I Finally Got To Church Again

I finally got to church again…

This may come as a surprise to many.

I Know Most people have a certain vision of what church is. I am different from any you will ever meet. Life has been hectic, and for many reasons, I just have not made it a point of getting to spend some quality time in church. It has been too long. I visit church every day, but just not enough. Yesterday, I finally went to church again for an entire day. Yup, it was not a Sunday. It was Tuesday. There was most definitely The Blessing of The Water. There was definitely some Mud Slinging, Some devastation, some restored hope, some cold-chills, and even some hot air. There were slippery-slopes, and even those who slithered a bit. I even saw the scared, and the joyous. I saw some struggling for life, and even those who are happily feasting. There were bright moments, and even very dark times. I saw some searching for shelter, and those who were content even if their home had just been wrecked. I saw those of every color, and from every age group. Even The Lighting and Sound were impressive. The show was spectacular.

Everyone has a different reason for why they go to church. Some go for the ritual. Some go for fellowship. Some go for spirituality. Some go for reasons nobody else would understand. Some go to “be in God’s House”. Some go to hear God’s words. Some go to be told what to do. Some go to learn. Some go for social reasons. For every single person on this Earth, there is a different reason why they go to church.

I know most churches exist within a formal structure, or building, and while they are supposedly barrier-free, they are in fact full of barriers. The very nature of most churches is all about barriers, fitting-in, and acceptance of only those who fit the description desired by those who run the church. Too many churches force their members to fit into certain beliefs, or even certain behaviors. This is why there are so many various types of churches. Each one caters to a different group of people. Most people are not allowed to be themselves, but must act like something they are not in order to be accepted at a church. Most people need to dress a certain way to attend church. Most churches ask their members to pay for the privilege of attending. Many churches tell their member when and where they can attend. Many churches tell their members when to stand, when to sit, when to say hello to their neighbor, and when to pray, sing, or applaud. For those who find pleasure in these sorts of churches, I am happy for them. I am glad they find what they need, and would never attempt to discourage them from finding that joy, or attending their church. That is not the church for me. I have attended many, and even found joy in various parts of each of them. None I have attended have given me Totally what I need in a church.

Why Do I go to Church? I have many reasons: Spirituality, stress-relief, and to uplift my soul. The Most important reason I go to church is to spend time with God. Do not misinterpret this, because I can, and DO Spend Every single moment of my life with God. By going to church, I can forget everything else happening in life, and Only focus on God. When I try and focus on God while immersed in everything else life throws our way, it is easy to focus on life, and not on God. It seems too much of our daily lives are not about God, and especially the people we are forced to be around on a daily basis. Very few businesses make God a priority, let alone recognize there Is a God. When I go to church, I can see exactly what God wants me to see. When I go to church, Nothing else matters. When I go to church, I can be free. I can be Myself. I can be the Unique Human God has created Me to be. When I go to church, I can forget everything, and everyone else. When I go to church, God is THE ONLY ONE who judges ME. When I go to church, I can wear whatever I want to wear, or be as naked as I choose. To God, it does not matter what I do, or do not wear. God welcomes me. God created me. God does not care how I spend time with Him, only that I DO. My church does not ask me to pay for the joy it offers. My church does not ask me to attend only at certain times, on certain days. My church does not decide for me when, or even where I pray. My church does not decide which music I should listen to, or when I should sing along. My church does not even ask me to praise God. When one is in my church, there is never a moment that one could possibly forget you are in God’s House. My church is never heated or cooled by mechanical means, but it is always a perfect. My church does not need to worry about if the roof will leak when it rains, because when at my church, you would expect to get wet if it rained. The lighting in my church is always perfect…sometimes extremely bright, and often extremely dark…but never so dark I cannot see what I need to see. The sound-system is the oldest style known to man, never malfunctions, and Always delivers the most pure sounds. My church does not even ask that I bring others along with me. In fact, it seems to thrive with less people. I often am all alone when I go, but it hardly feels lonely in such a wonderful place. Occasionally I will find another who wishes to attend with me, and they are always amazed at how magnificent it is.
One might wonder where this wonderful church is that I can be free.

This Wonderful Church is not a secret, nor is it hidden. It is widely advertised, and even known by all. Every human is aware it exists, but not many choose to go there. This church is not new, nor is it trendy. This church has existed as long as humans have on this Earth. This Church is NATURE. Nature is my church. It is not about religion, but about spirituality.

