Let us go!

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."
~Psalm 122:1

Some Sundays going to church is just what one does on Sunday morning. This Sunday I was really looking forward to going, and I was not disappointed. It was wonderful to be with God's people, singing songs of worship to Him and hearing His word preached. Church isn't an obligation or ritual. The meeting together of believers in the name of Jesus is a blessing to those who gather.

I have been going to a different church lately than I was going to in the past (still going back to the other from time to time). It's a Free Methodist church that has very contemporary music (not charismatic, certainly not pentecostal, but the kind of church where people actually move and might raise hands or clap) and a pastor who preaches topically rather than through a book of the Bible (but still very no nonsense, preach the word of God as it is written) and doesn't wear a suit and tie every week. I feel more welcomed there and the laid back atmosphere is definitely more to my liking. After more than 2 years at the church I was going to, I felt like I still didn't connect with the people there. This church has several small groups that meet throughout the week, and though I am not in one yet, that's something that drew me there.

I was thinking earlier this week about how we approach our lives as Christians and how faulty our thinking can be. We are no better Christians if we do the things we are supposed to do and don't do the things we aren't supposed to do if we are acting in our own power than those Christians who continually fail while acting in their own power. In reality, how long can we do the right stuff in our own power before we start to fail? The better Christian walks in the power of Jesus Christ given to us through His indwelling Spirit, and when the better Christian falls (because he will still fall as long as he is bound to the flesh), he falls on Jesus. Sometimes it just seems easier to do it ourselves, but we don't have to anymore.

Now I know all of you are really here to find out more about the dog, so I'll give the update on her. She is doing a good job sleeping at night. She doesn't cry when she's put in the crate anymore and doesn't ask to be let out often. Housebreaking is still...in progress. She is starting to get her adult fur now. It's still kind of short, but the thicker, brighter white, curlier fur is growing now. That means she's getting matted quickly. And I can't find her brush! It's somewhere in the living room, but hiding. I need to find it before she gets any worse. Above all, she's still darn cute!