Spiritual Abuse in the Church.

Graphic credit http://armstrongismlibrary.blogspot.com

This might be a little disjointed as I’m still processing it all myself. But I feel I need to get it out, look it over and see if maybe it makes some sense.

I know spiritual abuse happens. I know it happens in the church, by “in the church” I mean it happens within the walls of a church building. But to be completely honest, the Church does not abuse. The Church, capital C, Church does not because the Capital C Church is the body of Jesus Christ, His bride. And Jesus most assuredly does not abuse, nor does He ever, under any circumstance, condone abuse in His church or not. In any walk of life, secular or Christian abuse is not to be tolerated and Jesus does not tolerate it. Be assured that those who are abusive will be dealt with. I pray that they will come realize their sin and confess it. Because honestly I do not want to be in their shoes. Ever. I would much rather confess it and change my actions NOW than have Jesus deal with me on the issue.  It truly is a scary thing to fall into the hands of an angry God. And abuse, I am sure, makes Him angry.

How do I know spiritual abuse happens in the church? Because I lived it. Yes, I am a spiritual abuse survivor. I spent many years, in fact almost all of my very most formative years in a church that held more to a list of do’s and don’ts than to just about anything. I have and still am discovering things I was taught as “what the Bible says” simply wasn’t true. I have heard pastors spout their own opinions and label it “what the Bible says!” and therefore condemning those who hear to live by their set of rules.

That’s legalism, plain and simple. Legalism: My forcing you to live by my convictions.  When I deem you too ignorant to know what the Bible actually says, when I need to be so in control of everything, when I have a voice and  power, I can use those to make you blindly follow me and my convictions.

Really it’s incredibly Pharisaical. Isn’t that what the Pharisees of Jesus’ time did? We read in the Gospels that they heaped up rules for men and didn’t lift a finger to help them.  They were especially fond of rules regarding the Sabbath. Yes, the Sabbath was the holy day, the day they were to do no work, the day set apart to rest. The Pharisees took it to an extreme.

I’m sure it all started well enough. The intentions in the beginning were probably good. Maybe one man thought for him carrying something was “work” on the Sabbath so he decided for him not to carry anything. And then it all got incredibly out of hand.

Yes, people, it still happens today. I know it does. I hate that it does. But I’m not ignorant, nor am I blind to the fact that legalism and spiritual abuse are intrinsically linked.

Here is what causes my heart to constrict in agony though. When those who have experienced abuse in the church by those who are called to lead, to shepherd, to care for the sheep of God’s pasture, when they claim the Capital “C” Church is evil. When they can see no good. When all of the body of Christ does it wrong, is ignorant of how it should really be.  When they tout and spout how much we are to just love everyone and we are. However their statements are decidedly unloving towards the church.  We are, according to those, to love everyone outside the church but feel free to hate the person sharing the pew with you on Sunday mornings (or really whenever your church meets).

Fellow believers, this should not be. It is not okay to bash the Church. Yes, we have issues. Yes, we have problems.  But tearing apart our brothers and sisters in Christ should not happen. Paul pens in the book of Galatians 5:14-15

“The entire law is summed up in a single command, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out of you will be destroyed by each other.”

The church in Galatia was living a life of legalism. Spiritual abuse ran rampant and Paul was calling them on it.  What would Paul write to us today? I can’t say for sure but I think it would be something along those same lines.

We are all different people. We have different likes, dislikes, family histories, life experiences, thoughts, habits, personalities, gifts, talents. The way I live my Christian life, the way I love and serve Jesus will probably be decidedly different from the way you love and serve Him. It doesn’t mean I’m right and you’re wrong, or you’re right and I’m wrong. It means we do it differently.  I pray for the time when we learn to embrace our differences, both in ourselves and the differences we see in other people, and love and serve Jesus together before a world that is watching and is desperate for what we have, yet shun it because they have no desire to be attacked by those who are supposed to love them.

Remember, love your neighbor as yourself includes those who share the same pew with you, or maybe they worship at the Methodist church across the street, or the Lutheran church down the block, the Baptist church around the corner, the non-denominational church around the block or the Catholic church across town.