Nature is known by many names: Mother Nature, The Great Outdoors, Outside, and sometimes Mother Earth. There are easily hundreds more, but they all mean the same thing. Whatever name one wishes to call it, it is all the same. Some wish to claim God does not exist. That is fine. Those who enjoy all He has created, and still deny he exists have Waaay more faith than I do. It is really easy to accept, and acknowledge God than to go through life denying one exists. Some of my greatest friends do not believe in God. We can still enjoy Nature together. We each go for the same reasons, yet call it something else. Literally, we attend the same church. Nature does not care of you believe, or not. It exists, we enjoy it. Call it what you want, you are still enjoying it, and getting the benefits of it. I can take my most adamant “There is No God” friends out in Nature, and they always love it. I do not have to tell them I am taking them to My Church, but they get the same thing out of it as I do. Often when admiring nature, you hear the non-believer exclaim, “Oh My God, This is beautiful!” I do not bother to remind them that they claim to not believe.

If I could live solely in nature, instead of in a society-deemed necessary dwelling among others, I would. It is virtually illegal, and almost impossible in most of today’s world to be allowed to live with nature. Our world has deemed it necessary to live a certain way, and attempt to block-out all of what God has created. I thrive in nature, and enjoy every moment I can outdoors. Often, living in today’s “indoor-world” I find I do not get out in Nature enough. Living in a large city is also a hindrance for enjoying nature. I must work daily just to take time to enjoy the sky, air, weather, and all that is natural around me daily. While I hate the living requirements in the city, I also willingly submit rather easily to the creature comforts created by indoor-living. I moved into this apartment in March. By mid-April, I had set-up my comfy-chair on my balcony so I could use my computer outside. I was on my balcony every chance I got… until the September rains drove me indoors. Now I have my comfy chair set-up just inside the open window. I can still see the sky, feel the fresh air, and feel the breeze, just not get as wet while using the computer. You might ask why I am using a computer, if I would rather be in nature? Simple. I admit to having adapted to many of the creature comforts. You can bet that if I lived in nature, I would find plenty to do, rather than be on a computer. (And You would not be reading this blog, because I would not have created it.) When in nature, I can find a comfy log, or rock to sit, or rest on, but in our society, I am forced to buy a chair which hardly comes close to the comforts provided by nature. Apartment complexes frown upon things that occur while living in nature. I cannot chop wood, carve great walking sticks, or even have a fire for outdoor cooking. I cannot keep deer, birds, and raccoons as pets. Nor can I live amid the high limbs of a tree. If you even climb a tree in the city, you risk arrest. Forget living naked in the city. Just the mere sight of a naked person freaks out most people in the city. In nature, there is seldom anybody else around, and those who happen to be never have a problem with seeing a naked person. In the city, I cannot wash in a stream, or waterfall. I am forced by society to wash in a walled-in room without even a window. If you have ever had the pleasure of showering in the open-air, you know nothing compares. Growing your own food in your own garden is such a wonderful treasure. Gardens in a city are not easy for one to do. I cannot sleep under the stars, for fear of being mugged, beaten, and robbed in my sleep. I am forced to sleep indoors, keeping a radio, or fan on to drown out the ruckus created by society outside my walls. In nature, it is hardly silent at night. It is often a cacophony of sounds, but they are so peaceful, and easily lull one to sleep. While lying down, you can watch the stars, and often not even realize you have drifted off to sleep until you hear the morning birds greeting you. I am forced to close, and lock doors to keep others from taking what few things I actually do have. Yes, I would happily live among bears, rather than among the humans in most cities. With bears, one knows what they want, and why. City humans are a different kind of creature, and one never can understand their reasoning. If I had the chance, and did not have to work, live, and survive in a city, I would take that in a heartbeat! Yep! I would gladly attend Church Every single living moment of my life.

