Finding a religious place in my life

Has not always been an easy thing for me to do.



Growing up, I was the good little Catholic kid. I went to church every Sunday, and CDC classes every week during the school year.



Then I got pregnant with Kelsey, and had the priest at our church chastise me for setting a bad example for the younger girls.



And 2 years later, had him give me grief about marrying Jerry.



After we got married and moved away from my parents, I stopped going to church. I can count on two hands the number of times I have been to mass, since my wedding day. Which is sad when I think back to the way I once was.



With the kids we have always told them that if they wanted to attend services with their friends we would allow them to go. And rarely have we backed down from that promise. I can think of a couple of times in the last few months, mostly because of gas prices and the churches that they wanted to attend are on the other side of Macon (where friends from school attend).

Then the Saturday before Christmas the girls and I were out getting all of the last minute shopping done, when we drove by the Catholic church here by the house. I slowed down to see the times for Christmas Eve services, and Kelsey asked if we could attend service the next morning.

The next morning I woke Kelsey up about 80 minutes before the last service and told her that she had about an hour to get ready. Then she and I went to mass.

Its amazing how fast everything came back. The songs, the prayers and just how to be in mass.

I am going to make a concentrated effort to start attending services every Sunday, even if I go by myself. I want to get more involved and to bring myself back to the church community.

Hoping to find that religous place in my life. Because I know that I need the peace and serenity that going to church provides me with.