- Easthaven Baptist Church
Our Sunday mornings are usually rushed. Not only do we scramble for church clothes (which now I am thrilled to death, includes jeans), but Logan is enrolled in the Buckaroos ski program from one to three pm on Sundays and we have to round up a multitude of ski garb.
This morning was different. I woke up early. I was relaxed. Logan was sleeping in. I took a hot bath. I was in no hurry to go anywhere. I had googled our destined church service and if we were in good time, we were headed to the First Presbyterian Church with a service at 10am. If we were running late, there was a 10:15am service at the United Methodist Church. Both churches are in Whitefish, which is the quaint town at the base of Big Mountain.
Still soaking in my hot bath, I reach over to take a look at the time on my cell phone. It was nine thirty and Logan was still sleeping. I took a deep breath and decided in that instant that I was not going to turn into the crazed pre-church maniac that normally possesses me. I took another deep breath and knew there was a back up plan. Evening service.
The day had its ups and downs, including a warning on my windshield when I had parked in the kid drop off zone for longer that the 30 minute maximum time limit; a texting quarral with my ex, ending with a rejected plea for him to join us at church (he might get a thing or two out of it) and the up of Logan turning and stopping on his own with rave reviews from his underpaid instructor, Austin. We managed to get down the mountain, stop at the house to strip off a layer of clothing and head to Easthaven Baptist Church.
This was our second visit to Easthaven. We attended a morning service in December with a friend and her four year old son. The evening service happens to be led by a Pastor Matthew Fitzwater…a classmate I last saw at my twenty-year high school reunion, when I no doubt had a few cocktails in me. I remember him having more hair, but he still has a great smile and a kind demeaner. His lovely wife greeted us with a program as we entered the sanctuary.
The evening service offers a relaxed atmosphere with low lighting and glowing candles. The music was folksy and welcomed us with warm fuzzies. (Well…that’s how I felt. I swear I am drinking nothing but water as I write this entry!) A lady introduced herself and invited Logan to the preschool program offered in the middle of the service…after the music, before the sermon. We were early, so we had time to preregister him out in the lobby. I am glad they laughed when I answered, “Church” to their question, “Is he allergic to anything?” Finding God, does not mean I have to leave my sense of humor at the sacrificial altar, does it?
During the folksy singing part of the service, Logan sat on my lap and and we both had some toe-tapping rhythms moving through us. A handful of young women were in the row behind us and I would have voted for them in the early rounds of an American Idol season. It was pleasant.
When they excused the kids, I took Logan to the children’s wing for Preschool Praise, where they also have a cool jungle gym like you find at McDonald’s. Logan was excited at the beginning, but when push came to shove to leave the little guy…he chose the boring church service over the jungle gym. He clung to my leg and I am not one to force him in uncomfortable situations. So, back to the sanctuary to hear what my homey Matt had to say.
He had us refer to our Bibles. Psalms 119. Now let me say, I have to look in the table of contents (or whatever the Bible equivilent is) to see where to turn for the books of the Bible. I think that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are grouped together, but whatever knowledge I had of the Bible must have seen its last day during my phase of jello shots and Bartles and James wild berry wine coolers in my early twenties. I turned to Psalms. I saw Book I, so when he said one-nineteen. I was looking for chapter nineteen in book one…then looking for the verse…couldn’t find it, so was looking at chapter one, but there are not nineteen verses in chapter one. I was lost. I reluctantly glanced at a person in the row in front of us and saw 119…ok, how hard can this Bible verse thing be? Geez, I have a long way to go!
Matthew had some great things to say. Talking about how we need to be prepared in difficult situations. He compared a hunting trip where the truck slid off the muddy road in Eastern Montana, miles from the ranch house and trying to dig out the truck with hunting knives and spoons. Since that experience, he is better prepared, making sure he has a shovel and a few other manly tools.
Do I want to fight life’s battles with a butter knife or a sword? Pastor Matthew challenged us to memorize some verses, so that we may refer to them in a time of need. Not just look them up in our Bible, or Google a verse or two, but to memorize them. Feel them resonate in our hearts. I can relate with the Serenity Prayer. The Serenity Prayer has certainly helped me during some difficult times during a five-year relationship with an alcoholic. I admit I still say it under my breath at work now and again when dealing with difficult people or while driving behind a tractor when I am in a big hurry. It’s simple. It helps. So, I guess I should look up a verse or two and see what I find.
Seeking God is not a like 70/30 health plan or 80/20 mortgage as Matthew indicated. It’s 100%.
So, my journey continues. One step and one percentage at a time.
Thanks for following.
If you are reading my blog for the first time, please read the archives. It tells about my journey. I plan to visit a different church service each week during 2012.
Tell Me All Your Thoughts on God 
Hey there, I am so glad your journey brought you our way. I hope you come back again, I promise to give out a page number next time! I hope in your journey you discover the goodness of God, and His great love for you and Logan.
– your homey,
Matt
Thank you for the great service! We are making our rounds but will be back for sure! Keep checking in with my journey!
The Serenity prayer was my mother’s favorite. She quoted parts of it time and again….especially the ‘accept things I cannot change’. I have the prayer taped to a pull out in my desk. Nice.