We are all equally guilty. We are all equally susceptible to spiritually abusing those in our sphere of influence.  We are all called to love. And how can we claim to love Jesus and yet hate our fellow believers? (1 John 3:10, 4:8, 20-21)

The Blessed Church

Robert Morris is the pastor of Gateway Church in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  He is the author of The Blessed Life, The Power of your Words, The God I never knew, and his latest work is The Blessed Church.

The premise of his book is how to grow your church to a mega church that shows God’s abundant blessings.  The Blessed Church is subtitled, “The Simple Secret to Growing the Church You Love.”

The first “secret” is to have a vision and to share your vision. Since the book is written primarily to pastors, his next secret is rather specific to that role, you need to have powerful sermons.  You also have to be a shepherd. You need to have: a mission statement, a vision statement.

From the first sentence in the Introduction, I knew I would have some issues with this book. It was cemented in my mind when I read the following (and I’m paraphrasing) “I did xyz, I know the Bible says not to do that, but I was on fire and I had God’s call on my life.”

There is not a “secret” of the author’s that my church isn’t doing. And we don’t have multiple thousands of people in attendance. We don’t have 5 services on a weekend. Being blessed by God doesn’t follow a formula. The blessing of God follows obedience.

Why is it we think the mega churches are the ones being blessed?

The first line of the introduction, and it was also a prevalent theme through out the book, shared how “to the best of our ability we have built Gateway Church.” And my hackles went up. God builds His church. We do have a role, don’t get me wrong. We do, but all the programs in the world designed to bring people in won’t work. They won’t work at all if we are not living lives sold out to Jesus.

For centuries God has been growing, building His church without mission and vision statements. His vision statement and His mission statement are the same and they are the cross.  Programs won’t bring people in. People bring people in. The Spirit of God living, breathing in the life of believers draws people in.

In all honesty, I found this book and it’s premise to be pompous and arrogant. I can not recommend it.

 

(I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review. All opinions in this review are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Book photo courtesy of http://imlisteningtogod.wordpress.com )

Real Church

Fifteen years ago or so, I was in a Christian bookstore in a small town outside of St. Louis, Missouri when my eye was caught by the title of a book, written by an author I hadn’t heard of before. The book title was “A Cup of Coffee at the Soul Cafe”. The author was Leonard Sweet. I read that book in a devouring sort of way. I quoted it. I loved it. That book still ranks near the top of my all-time favorite non-fiction book list. I will probably never get rid of my copy and will probably often peruse its pages, still gleaning truths.

I have since read several of Leonard Sweet’s books. Soul Salsa, The Gospel According to Starbucks, Nudge and now Real Church in a Social Network World.  Mr. Sweet has become one of those authors that when I see his books I automatically think I have to read it. I love the way he challenges my thinking, urging me to action and not complacency.

Real Church in a Social Network World, from Facebook to Face-to-Face is both soul-satisfying and soul-challenging.  Often as my eyes read the words on the page, my soul shouted “YES!” or “Exactly!” or even “Wow!”  I highlighted many paragraphs, too many to even share some of them here.

I found this book to be one of the best books I have read in a long time. That isn’t to say every other book I’ve called “the best” has paled in comparison, not at all. This book though is good because it will be a book I will find myself reading over and over again.

What I love about the book:

• It challenges me to a better, deeper relationship with Jesus.
• It constantly points to Jesus
• It offers no “one-size fits all” approach to relationship
• It values relationship.
• It showed me areas I was settling in my walk and challenged me.

This book often moved me to tears. I cried tears of joy because I was doing something right! I also cried tears of great sorrow because I wondered how much I had hurt the heart of my Savior, because on some issues I had really missed the boat.

The book isn’t long. Six chapters and less than 100 pages. I read it last evening and I realized anew that I should never start a good book after supper. I had to stay up late to finish it. And like any good book, I cried at the end, not because it moved me but because it was over.

What the book lacks in length, it more than makes up for in depth. If you are looking for a book that will revolutionize your spiritual life, one that “will spur you on to love and good deeds” look no further than this one.

 

(I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review.)

 

On the Offensive

I am unashamedly a Bible-toting, (sometimes) Scripture quoting, church attending believer in Jesus Christ.

I am also a hypocrite.

Because like everyone else I often do exactly what I don’t want to do. And sometimes, yes, I do it on purpose.  Sometimes my rebellious heart gets the better of me and I willfully do things that are wrong.

