One Nation Under God

We are in discussions at our church regarding the placement of the American Flag. It now stands outside the door to the sanctuary, however, it has been suggested that it be moved into the sanctuary.

This has sparked much conversation among our church members, and my family and friends. This is a good thing in that the fundamental right to free speech is represented by our flag. I love our flag. It represents all that is right with our country as well as the right to express our opinions when we feel there are things wrong with the direction of our country. It represents the diversity of a country whose people have come from lands around the globe to find a home where freedom is not just a word, but a way of life. It is a beautiful reflection and reminder that our freedom has come at a cost, a high cost to those who miss or mourn those who so valiantly have fought for it. But where, in a church setting, does it belong?

The flag represents our freedom to worship in whatever form that takes. Whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddist or any other religion, our flag guarantees us that we are free to honor and glorify our God. To have it outside the door to the sanctuary, guarding that freedom, I feel is the appropriate place. It guards all that is sacred and holy to us encompassed within the inner sanctum of our santuary.

Once we walk through the doors of the sanctuary, we are one family, one without regard to race, color, nationality, or any other title except Children of God. We get to celebrate a family holiday each and every Sunday. How wonderful is that!!! We are united in praise, worship and feast at the table of the Lord without regard for any outside manmade forces which tend to divide us.

As amazing as our flag is, and all the freedoms it affords, it also represents divisive wars, legislation that sometimes is opposite of our beliefs, laws that surpress the rights of minority groups and a vast array of things that come along with a free country. But that is the beauty of our country. We have a right to choose those who represent us and share our indivdual views. That being said, the democracy which we live in is second to none and I thank God every day that I was born an American.

But when I walk into the sanctuary, I belong to a completely different group. I walk into a group that is worldwide and open to all regardless of where you were born or to what social class, etc., you might belong to. We are not only "one nation under God", we are one WORLD under God. So, yes, please use the Flag to guard our freedom of religion outside the sanctuary door, but the only banner we should be flying once we enter the sanctuary is the banner written across our hearts as children of God.

As Dennis Miller would say, "this is just my opinion, I could be wrong....."

My Prodigal Son

I haven't written for quite awhile, but unless I am moved there is no sense in it.

I was thinking about the journey that my son Josh and I have made together the past 34 years of his life. We've been through so many transitions, disappointments, joys and sorrows together that we can read each other well.

I was a single mother for much of his life and so we have always been closer than most out of necessity. We overcame so many obstacles it seemed like it was always us against the world. I made the mistake of including him in most of my thought processes through my own trials and tribulations, rather than shielding him from my own misgivings. I should have let him be a child for longer than I did. For that I am sorry. He had to grow up faster than he should have.

When I moved back to South Carolina to marry Tony, he stayed behind in Port St Lucie for a while which was hard. He moved here for a little while, but then went on his way to Oregon for four long years. I thought I would crumble into nothingness. The year before he was born, I lost his sister as an infant on July 4th, the only day of her life I dared to be away from her. As a divorced mom, when Josh would go to visit his dad by airplane or car, I would have to run into the closest bathroom and was physically ill. The separation anxiety was overwhelming and although I can now leave him easier without the bouts of nausea, it still affects me.

Josh has grown to be an amazing, talented, respectful and wonderful man, certainly not because of me but in spite of me and I am so proud of him.

I have come to the realization that God always knows what he is doing and that Josh needed to be away from me for those four years to grow into who he is mentally, physically and spiritually. I am so blessed to have this opportunity in my life to be his mother. I can see day by day that the tides are turning and I am in a position to learn so much from him. I know that parents always want more for their children than they want for themselves, and I want that for him. I am lucky that he is a son who is not ashamed to let people know how close we are and I know that he respects my opinion whether he agrees with me or not.

He relocated to the east coast this past spring, and now I can get to him in a matter of hours if need be and soon Tony and I will be relocating to be even closer. Unlike the prodigal son of the bible, who lost himself in the real world until he realized where his true home was, Josh had to go into the real world to find himself realizing where his true home is.