Wrapping up the Old Year and Blogging in the New Year

Christmas was a wonderful time with family and close friends. My, how I am grateful for the close friends. It was our first Christmas out of our old church. The first Christmas without having families over that had been here for desert for years and years, yet it was not as painful as I thought it might be.

Daughter #1 got married the very same week. Since we had left our old church and many of our friends had decided not to associate with us anymore the number was small and more intimate. We invited many of our old friends whom had also left our CLB after being with us for many years. They had been with us while my daughter was growing up and loved her. They were so wonderful to have. They also seemed grateful for us to all be together. One even wrote me a thank you note for being included. They had no idea how wonderful it was to us to greet each one as they came through the door that day. Each person, each friend, was a gift. Each hug was healing. Although we missed some dear, dear friends who have been blinded by the “truth” that they are living in, the day was somehow very full.

I remember writing on Grace’s comments once when she had hosted a party of old friends, that I could not wait for our turn someday. It was our turn and it was wonderful.

As I enter the new year with my leaving our church behind in the last year, I have pondered what form my blogging will take. I began this blog to have a voice out there to chronicle the leaving from an Apostolic form of church government that became hierarchal and abusive. I wanted others to find it and draw encouragement from my process. It is always a struggle to me though on whether to post the personal stuff or to engage in the many conversations about what the church should be, missional churches, post – charismatic churches, etc, etc, etc. I love those dialogues but somehow don’t think it is time or my place to primarily engage in those topics here. I will as they impact my journey, my every day life, but not as just a topic. I will continue to write ‘my story’ at least till the year in leaving is up in May.