I am not proud of those times.  My daily prayer is that I will be caught in any thing that offends the heart of God (which in a single word would be sin) quickly. That I would be so convicted that I can’t stand myself until I quit the sin and turn from it. I also daily pray that my life would be pleasing to the One who redeemed my soul.

I am not easy to offend. Honestly there have been several times  I have been thinking about a conversation I’ve had, sometimes months ago,  and I’ve realized I should have been offended. Most of it is silly things, like our worship leader looking me in the eye and saying, “Really? People think you’re 18???” I glibly answer “Yup” and keep right on talking.

Unfortunately not everyone is like me. Some people offend very easily. With some people the very fact that I live and breathe is offensive.  When I write about my Savior, they are offended.  People think I should just keep quiet about it.

Some think I am sinning by eating at a certain restaurant. Or not eating at the same restaurant.

Unfortunately sometimes these people I’m offending are people who also claim to love and serve my Jesus. I am not saying they don’t. Not at all.

I am greatly saddened by the watering down of the gospel by some churches. In some circles the gospel has been so watered down, it has no flavor. You can’t even taste a difference.  I understand we want our churches to be seeker friendly. But when one gets the same feeling hanging out with friends on a Saturday afternoon as they do in church, there might be a problem. Church should be different.

I’m not saying we need to bring back the “hellfire and brimstone” sermons, although in some cases it would not be a bad thing. I am saying we need to show others they have a need for a Savior,  we need to share the cure for their sin problem. And if they come to church and are not confronted with a Holy God and their sin, how will they ever come to see their great need of Him?

If “I’m okay and you’re okay” is true, why did Jesus die for sinners?

I am finding more and more in Christian circles I am a minority, or at least it seems that way.  I have been told more times than I care to repeat that I am offending “the world” by my actions. I am told I am not at all to offend them because if they feel bad about sin, that is a bad thing. I’ve heard it said, “Jesus didn’t make anyone feel bad. He offended no one by His actions.”

And with that I take issue. He did offend.

And He offended those in the church. He offended the religious leaders. How can we say He didn’t offend when He called the religious leaders “white washed tombs” and a “brood of vipers”? I would be offended.  Or what about the rich young ruler who wanted to buy his way into favor with God, (ie heaven) and was offended when he heard he had to sell all he had and give it to the poor?

I read in the gospels that the world is offended by my very existence. The air I breathe is offensive to them.

So what’s a girl to do? Stop breathing?

No thanks, I’ve learned that can be considered fatal.

Instead, I’ll choose to live my life in a way that no only pleases the God I serve but also makes others long to have what I have.

Peace that passes understanding.

A Rock to run to when life is hard.

Joy that lasts.

Do the Church Hop

Church hopping people annoy me. I don’t mean people who hop around in church, those are generally known as toddlers (and yes, I am fully aware that in some churches they are called adults too), I mean people who go from church to church to church.

In my town there are 3 or 4 churches that are larger, and really it is anyone’s guess which one will keep the “BIGGEST” church in town banner. The people seem to rotate between these churches. (Yes, I do attend one of them.) Every few years there is a general shift in attendance as people go from one church to the other. When they move they gush on facebook “Oh we just LOVE our new church! It’s so much better than the old one!” “People sure are friendly at our new church! We just LOVE it here!” “The pastor’s sermons at our new church are never as dull as at our old church. We just LOVE our new church!” And in a few years time they are saying the same words about another church. Until they come full circle and are back at the original “old” church.

Some of this is done by those who simply “fade away” in attendance. By “fade away” I mean they are no longer (if they ever were) regular attenders. They simply miss a few Sundays for whatever reason and then begin attending a different church. When this happens they usually get rather upset because “no one has called to ask why we aren’t there anymore” and so they feel somewhat justified in crucifying the old church to anyone who will listen.

While they  might have a valid reason, wouldn’t it be much better for them to approach someone in the church about their feelings before making the leap to another better, friendlier church?  I can certainly understand feeling like no one even notices you. I get that but what we fail to realize is church is not all about us.

We should not attend church for any reason other than worshiping the Creator and serving our Savior. We should not attend church to get fed, yes, feeding will and should happen but it shouldn’t be the main course but rather dessert. We are to do our feeding at home and use Sunday mornings of corporate worship as a chance to minister and feed others from what we have received during the week.

