feel good religion (170)

My question today is this, What's wrong with a little "feel good" religion? I've heard this term tossed about a time or two and it always seems to come with a frown, a tone, a sense of the unacceptable. And I've always been puzzled by the negative connotation. Which has led me to ponder other questions such as, should religion NOT make us feel good? And since when is feeling good a bad thing?

Many times the church has been referred to as a hospital for the sick. Now I don't know about you but when I am sick and go to the hospital I'm hoping that as a result of my visit to the hospital I'll eventually feel good. Often it's a process as the healing takes time. But during my time there the people on staff do all they can to make me feel good. So much so there's even a survey waiting on me in my mailbox when I get home. I feel it's okay if the church (hospital)and the pastors("staff") operate the same way. Like a visit to the doctor there are times when we are given bad news or our test results are less than desirable in the church I liken this to the hellfire and brimstone sermons or perhaps tithing (tee hee hee). But regardless of the prognosis the goal is to make me well, make me comfortable, make me feel good.

When I think about people who are home bound who tune into the TV evangelist, preacher I guessing they tuned in for some sort of healing. Weather they're fully aware or not what or why they've decided to tune in to hear a message, they tuned in. They sought to hear the word of God, perhaps with hope of feeling good. Now you or I may not care for the delivery or messanger but what we need to be thankful for is the delivery of the Message. We need to be prayerful that the recipient of the Message will find healing in God and accept Him as their own.

So weather you tune in on Sunday morning for a little TV feel good religion or you load up and go in seek of a new church or stick with "your" church I think we'd all have to agree we're all in search of a little "feel good" religion. For like you I too am sick and am in need of healing.


If I've done my math properly(MG grad here so don't count on it) 170 days remain in this school year. But who's counting? ME ME ME!!! (lol) So far so good really. Matt has experienced a few mental errors in math but we've discussed them and when he realized if he had PAID ATTENTION he would have received an 9/10 v. the 5/10. If only huh? Hopefully next time. Lesson learned perhaps? Hope so. I read some of his journals from the 1st week of school and I must say I shed a tear. Wow is that boy insightful! Beyond his years really. Kathryn too is doing well. She has really stepped up her initiative this year. ('bout time) I'm excited for her and so admire her determination.

I didn't get to walk this morning as I'm home waiting for andy to received a delivery. ( & blogging & doing laundry) Work tonight. :) I like my job. Hard to call it a job really as I work for friends and get to serve some of the kindest people I've ever met. I read somewhere recently that 'if you find yourself working in the food industry your life has taken a wrong turn somewhere.' I'd have to say I disagree with this statement. This is where I need to be at this time. I don't know all the reasons why but I do have a suspicion as to what the possibilities are. And I'm down with that! If there's one thing I've figured out is that God puts me where He wants me. I'm down with that too. His plan is far better than any I could come up with on my own.

The phone call...well, I made it, and the phone line was down. I find that kinda funny. Courtesy of cellular technology I was able to get a message to my mom that I was trying to contact her and also received word that she was "fine". Then at 10pm my phone rang and as expected she let me know how long it had been since she had heard from me (she was off by a day) and that she supposed she had been "ok" since I hadn't bothered to check. (answer to another prayer)

Some pretty special kids embarked on their college careers yesterday! Upon hearing from 3/4 all went well. Talked to the mom of the 4th & she's doing well too. (yay!)

Prayer list for today: Kids & young adults and those educating them; adoptions; those with cancer and extended illnesses; families. Please join me in lifting up these concerns. I suspect you too know someone listed above.

It's a beautiful day folks...Thanks for reading, now go & enjoy a loved one!