"Travel lightly, remember your purpose, offer peace"

This was the message this morning that Dena gave. It was based on the gospel reading: Luke 10:1-11,16-20. When I heard her read the passage (the lectors read old testament & letters to Paul, priest reads the gospel), I thought whoa, lotsawords. Her synopsis was on par for that section. Although I don't remember reading that in Luke. I remember the passage in Matthew that is more common place: Go ye therefore into all nations...evangelism is something I am not all that fond of because of some of the ways I have been exposed to it. I didn't grow up in a church of hell, fire and brimstone. If I did, I missed that part. I feel like I was taught that God is good. God is love. And sometimes things happen that we can't explain which is why we are not God and God is God. Generally, when I find someone come along and "WITNESS" to me, I find them immediately repugnant and henceforth keep my distance. There is an addiction that comes with religion for some people. It isn't pretty. Being raised the way I was raised makes me highly sensitive to the spiritually sick. I liked Dena's message because it sounded like the kind of evangelism I could participate in. Travel lightly, remember your purpose and offer peace. I like Christ because he keeps things simple. He didn't say go out and konk people over the head and tell them to be Christian or that they need to be a "better" Christian. It is about attraction not promotion. It is a healthy religion. Not one of violence or condemnation or judgement. That's my kind of spirituality.

Was formally asked to be a Daughter of the King today. It seems like my kind of spirituality too. It is an order of women in the Episcopal church that pray, study and worship to strengthen spiritual growth among themselves, their parish and their community. I can pray for people. It is one of the few services I am able to give. There is a three month process to go through before I would become a daughter, but I have been in great need of a group of women who study the Bible. I have prayed for that for a long while. These women all seem very wise, although they are also very old. They are recruiting younger women to continue their chapter. I think they would be good spiritual mentors. My kind of spirituality. They would teach me how to travel lightly, help me to remember my purpose as I went out to offer peace. My kind.