When we church hop, we can’t complain when no one weeps because we are no longer there because when the church hop happens every couple of years, chances are you’ve church hopped with many others and no one is surprised when you’re not there.

That might be harsh and maybe I should apologize but I’m not sure I’m sorry.  As someone who has attended the same church since 1983 (minus 2.5 years we lived out of the area). Thirty years in the same church. I have seen more people come and go than the carnival. I’ve heard all the stories.

And frankly I’m getting angry with those who blame others for leaving. “If someone would have called to see where I’ve been, I wouldn’t have left.” “I just wasn’t getting fed there.” Or this one, “No one liked me.” “No one was my friend.”

Hello! If you want to have friends, be friendly. I’ve seen people walk around church with the angriest, sourest expression on their faces and then claim no one liked them. I’ve personally reached out to some, I’ve been rebuffed and then hear that no one liked them and they had no friends in church.

Church should not be a popularity contest, for us or the building. Jesus (should) always win that contest.

Week 两

Duo, Two, Deux take your pick.

The second week of life with Catherin started off with a bang…and not in a way that was necessarily good.

Sunday morning we’re all at church and the worship time has started when I spot Catherin across the aisle from me with one of her Chinese friends. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem except she hadn’t said she wanted to sit with her friend and I just think children need to sit with an adult in church. Especially when they are only 11. So I very nicely told her we were sitting over here.

And she giggles. I tell her again, she giggles some more. I tell her again, a little more firmly and she looks me in the eye and says, “NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” crosses her arms over her chest and looks the other way.

Anyone care to guess what I thought and felt about that? Any idea what I did next, in the middle of church with a defiant 11 year old child? I gently took her arm and hissed, “Catherin, we are sitting over here!” Her friend was invited to sit with us.

The two of them either chattered or slept through the service. Mr. FullCup took care of the whole thing during their lunch. And we haven’t had that happen again. But then again, we haven’t had church again either.

Monday…Catherin went to school and the day was without mishap. And I am forever grateful.

Tuesday, we had a meeting of the host families and Chinese sponsors where a lot of thinks were ironed out. Things like; in America we wear clean clothes every day. And your undies have to go through the wash. If you need  more you’ll need to tell your host momma/dad that you need more.  We listened as the Chinese sponsors told the students what their host parents said was not a suggestion but was in fact what they had to do. Then the all the girls went to piano lessons.

Wednesday was crazy. I had Bible study in the morning, followed by a webcast. The girls had school in the afternoon and then AWANA at night. I’m thinking the fact that Catherin is from a communist country is coming out loud and clear. She’s isn’t against our going to church, but when we got to AWANA I heard her complain to Ariana, “Church? again??”

Thursday the cold I’d been trying to get all week hit with a vengeance. When Russ dropped Catherin off after school I was told there was no school on Friday.

Friday, we all went to the radio station in the morning then Mr. FullCup took all three girls to the church with him when he went up in the afternoon.

All in all it was a better week with fewer times of panic.

Things I never thought I’d hear..

Once a month our church takes up an extra offering called the Deacon’s Offering during communion.  This offering is used for needs of those in our congregation and people are more than generous.  It is always interesting to sit behind visitors if their first visit happens to be communion Sunday. The looks on their faces is quite comical especially if announcing the reason for the second offering was forgotten.

Churches far and wide are known for handouts, both people approaching them with their hand out (even if, and especially if) they don’t attend there, and also for “always preaching about giving”. Our church rarely does and I’m not sure that’s a good thing.

A month or so ago, on communion Sunday, the order was changed around a little and imagine everyone’s surprise when our pastor said this, “Oh. I forgot to take the offering.” How often does a church forget to take the offering?

This past communion Sunday, I sat behind a couple that was visiting for the second time. Because our normal pastors were both out of town, the announcement about the Deacon’s offering was forgotten, so this couple didn’t have an inkling why the bag was being passed again.  I leaned forward and explained that we really weren’t after their last penny, or their lunch money. They assured me they didn’t think that at all.

I’m still not entirely convinced.

Yesterday in church the pastor said this, “If you’re here and you don’t desire a true relationship with God, we need your seat. You can’t play religion here.”

