What I really think, but what Martin won't allow me to put on Facebook...

I'm dying to get something off my chest, and Martin talked me out of putting it on the Facebook thread it belongs with. He reminded me that the person who wrote the statement below is easily offended and would probably just get mad at me for disagreeing. And that Facebook is evil (he's totally right, by the way). There is a reason I have blocked her. But I REALLY want to express my feelings.

Church was cancelled on Sunday because we got a fairly significant amount of snow--for England, anyway. Emma posted something about how she was looking forward to a Sunday with no church, and a light-hearted discussion ensued. Until this comment:

"Dont want to cause a row but if going to church is such a chore, why go? You cant change how you feel inside and dont need to prove anything to anyone by visiting a building once a week cos you are lovely anyway x Unless you look forward with enthusiasm to things, life really is too short to do anything other than what you have to (work to pay the bills, shopping to buy the food etc etc) but the rest should be pure joy x ♥ x"

Although I can see the point, I really have to disagree with the sentiment. I feel that some of the most valuable things we will ever do in this life are the ones that we don't actually want to do. Things like taking care of a sick child in the middle of the night. Things like caring for your spouse, who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's. Things like looking after your ageing parents who can no longer care for themselves. It's doing the things that you would give anything to NOT do that defines your character, lifts you above the average, and makes you a person of great worth.

Going to church every Sunday IS a chore right now--there's no doubt about it. But I am willing to make that sacrifice, even if it isn't "pure joy," because I know that I only have a few precious years when my children are young and teachable. I need to show them NOW that there is more to life than the here and now. I need to teach them, by my own example, that some sacrifices are worth making. I know the worth of my religion. I know the limits that it places on my life, but I know the boundless rewards as well. I want those rewards for my children, because I love them. So I will continue to attend to this weekly "chore," in the hopes that it will ennoble me and bless the lives of future generations.

And I will continue to do a happy dance when I learn that we have a week off and can spend the day with just our family instead.

(this post has been Martin-approved)