Sometimes three hours of church seems like a long time. I’ve been blessed with a long attention span since kidhood, but still, three hours sometimes just feels like three long hours of people telling me to be better than I am. The clock ticks slowly on, I’m sleepy, I’m hungry, whether I’ve eaten or not, my attention fades in and out of the lesson, while I resist the temptation to check my phone for messages and facebook status updates, I think about what I’m going to eat later, I have side conversations with Rachel and Marie about whether or not my ensemble of teal and lavender works (we say yes!), and I experiment, surprisingly successfully, with independently moving my second toe.
Sometimes I go home, dive into the fridge, and don’t feel like I got anything out of it other than reinforcement of a good habit – like when you have a horrible morning running, but you feel good that at least one got one’s rear out of the house. I know that lots of people say that you get out of church what you put into it, and on one hand, yeah, sure. On the other hand, they must never have sat through a REALLY BORING lesson. But thankfully, there’s usually enough moments that make it worthwhile even on the THREE LONG HOURS days. And today, I appreciate the people that helped give me those moments. The lessons were not boring, despite my almost complete inability to focus on them. And I now actually want to be a somewhat better person, which we can all be thankful for. That want will probably have faded by next Sunday, by which time I’ll be ready to stick on a dress again and go through another three hours of soul work.
Sunday 3 August 2008
Lena Gets Herself Some Religion
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4 comments:
i compare it a bit to going to the temple. one of the best lessons i get out of my time at the temple is that life requires patience and a bit of "letting go." when you get to the best part it really really feels good - but you have to endure the long period beforehand and that makes the final part so enjoyable.
I've stopped thinking of it as a place to feed myself (though I'm always grateful when I get fed, and I often do get fed) and try to think of my presence there as a silent testimony to others of my faith. Because as far as quantity of spiritual learning, I think there are many Sundays where I could have learned as much or more sitting home with my NIV Bible (though of course I couldn't replicate the Sacrament). I have to believe that there are more reasons than educational and sacramental convenience for God asking us to congregate every week. This question is part of my ongoing interest in the social aspect of the LDS Church -- not just the cultural, activities, "nice and warmfuzzy" social angle, but the essential social element. I'm still trying to work out exactly what I think that is, but I have faith that if I keep doing my three-hour blocks one day it will come to me in a flash of blinding light.
And so if I look like I'm paying better attention to the lesson than you, I'm probably just waiting for the flash of blinding light.
Oh, and your outfit was fantastic.
These other comments were so good and all I wanted to say it that I hate it when they have Sunday School in the chapel or SS and RS in the same room. I have to get up in between the classes and move around a bit.
Oh how we have all had the same feelings! Now I have a wiggle child that only allows me to catch bits and pieces. So, I appreciate him for 2 things ... 1) A distraction when I just can't handle the boredom 2) When he is calm or sleeping and I catch something great I appreciate it more. And WOW, independently moving the 2nd toe!
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