New Year's Resolution (I hope this is one that sticks)

A New Year's Resolution for me this year is to go back to church. It has been a long time, Christmas Eve doesn't count. We always seem to break New Year's Resolutions. But, I truly hope this is one that sticks.

My parents didn't take us to church when we were kids. Mostly, I think, because my dad didn't want to go. When I was 8, we moved to Jacksonville. Our next door neighbor had a girl our age. We became friends and her mother took us to church. I don't think I ever told Miss Kathy thank you for that. But, I have always been thankful for her taking us to church with her. If not for her taking us, we may not have ever been introduced to a religion. So, thank you Miss Kathy! Please know that you made a difference! Baptist happened to be a good fit for us too. So, even though I have not constantly gone to church, I have always considered myself Baptist.

As I grew up, I always felt that God knows I love him, Jesus knows I believe in him. So, I don't need to go to church to prove that. But, maybe church is more than that. Maybe going to church every Sunday just makes you feel closer to God. Kind of like a grandparent that you only see on holidays compared to the grandparent that you see throughout the year. You are obviously going to have a closer relationship with the grandparent that you see more often.

So, this morning, Aaron and I went to a church down the street that I have been meaning to try out since we moved here 12 years ago. Jay had to work. But, maybe when he has a Sunday off, he'll go with us. I gave Aaron the choice to either go with me to the service or to go to Sunday School. He decided to go to Sunday School. It was nice for him because he knew one of the kids in there from his Karate class. I didn't know anyone. There was mostly a lot of older people in the service. But, that's probably because I decided to go to the early traditional service. In the past, I have gone to the contemporary services at other churches. But, I have found that I am more comfortable in the traditional services. Probably because all of my church experience, from when I was younger was in the traditional format. I just don't get all the hand raising and dancing in the contemporary services. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it just isn't for me. So, I hope the traditional services don't go away.

It was really nice to be back in the church setting. Everyone I met was really nice and I enjoyed listening to the choir. The pastor had a really good sermon that I think Jay would have enjoyed as well. I had always put off going to church because I want to take my time and make sure that the church is a good fit for me. I think this may be a good one. It wasn't too big that I felt lost and it wasn't so small that I felt like I was on display as the "new person". I also need to make sure that I can't use the typical excuses for not going. It's not too far away from home. It took us less than 5 minutes to get there. The early service is at 9:15, so, we don't have to get up too early.

I know it was the right thing to do this morning. Aaron was a chatterbox as we were leaving telling me all about the movie they watched on Moses and the memory verse they learned. It was so nice to hear him excited to talk about it. So, the plan is definitely to go back again next Sunday. :)