At first I was shocked because this is a large church and it seems in America anymore church is all about big numbers. It seems every church wants to be a mega church. Every pastor wants to be Chuck Swindoll or David Jeremiah. It doesn’t seem to always matter that people are really being utilized in God’s business if the numbers are big, God is blessing. Too many times, I think, doctrine is watered down to make the church more “seeker friendly”. We’re afraid to preach about the cross, the blood of Jesus and our sin, we don’t want to offend those who visit so they will come back. So we can “love them like Jesus” while ignoring their real need. Yes they need loved, and loved like Jesus. But when did Jesus ever pussy foot around sin?

It is all too easy for us to play religion. To claim a “form of godliness” while we ignore a true, real relationship with our Creator. We deny the blood any power in our life because we’re too comfortable filling our pews with lukewarm religion.  We give God lip service because it’s “what Christians do” but when it comes to wholehearted devotion and service, it’s too much to ask.

The pastor’s statement caused a hush on the crowd and a hush on my spirit. I felt God was saying, “what about you? Are you going to continue to fill a pew because it’s the ‘thing to do’ or are you going to sell out to Me and allow Me to work?”

You see, we sit back and count the cost of following Jesus with our whole being, we count the cost and then deem it to high. We can’t possibly live that way, it’s not possible. It’s too much. The cost is too high. It might infringe on our plans for our life.

Where would we be if Jesus counted the cost of redeeming one person and said it was too high? The cost of redeeming one person was the same as redeeming all of mankind, the cost was His life.

How can I sit back and say the cost of following Him is too high a price to pay?

Quiet

I’ve been asked a few million times how my Thanksgiving was, it seems to be the thing to do. My standard answer in years past has been to exclaim joyfully, “GREAT!!” and proceed to tell them all the great things that happened.

This year, I still answer with only one word, not quite as gleefully and without the explanation of greatness and without, I’m sad to say, asking them how their’s was. I answer, “Quiet.”

Even though we spent the day with about 15 other people, one of which is generally just as noisy as I am. But this year it was quiet. Because the day before I woke up without a voice. None.  I generally lose my voice this time of year for a couple of days and it’s all because I have a plethora of allergies.

I spent the days before Thanksgiving with my sister in love at her house. At her house was my family, her husband, two dogs and two cats.  I’ve spent time there before and not had a problem, but the only had one dog and one cat. They’ve double the number of animals. And my allergies went berzerk. Literally.

It’s odd, I think because at one time growing up we had 6 dogs, 2 cats and 2 birds all inside.  I didn’t notice it bothering me then. (I also didn’t notice my dad’s smoking bothering me…) But now at the ripe old age of…OLD, it bothered me. I’m hoping it was a one time thing and won’t be repeated at all. (but I’m not holding my breath.)

It is now a mere 8 days post-Thanksgiving and I still have no voice. And people keep asking me, “Why are you whispering?” I’m not whispering, I’m actually talking quite loudly. I went to the doctor today to see why I have no voice when I feel fine.  She informed me laryngitis could be viral and could not be viral, but until I’d been without a voice for 3 (THREE!!!) weeks, they won’t really do anything.  I could be like this for 2 more weeks. Ugh. The mere thought sends my mind reeling.

I have been told I use this phrase a lot, “There has to be a spiritual application in there somewhere.” And this is, of course no exception.  There has to be a spiritual application in this voice-less mess I’m in, and there is. I found it.

I’ve been attending a Sunday School class at church using Answers In Genesis curriculum. I have learned so much.  I know God created the world and He did it all in 6 days, 6 literal 24 hour periods of time. Not millions or billions or trillions of years. I know all that, but what I didn’t realize is when exactly it all got it’s start.

Charles Darwin,right? He started it all.

Wrong! In the late 1700s to early 1800s, is when the whole “millions of years” ideology was first introduced. Instead of standing up and saying, “That is some whacked theology” and taking a stand against it. The church merely stood there and decided since they weren’t messing with the cross, it was okay.

But they were messing with the cross. The whole foundation of our beliefs start in Genesis 1, if we don’t believe that chapter, we have no basis for belief the rest of it. If we can attack the word “day” there (and only there), everything in the Bible is up for debate, is wrong according to some scientists and the world.

For about 200 years, the church has changed her teaching on those issues. We now have men and women filling pulpits on Sunday mornings who believe in the Big Bang theory. The church came up with the “gap theory” as way to explain how scientists who do not believe the Bible at all, could be right.

