Getting caught up on my "Thiessen" This one reminded me if my roots as well. I was raised Dutch Reformed and all I knew of a Spiritual life was a the ridged discipline of twice Sunday attendance to service with the required standing for singing emotionless hymns to bad pipe organ playing. Then a hard pew listen to whatever the REVEREND was reading. Following in the week by some angry old Dutch fart drilling us with the Heildeburg Catechism and being quizzed in our required memorization of that weeks Lord's Day indoctrination..... Do you get the picture..... That particular congregation called themselves the Free Reformed Church In a town with 5 other divisions of the Reformed refugees that landed there post WW2.
Then I met "Steve" and everything changed.
The son and brother of some the PAOC's finest. And a life devoted to freedom in worship and quiet time......
I've wandered far from both these past 15 years, still attend my home church when the truck allows.... But my mind wanders too, trying to find the balance between those two extremes. Stumbling into your fellowship was an eye opener. Made me dream of ways to redirect my own dwindling fellowship whilst the non denominational gathering around the corner bursts at the seems with boisterous music and end times preaching by a gifted orator....
Happy for those who newly find Christ, I remember those days sooooo long ago.
People are searching again....
My heart aches to find a new balance of devotion, faith and contemplation.
Thanks so much for sharing this glimpse of your journey. It’s always tricky to figure out how to embrace the gifts that were often associated with serious flaws and weaknesses as well. Hope your truck brings you our way again sometime!
Glad you're back Walter. I am probably quite a bit out in left-field but it makes me think of Richard Rohr's 9 stages of growth in which he says that we never really throw any of them away. Maybe with contemplation practices also. Thanks again for your post. They are much appreciated.
Getting caught up on my "Thiessen" This one reminded me if my roots as well. I was raised Dutch Reformed and all I knew of a Spiritual life was a the ridged discipline of twice Sunday attendance to service with the required standing for singing emotionless hymns to bad pipe organ playing. Then a hard pew listen to whatever the REVEREND was reading. Following in the week by some angry old Dutch fart drilling us with the Heildeburg Catechism and being quizzed in our required memorization of that weeks Lord's Day indoctrination..... Do you get the picture..... That particular congregation called themselves the Free Reformed Church In a town with 5 other divisions of the Reformed refugees that landed there post WW2.
Then I met "Steve" and everything changed.
The son and brother of some the PAOC's finest. And a life devoted to freedom in worship and quiet time......
I've wandered far from both these past 15 years, still attend my home church when the truck allows.... But my mind wanders too, trying to find the balance between those two extremes. Stumbling into your fellowship was an eye opener. Made me dream of ways to redirect my own dwindling fellowship whilst the non denominational gathering around the corner bursts at the seems with boisterous music and end times preaching by a gifted orator....
Happy for those who newly find Christ, I remember those days sooooo long ago.
People are searching again....
My heart aches to find a new balance of devotion, faith and contemplation.
Thanks so much for sharing this glimpse of your journey. It’s always tricky to figure out how to embrace the gifts that were often associated with serious flaws and weaknesses as well. Hope your truck brings you our way again sometime!
Thank you for sharing! I couldn’t agree more.
Glad you're back Walter. I am probably quite a bit out in left-field but it makes me think of Richard Rohr's 9 stages of growth in which he says that we never really throw any of them away. Maybe with contemplation practices also. Thanks again for your post. They are much appreciated.