.)

Squirrels are quite territorial. I didn't know that before living here 'cause i'd never been around them much. I put out plenty of food, but they eat one at a time. No sharing for them. Sometimes they carry a nut or seed off & another squirrel can come in the meantime, but they chase each other off a lot. Or, there are a couple that come & stay & stay & stay. They just graze & chase all the others off.

But today a couple of them were really fighting. One ended up with a swollen, bloody nose (& he was the dominant one.) Another i saw with blood on a back paw & he limped off. Another was either on the roof or in the tree crying. They are cute when they chase each other around, but i could do without the fighting.

25