Sometimes we need reminding

People make choices everyday.

Some more important than others.

We make lifestyle choices, sometimes, even without thinking. And people like me don't have to justify them to anyone.

I was asked the other day why I live so close to one Salvation Army church, yet choose to worship at a different one. I was taken aback at being asked quite so directly, particularly by someone who I don't really know.

Ironically, as a child from a small corps, it annoyed me, when growing up, that people who attended other larger corps in the area, drove past ours to get to their church. I couldn't understand it, though now, to a certain extent although their reasoning was probably different to mine (that's me being judgemental!), I am a little less 'bitter' because of what I find myself doing!

Attempting to justify the journey I take twice each Sunday, I explained the great welcome I'd received when I arrived at my new corps and how 'nice' (horrible word!) people were/are.

Another question faced me...

'Are the people at the Corps in the town where you live not nice?'

Hmmm! Difficult one. My feeble answer? 'errmm, I....I...I dddon't kknnoowwww' ! ! !

Slightly perplexed and feeling somewhat embarrssed at how I'd seemingly managed to judge people I don't even know, I began to wonder how I could get myself out of this corner I had been unwittingly pushed into.

I didn't really have to justify my reasoning to her. Nor do I think that people at any other church are 'not nice'. But it did make me think.

When I first turned up at my new church people were just lovely. So many people made an effort to make me feel welcome and at home. It wasn't easy, still isn't sometimes, but people invited me into their homes, encouraged and supported me.

Some mentored me into the 'adult' that was waiting to come out (and still do).

When I think of the week I've had, eating McDonalds while doing work in the Army car park because there wasn't enough time to go home before practises, working out when I'll have time to take part in Annual Appeal, Prayer Meetings etc around getting home in time to eat, do work, talk to my family, sleep(!)......I do get stressed.

But, then, a text from someone from the corp saying hi, a friend calling me 'Darling', the very recent memory of myself and one of these friends dashing towards each other, arms open, to have a long awaited hug, simply makes me (emotionally) smile and most of all thank God that when, behind the strong facade of Watson, control is slipping away, there's someone I can text and say 'Can you pray?'

That's not to say I wouldn't find these relationships somewhere else (though I'm not sure I would!) God's made a pretty good choice for me.....and who I am to challenge that?