Our family have been trained since birth to go to Church...although our paths took various routes as we approached adulthood....
...like Derik, who is 2 years older than I am, had by the time he was 17, fallen "madly in love." He had meant a girl a little over a year ago, her name is Charity, and Charity is really nice.
The thing about Charity..she is not catholic. She is a protestant who is very active in her church. She had invited Deric to go with her to her church... and as time went on, Deric began to enjoy the church Charity attended...to the point he was seriously thinking of joining her church and dissin' the catholic church. Well, he didn't say it like that...but that is basically what was going on. Now, all he had to do is explain this to Mom and Dad...good luck with that Deric.
I have never figured out why there are so many different kinds of Christian churches. The way I look at it...it seems to defeat the purpose of what being a Christian is anyway. I mean we are suppose to tell people the importance of going to church and how much Jesus loves them...and then warn them about who is right and who is wrong...within this great amount of people who claim to be Christian. It just doesn't seem to add up.
And I have had conversations with people from protestant churches, and when they ask me what denomination I belong to, and I say I am catholic...they act like I have a terrible disease or something. I mean I do realize all the priests who have turned out to be pervs...yet, we do believe in Jesus.
Now, that is what I have come to like about Charity. She did not question my beliefs, which at this time was rather confusing. She simply liked to hang out with me, talk about fashion, about food, and about guys!
During Christmas time we went together and watched the "Nutcracker", performed live on
stage. We really had a good time...and both of us really enjoyed the performance. A funny thing happened...there was this guy standing up in the balcony, he was holding this large card that read: "John 3:16". I looked at Charity and said, "Why do people do that? You see these signs at pro football games. at social events, and at almost any gathering where there is a lot of people?" Charity looked at me and said: " I know...it does appear kind of weird...but they must feel they are doing what they feel is the right thing to do. And John 3:16... is a great reminder!"
I thought to myself..."Charity...what is a John 3:16? I really have no clue!" But instead, I looked at Charity and simply said: "Yea."
As we approached the winter months of January and February, Charity and I had a lot of time together. Deric had a manufacturing job in addition to farm work, and he was busy...working on both!
One day, Charity and I were goofin' around...pretending we were being pursued by some great looking "hunks" like Brad Pitt or Matthew Modine (love this guy), and we happened to touch on the subject of the John 3:16 thing.
Charity asked me, "So you think it is weird why people hold those signs up with John 3:16?"
I looked at her and finally confessed...I felt so comfortable with "Char"... as I called her: "Char...I got to be honest...what is John 3:16?"
Charity looked at me and laughed...I mean laughed, and then responded: "You are tricky Girl... thought you knew! John 3:16 is a passage from the Bible...and there are those who will stake their lives on it!"
I looked at her and said: "What does it say?" Charity looked at me...and said: " Don't quote me word for word on this..but here is what I am thinkin': "God so deeply prized..each one of us...that He was willing to give up His Only True Son...to come and get us. Our hope became embedded in this thought: Anyone who is willing to put their trust in Him...will learn and know the meaning...to Eternal Life. And that my friends is the Good News...we are acquitted from all our sin...because He took all sin... upon Himself, and because He loves us...so very much... we are now able...to find our true freedom!"
I then looked at Charity and said: "Wow Charity...so He gave His life...for us? What did I do...that God became so upset with me?"
Just then...on January 23rd...something weird and very heart wrenching...happened.
Charity's Mom came in the room where we were at...it was quite obvious she had been crying. She called Charity over and whispered something. Charity began to cry...and then turned her watery eyes toward me. She grabbed my hands...and said the words I will remember as long as I live: "Annie...your father has just passed away."
I was stunned...like almost frozen, and I said to her: "So much for John 3:16. I knew it wasn't true"....and I layed my head on Charity's shoulder...tears wanting to come...but were not able..."Why did God decide to...kill my Dad?"..." I will not be sucked in...to this two-faced belief...This Christian..."God"...is a horrible man!...."
...like Derik, who is 2 years older than I am, had by the time he was 17, fallen "madly in love." He had meant a girl a little over a year ago, her name is Charity, and Charity is really nice.
The thing about Charity..she is not catholic. She is a protestant who is very active in her church. She had invited Deric to go with her to her church... and as time went on, Deric began to enjoy the church Charity attended...to the point he was seriously thinking of joining her church and dissin' the catholic church. Well, he didn't say it like that...but that is basically what was going on. Now, all he had to do is explain this to Mom and Dad...good luck with that Deric.
I have never figured out why there are so many different kinds of Christian churches. The way I look at it...it seems to defeat the purpose of what being a Christian is anyway. I mean we are suppose to tell people the importance of going to church and how much Jesus loves them...and then warn them about who is right and who is wrong...within this great amount of people who claim to be Christian. It just doesn't seem to add up.
And I have had conversations with people from protestant churches, and when they ask me what denomination I belong to, and I say I am catholic...they act like I have a terrible disease or something. I mean I do realize all the priests who have turned out to be pervs...yet, we do believe in Jesus.
Now, that is what I have come to like about Charity. She did not question my beliefs, which at this time was rather confusing. She simply liked to hang out with me, talk about fashion, about food, and about guys!
During Christmas time we went together and watched the "Nutcracker", performed live on
stage. We really had a good time...and both of us really enjoyed the performance. A funny thing happened...there was this guy standing up in the balcony, he was holding this large card that read: "John 3:16". I looked at Charity and said, "Why do people do that? You see these signs at pro football games. at social events, and at almost any gathering where there is a lot of people?" Charity looked at me and said: " I know...it does appear kind of weird...but they must feel they are doing what they feel is the right thing to do. And John 3:16... is a great reminder!"
I thought to myself..."Charity...what is a John 3:16? I really have no clue!" But instead, I looked at Charity and simply said: "Yea."
One day, Charity and I were goofin' around...pretending we were being pursued by some great looking "hunks" like Brad Pitt or Matthew Modine (love this guy), and we happened to touch on the subject of the John 3:16 thing.
Charity asked me, "So you think it is weird why people hold those signs up with John 3:16?"
I looked at her and finally confessed...I felt so comfortable with "Char"... as I called her: "Char...I got to be honest...what is John 3:16?"
Charity looked at me and laughed...I mean laughed, and then responded: "You are tricky Girl... thought you knew! John 3:16 is a passage from the Bible...and there are those who will stake their lives on it!"
I looked at her and said: "What does it say?" Charity looked at me...and said: " Don't quote me word for word on this..but here is what I am thinkin': "God so deeply prized..each one of us...that He was willing to give up His Only True Son...to come and get us. Our hope became embedded in this thought: Anyone who is willing to put their trust in Him...will learn and know the meaning...to Eternal Life. And that my friends is the Good News...we are acquitted from all our sin...because He took all sin... upon Himself, and because He loves us...so very much... we are now able...to find our true freedom!"
I then looked at Charity and said: "Wow Charity...so He gave His life...for us? What did I do...that God became so upset with me?"
Just then...on January 23rd...something weird and very heart wrenching...happened.
Charity's Mom came in the room where we were at...it was quite obvious she had been crying. She called Charity over and whispered something. Charity began to cry...and then turned her watery eyes toward me. She grabbed my hands...and said the words I will remember as long as I live: "Annie...your father has just passed away."
I was stunned...like almost frozen, and I said to her: "So much for John 3:16. I knew it wasn't true"....and I layed my head on Charity's shoulder...tears wanting to come...but were not able..."Why did God decide to...kill my Dad?"..." I will not be sucked in...to this two-faced belief...This Christian..."God"...is a horrible man!...."
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