I've been reading A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays by Robin Sampson (the author of our Heart of Wisdom unit studies among other things) and I was just struck by one paragraph. Well, really, the entire Introduction, but I'm just blogging on one section. :)
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6
I've been asked several times by well meaning people why I feel like I have to include our faith in our lessons, or why I have to make it a focus in my life. I don't try to have mini sermons prepped for delivery at the start of a conversation, but what happens in my life is (hopefully) weighed and influenced by my faith. So, it struck me when I read the following sentences:
"Professing Christians in America, in general, tend to view "The Church" as a part of their life - only a small part. Life and relationships are divided into quarters, into four distinctly different locations: partly religious (a few hours a week at church), partly educational (school), partly professional (workplace), and partly leisure (home.) Each person in the family is going in separate directions and rarely at home together." (pg 37)
Ok - I'm following that. It matches the questions, comments, and looks I get when I mention the stops by church that I need to make. Or, why I guess some people seem to think that I'm a "Bible-thumper" because I homeschool using faith-based materials, feel drawn to teach and participate heavily at church, and tend to have my faith linked in conversation when it comes up. I'm not trying to separate out my faith. I want my paths straight. It's a gradual coming, with a lot of growth over the last year or two, but I really don't want to have cubby holes filled with little cards declaring this day or moment a "church" moment. Like I tell my kid... what's the point of having ideals/beliefs if you aren't going to use them? (That usually comes out when she is wanting to do "what the other kids are doing.") Well, what's the point of having a strong faith if it doesn't show up in your life? Note that I'm not knocking anyone or saying that people are or aren't doing it right. I am in no way, shape, or form any type of person to point fingers. My house is glass and I know it! (said while scratching at the log in my own eye...)
So, I'm right there reading this and agreeing. I even nodded a bit. lol Until I got to this...
"Even in the church, the only family time spent together in one area at the same time in church - much less worshiping and interacting together or praying together as a family." (p 37)
Mrs. Sampson goes on to talk about the family worship seen in Biblical Hebrew families and in the homes of some families today. All I can say is wow. Here I go on and on about educating my daughter in the home, trying to live out Deut. 6, focus being on the family, etc. I drop my kid off at Sunday School (when she goes... long story but we're having, uh, "issues" with her teachers this year), see her briefly as she head to another group during the children's service that I teach in - though I see her bobbing head during worship - and then we meet up again in the car. We do study the Bible together during the school week, and we pray in the mornings before and after study, but there isn't any family worship going on. I read about how Biblical Hebrew families celebrate the Sabbath together, how families worship together. I'm at a slight disadvantage because though my husband was raised in a conservative home, he no longer practices which means he wouldn't participate even if he held my beliefs. He does fully support my faith being a big part of my life, and my daughter's growing faith as well, but I think it's because it's "my" and not "our." In all ways acknowledge Him.... I guess it doesn't do me much good to have it show up in my life if it isn't in "our" life - even if the "our" isn't but myself and my daughter. I'm keeping a cubby hole filled even if I didn't realize it. I've just started and already I feel convicted of a thing or two...
This might be what originally put me on the path to learning the roots of Christianity and how that might bridge the waters for us a bit. However, with this and several other things that I read and didn't blog on I'm quickly finding that I'm a bit more hungry for it on my own than I thought. My eyes are opening a bit in areas that I didn't expect, and I'm really looking forward to reading the books that I ordered.
Background - Honestly, this book spooked me just a teeny, tiny bit when I first started using HOW. I thought about purchasing it a good year or so ago, but quite frankly I didn't know if I wanted to open that can of worms! I was quite happy just sitting on the sidelines and being the Christian wife of a Jewish husband at his family's holiday celebrations. Ok, not exactly sitting on the sidelines. I really, truly enjoy the celebrations, only I felt like I was supposed to sit on the sidelines because I wasn't Jewish. My dear father in law and dear mother in law always talked to me explaining what was going on and attempting to link it to my beliefs. For that I will always be thankful. But, to think about the how and why of celebrating them excited me on one hand and terrified me on the other. It has that slippery slope appeal to me - make one change and look out! More are coming! Actually, it's because I started wondering about the why behind what we do, what my in law's do, and the possibility that I might need to do something differently than I have been doing for my 30+ years. It's not what this would cover even, but where it might lead. So, I did what any good self concious woman does and didn't buy the book. lol It gnawed at me for the better part of the year as I would come across something in a study or in a conversation that would give me pause. So, with their great sale I picked up this along with a few others in ebook form. (see the reading list --->) I'm SO glad that I did! Much to my husband's dismay I'm sure, I have to print out large portions of my ebooks simply because my broken eyes don't do well on the computer. Funny how I can read a website but reading books doesn't translate without headaches. Perhaps it's the duration, but that's another thought trail... The long of the short of it is that I've been happily reading through the Introduction and Overview at any chance possible today. It's just the neatest thing to see the rich history and significance behind these festivals as well as how the history of the church is both happy/sad/confusing and so much more.
Has anyone read this book or thinking of reading this book? I'd love to discuss it with someone!
1 comment:
LOL this popped up as I was commenting on your weather pixie. I"ve not read this book but am intriqued by it. I may have to pick it up. I look forward to hearing more about it from you.
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