Yesterday, I finally got to go out in nature for an entire day. It was a stormy day, and looked to be cold, wet, rainy, and full of thunderstorms. Nature delivered exactly that… and more! I got all the storm I had expected, Plus a bonus of sunshine, and slight warmth after the storm. I saw flooding, and devastation. I saw many critters who looked scared, soaked, and homeless, and at the same time, I saw many critters thriving under the conditions. The ground was saturated, muddy, mucky, and treacherous to traverse. It was Wonderful! Lakes, rivers, and puddles suddenly appeared where normally only dry sand would be. I saw rivers magically appear, creating their own path as the water, mud, rock, and sand surged downhill, finding the easiest path. It was amazing to watch as something that would be almost impossible for a human to move was transformed in minutes by nature. As fast as the desert can be torn-up by the storms, it seems to regenerate itself just as quickly. One area which had been burned bare in early spring was as lush and thriving on this fall visit. I could not walk among the burned trees because of the thick brush which had grown in the area. The birds, insects, and lizards were thriving. The rain turned all the desert-brush brilliant-green in a matter of hours, compared to what would normally just be shades of brown, grey, and dust. I saw trees that had been uprooted and deposited elsewhere from the floods, yet magically, there were the most delicate wild-flowers still rooted in the same spot. Even after the thunderstorm passed, there were cold winds, and even a few threats of more rain. The clouds were incredible, and danced, changed color, shape, and size in mere minutes. The shades of blue created were spectacular! A Painter with a vivid imagination could not create skies the way nature does. Even the color of the ground, which is normally grey, brown, and sometimes slightly red, was more colorful than I could have painted myself. Every dust-covered rock now was washed-clean, glistening, sparking, and wanting to be noticed.

I saw a lizard that had gotten mired in the muck, and almost gave-up from exhaustion. I helped him to higher ground. He shook off the muck, and went on his way. I saw birds, insects, and fish of almost every type, color, size and shape. As the sun set, I saw the bats come out, and heard the cries of the coyotes all around. The colors and magic in the sunset was breath taking! As the flood waters receded, I saw herons, ducks, and egrets go back to their reeds to settle in for the night. The fish and frogs were happily dining on the surface of the now-calm waters. Not one of these wild critters worried about me. They went about their life as though I was part of it.
How about you? Will you attend Church with me? Would You live in my church? I will always treasure what little bits of church I can get daily, and look forward to the few days a month when I can spend an entire day there. Every time I see the sun rise, I am in awe. Every single storm is an amazing experience. Every plant that grows is a wonder in itself. Every sunset is just as impressive, if not more so than the last one I saw. Every rock, critter, or cloud leaves me wanting more. I will never give up the dream and hope of one day being able to live in My Church. I have, in the past, lived in my tent for months at a time, and if the opportunity arises, I will gladly do it again!

I Often, and Mostly, go to church alone. This is not because I Always Want to be alone. It is because I have given-up trying to get others to join me. I have wasted too many days of my life waiting for those who say they want to go, but never do. The invitation is always open… If You want to join me, please do! I would treasure your company, and enjoy spending quality time with you. I need to go. I do not need to wait. I will go…. There is never a set route, path, destination, or time. I let God lead. Where I end up on any given day is always a mystery, and even a surprise to me. I am never disappointed, and often find joy where I would not have looked for it myself. I make sure to pack enough food, water, clothes, and supplies for whatever may come up, and for however long the day lasts. I often end up not coming home until very late into the night. While I am sometimes tired from a long journey, I am Always rejuvenated, and My Spirit is fully-alive after a day at church. Would you join me? Would you like to meet My God? Would You like to see My Church? It may be easier than you first think. Nature is world-wide. Nature is everywhere. Even in the middle of a big city, all you have to do is look up. The sky is nature. Watch the sun rise, or watch the sun set. Weather is nature. Notice how the weather behaves, how it feels, and how it affects you. Feel the sunshine, or watch the rain. Go for a walk, and look at all that is around you. Fall is fast closing-in…watch as the leaves change color. Watch a bird, or a squirrel. Watch any critter. This is Nature. See? You Can Join Me at Church. Nature is not about religion… It Welcomes Everyone. Oh, and You say you have not yet My God? Yes, you have… AND You HAVE FELT IT. Everything I just listed is IT. You might be surprised if you got to know IT… Welcome IT.
(A footnote: When I originally wrote this in 2011, all references to "GOD" were also listed as "HIM" ... Today, Feb 7 2018, when fixing the photos that had no longer shown, I changed all "HIM" Referneces to "IT" ... I have grown, learned, and realized how limited my views used to be and how I also allowed myself to label the spiritual power of the Universe to be a specific gender in label. I no longer limit any being to a narrow lable of any gender. I no longer limit my own thoughts to placing ANYthing in boxes by societal prescribed genders.) Usually when fixing blogs that photos have disappeared from, I leave the entire blog intact, since those were my thoughts at the time of the writing ... This one was too horrible to leave as it was.

Every one of these photos was taken when I was at Church Tuesday. (A note about the day of the week... I wrote this Blog Wednesday, but did not publish it until Thursday.... In case anyone notices the difference where I mention "yesterday" as Tuesday at the top) :)

I HOPE You Have A Wonderful, and Blessed Day! Jon~=:-)