But I must admit I have been less than faithful in church attendance the last few years. I guess if we still had to fill out the offering envelopes like we were given each week back then, I would not be getting 100% these days.
You remember those envelopes. They had the little boxes in which you checked the categories that you did that week. The boxes were labeled something like "Present," "On Time," "Daily Bible Reading," "Contacts," "Offering," and maybe some other categories. As I remember, they all had a percentage attached to each box. I'm not sure which ones ranked higher in the percentages, but somehow they all equaled up to a 100%. I guess that meant if you could check them all then you were a 100% Christian at least for that week.
I was diligent back then. I wanted to be a 100% Christian, so I tried my best to be able to complete each category. The hardest category was the "Daily Bible Readings." Naturally, that would be the hardest--there wasn't a question of being "Present" or "On Time" although now I wonder how Mom did that with four children. I don't think I was ever on time to church (or practically anywhere else) with my three young children. And the older they got, the later we got there.
The "Offering" was a given too. Mom would give us our money to put in. So that was done. And as for the "Contacts," my sister and I were always checking with each other or our friends from church to see if they were going to church. I'm pretty positive that it was more a matter of making sure we had someone to sit with than their spiritual health. Plus then we could check the "Contacts" box! Important.
But that pesky "Daily Bible Reading" took the most discipline. (It's kinda like taking your make-up off now. You feel guilty if you skip it even if you are too tired to do another thing. Nevertheless, you drag yourself to the bathroom and clean your face--feeling quite righteous afterwards.) I remember a few times (okay, many times) thinking I was too tired to read all those verses--in the King James Version, no less. However, knowing come Sunday I would have to fill out my envelope, I would drag the Bible and quarterly to the bed and "read" it. (This too creates that "righteous" feeling--at least back then...well, maybe now a little too!)
Actually, I remember my sister and I sometimes would take turns reading aloud so one person could do the work and two could get the credit. We were both good readers, so it wouldn't take long to say the words. I can't say I was always really reading the words or listening too much to the words, but the Bible was opened and the scheduled readings were duly completed for the day; therefore, even that box could be checked.
So, with such strong and worthwhile habits instilled in me while growing up, you would think it would be a given that I still had these habits. My thoughts exactly. But I have unfortunately learned that bad habits are way easier to keep than good habits. So the fact that I have been returning to my good habit of being "Present" at Sunday School and Church feels right (and maybe, once again, a little righteous!)
But it has also made me wonder about things like "Spirituality." (I wonder if "Spiritual" was one of the boxes that I may have forgotten? Maybe it would be one now if they still had those envelopes.) I know these days more and more people, young and old, have given to being "Home Churched" rather than going to Church--they are "Spiritual" rather than "Religious."
I'm sure there are lots of "official" explanations for this trend. But I am looking for my own personal answer. I guess I am wondering how I can be spiritual, religious, church-going, a 100% Christian each week yet still be me--spirited yet growing in spirituality.
Maybe I'll resort back to the checklist--revisited and revised. This will be my own little church envelope:
 |
| Present |
|
| Bible Reading |
|
| SS/Church |
|
| Offerings |
|
| Spiritual Growth |
Well, it's a start! Obviously, I won't be turning this in each Sunday, but, hopefully, the accountability will be here with this post. I'll let you know. Plus, I really like these cute little pink squares!
Leta
