[Granny Bear]

^^
Exactly LWC!! I didn't think your post was "long" Jarons, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

I can actually empathize a great deal with a couple of posts on here. I am extremely reluctant to comment on certain topics when it comes to "religion" and associated items.

Stardust's original post reached way down and stirred a lot of emotions and feelings that I have long since buried. Then Spirit had to come along and spark the same feelings. Both Jarons and LWC touched on similiar positions.

I could post a few hundred pages of descriptions of church related experiences, good and bad, and speak from personal experience for all of them. Bottom line, I don't have a traditional "church family ". As long as I can remember, my mom and dad took us to church. They also took an active roll in church services, from being an elder in our particuliar church to choir to young people's meetings. We went to church on Sunday mornngs and evenings and to Bible study on Wednesdays. I am so grateful for that foundation!! I rely on it several times each and every day.

I've never been a "traditional" anything.....most of the time, I question practices and beliefs and doctrine, and search for what God wants me to believe as the "truth" (thanks Mom!!!!) And I don't settle. Because I believe my eternal soul rests on this.

There's a LOT of beliefs that I have retained as fundamental and true, at least for/to me, for the past 60+ years, and even more that I have come to find, are doctrine and "accepted" because it's unseemly to question what is presented by a particuliar church. Hogwash!!

I won't post the several hundred pages that I mentioned earlier
I don't know why that God has brought me to the place where I am this particular time in my life. I have; however, learend that if God brings me here, He will see me through. Perhaps that's why I've had such a tumultuous life. I needed to learn "how" to lean on God and "how" to listen.

I've learned my lesson well.