This is my oldest website. I say website instead of blog because it wasn’t a blog in the beginning. It was a place for our family to post photos and keep in touch with far-flung members. As time passed, we all grew more busy and the grandchildren grew up. Posting here became sporadic. Then it became nonexistent. In the meantime, we had set up a company website for the part-time business my brother Jim and I engage in. I finished my Creative Writing/Journalism degree and set up a writing blog. Jim set up a website for his photography and, finally, we started a travel blog to allow family and friends to follow us on our journeys. I had pretty much forgotten about this one.
Then something called me back to it. At first, it made me sad. It seemed that our family had drifted apart. But, I realized that wasn’t true. We were just using other methods of communication. Hardly a day passes without texts being sent from one state to another. Cell phone calls for support, instruction, or planning purposes are common. Facebook pulls us all into its starving maw. It warms my soul when I find something shared by one of my loved ones and my comment leads to someone else joining in. We frequently engage in multi-state conversations that may include friends as well as family members.
So, it seemed time to re-purpose Mamaw’s Homeplace. Instead of a family visiting center, that “something” urged me to make it a personal thing. It began as a kind of memoir effort. Talking about my life past and present. As time passed, Something said it should have a more focused purpose. That it should be inspirational. The posts should be essays. A place to publish non-fiction writing. I argued that I already had Reading to Write for that. That inner voice said, “But that’s mostly fiction. This one should be about your faith journey.” My immediate response was, “No, that’s too personal.” The second excuse was, “I’m not qualified to discuss religion in a public forum.”
That “Something” then led me to the Religious Studies program at Western Kentucky University. So, it’s been more than a year now. I feel as though I have barely scratched the surface of what I need to know. Still, Something is telling me it is time to begin. I still feel that it is too personal and I am not qualified to tell anyone else what to think about religion. So, I am trying to figure out where to begin and what direction to go in. It feels like the most dangerous endeavor I have ever embarked upon. I am not ready. I may never be ready.
As I am re-visioning my school plans and trying to jump-start my stalled writing engine, I have filled out my editorial calendar once again. I have scheduled a post on each of my four blogs once a week. I have even chosen topics for the remainder of the month. Mondays are for this one. This week’s topic is supposed to be Disciples beliefs. I was raised in the Disciples church, specifically the First Christian Church of Madisonville, KY. I specify because Disciples churches are eclectic. Our basic tenet is “Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent.” The problem starts when we try to define what the Bible says and what it means for today’s world. So, I must first state that my opinions, my view of things, do not, necessarily, represent the Disciples Church Per Se.
It’s kind of like the disclaimer we are familiar with on TV. The opinions of this speaker do not represent the station that she comes from. Because our church professes to be “a servant church welcoming all persons to the journey of knowing and experiencing God’s love and grace” it does not tell us what we must believe, but expects us to study the Bible, pray for guidance, and explore the writings of a variety of religious leaders from all corners of the world. My church gave me my foundation. I have used that foundation to build my own inner place of worship and prayer. It may not always be comfortable for my fellow travelers. It’s not always comfortable for me either. Still, I hope to be part of the “movement for wholeness in a fragmented world,” that most Disciples churches endeavor to create.
Some weeks, this may still be more about memoir than religion. Sometimes it may descend into a rant against things in our society that frustrate, irritate, or infuriate me. If so, please have patience and I promise to recover my self control. But, woven into the mix, there will be a thread of Faith. I may not succeed. I don’t promise to please. I can’t swear to always be correct or even consistent. I do swear to try and be as honest as I can. This is as much a journey for me as for anyone else. I still feel uncomfortable when I consider exposing my inner thoughts about my faith to a world that can be cruel and judgmental.
In spite of that trepidation, I plead for your comments. Because I come from a Christian background, my attitude and opinions will be colored by that. However, as I study all forms of religion, I am interested in other viewpoints and discussions as well. I promise to listen to any reasonable disagreements and respond in a like manner. I am still learning. I hope to learn from others as I attempt to impart my own thoughts and meditations. I am looking to engage in conversation, not preach sermons. Let us seek a peaceful way of coming together.