The church, the very bride of Christ, has lost her voice in the world. We compromised then, thinking it had nothing to do with the cross when it had everything to do with the cross.  If Genesis 1 is wrong, so is the birth, life and death of Jesus. It’s all just a nice story.

I’ve debated praying for my voice to return when the church’s voice returns.  I thought I could be a modern-day female version of Jeremiah, or Isaiah, Daniel, Joel, Amos or Obadiah.

Christians in America are very quick to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a call to reformation, revival. They say our nation needs one. I agree it does, but that verse says “when my people humble themselves and pray”, we have to be humble before God, we have to in humility pray, seek His face, and we have to turn from OUR wicked ways. It says nothing about the world, the unbelievers. It is the believers that have to humbly pray, seek His face and turn from wicked.

And that has to start with me. It has to start with you. As we, individually seek humility, seek revival and restoration, then God will hear from heaven and will heal our land. But first He heals me, He heals you and then He heals corporately.

I was challenged in September to pray Romans 12:1-2 every day. I have accepted the challenge. Now I challenge you to do the same. Let’s see if the Church can get her voice back!

Fun For the Whole Family Hour (Review)

I received Fun For The WHOLE Family Hour, All Church Event from The B &B Media Group, Inc for the purpose of review. My only compensation for the review is the free copy of the Leader Pack.

When I was contacted about reviewing Group Publishing’s Fun For the Whole Family Hour, I jumped at the chance. Mr. FullCup is the Children’s Christian Ed. Director for our church and he is always looking for new things to do to get families involved.  I don’t know about your church but at our church, which I think is fairly typical, some parents drop of their children for Sunday School and then they return home only to come back an hour later for church.

I know this concerns me and I’m sure it concerns the church leaders as well. I love the idea of bringing our church family together while bringing our families together.  My church is fairly large, and I  no longer know everyone who attends.  If there was a program that could bring my whole church together and we could all learn about Jesus together and learn about each other, I am all for it.

 

The Leader Pack includes:

• Leader Guide
• DVD and CD set
• Publicity Poster (one)
• Family Expedition Pack (one, you will need one for each family)

The DVD includes a promotional video and clips from The Chronicles of Narnia, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the latest in the Chronicles of Narnia movie series. The CD includes clip art, customizable publicity helps, Zacchaeus drama script, and Power Point song lyrics slides. The Family Expedition pack includes a cd of all the songs.

My Thoughts

If your church is large and everyone is involved, purchasing the needed Family Expedition Packs would costly, for a small church without the resources of a larger body, it could be cost prohibitive. The Family Expedition Packs are $5.99 each. 

I thought the music cd was a little young sounding for older children. Our church uses Group’s vbs for ages preK-6th grade and the songs/voices sounded very much the same.  I thought the leader guide was too scripted and at times could appear fake.   I am not sure families with older children, even just older elementary aged children, would participate. It would be great for a young families get-together.

A funny thing happened at church.

This morning I overheard our pastor’s nine-year old son say, “But dad, my legs are lousy.” Of course I had to ask if that is really what he said and he assured me it was. He explained, “You see Mrs. FullCup, I came up here and my legs were so comfortable I didn’t want to move.”

Or he just didn’t want to sit in the same pew as his brother.

I told him I completely understood because sometimes when I was in bed, I didn’t want to get out and brush my teeth. I knew I needed to but, ….

“You’re just too comfortable.  You’re whole body is lousy.”

I think he should speak for himself.

Just after this conversation, a lady I have known for years. Her daughter and son grew up with my sisters and I. We all attended the same church and school. In fact, her son was my sister’s first boyfriend. Not her first “normal” boyfriend, but when she was in the 5th or 6th grade he was her boyfriend and every one knew it. At least all the girls knew.

Anyway this lady slides down the pew and says, “Good morning, young lady.”  I told her good morning and mentioned that I wasn’t as young as I used to be. She asked if I had recently had a birthday.

Thankfully I haven’t had one since March, but I’m rushing headlong towards the next one.  I told her I was middle-aged and she looked at me with the funniest look on her face and said, “No, you’re not! You still have half your life left.”

Isn’t that what I said?

She went on to say that while I still had half my life left to live she only had at the most 20 years and for her that is scary..or could be.

It’s funny to think I am now older than she was when we met all those years ago. (as in over 30 years ago)

Totally random and not at all related to funnies at church….