This post will be in response to one of my best friend's (Jennifer) blog post. She discussed her family's efforts in developing their son's spiritual journey. It doesn't surprise me to hear that both Stephen and Jennifer take it very seriously and carefully conjure up appropriate approaches in assisting Cavett with this exploration. That's only one reasons of many that makes them wonderful parents. So, in the end of her post, Jennifer posed the question to the rest of us readers and wondered what we are doing to with our children in terms of spiritual development.
The timing of the question is perfect for me as it encourages me to go public with our current religious journey. Aside from our daily conversations of intergrating God into our daily purpose, the daily verbal reverance for God's blessings, and the (almost) nightly children's bible readings, Sammy and I have taken two very big steps recently to address that very thing. On Saturday, I have finally confessed to my father-in-law that we have secretly been visiting a Methodist Church. Coming from two very devout Catholic families, it was an extremely scary idea to present such a religious disconnect to my Italian father-in-law. In both of our cherished heritages in our household, our Catholic religion is a BIG part of our culture.
But, I was gently provoked. Isabela asked me last week if we could visit St. Luke's Methodist Church. We have probably been there a total of 5 times and have allowed Isabela to sit with us for the first 20 minutes until just right after the Children's Sermon at the alter with the pastor. We have hoped that she will learn how she should ultimately worship and praise our lord from a pew in a church. In our Catholic church, she remains seated with us for the entire one hour mass. Well, Isabela has obviously been touched in a spiritual way if she has made her own request in how to spend a Sunday morning. So, that was my cue to move along on our recent journey and make more of a firm commitment to a church. So what have I done? Not only did we choose the Methodist Church this week for worship, I also left Isabela in a Sunday School Class. My faith in God was exercised as I left her there without knowing the teachers, without leaving specific intructions on her care, without leaving our names and contact info. We just dropped her off!!! Well, we did ask that they please connect her with Cavett at some point...did Isabela need that? No, I did. But, I trusted in God's love for her.
So, step one is done: Pops knows and he so whole-heartedly approved. Step two: exploring a bible class for Isabela. Now, on to the biggest, step three: Talk to the pastor of the Methodist Church for spiritual guidance. Right now, I know my priority is Isabela. Sammy and I know that we need to find a place and congregation that will assist us with Isabela's faith. The excruciating thing for me is to abandon or slightly relinquish little things I love about practicing Catholicism. It's been a way of life for me, for Sammy and Crystal, too. At this point, my concern is to provide a solid, non-complex Christian foundation for Isabela.
Finally, I must mention that we owe this exposure to our friends The Hills and The Alexanders. Not only did they extend the first invitation to their church for Kendrick's Baptism, they have educated us on the ways of their church...I have had many, many questions. Without their support, we wouldn't have this beautiful experience.
So, for now, until I decide our direction with guidance and prayer, I think we will just be Catholics who attend a Methodist Church....or even better, Christians who attend a Methodist Church.
(pic is of Isabela's Baptism at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in March 2005)
