Grateful for.....

This afternoon I was talking with Melissa, and what good talks we have. She is my discussion buddy. We talk about everything. So many times we have sat in the very room I am typing from, and we have solved the worlds problems. Talks lasting long into the night, finally ready to head to bed in the wee hours of the morning. Talked out.
Today we chatted about a few things and then started talking about our early church days. And as we talked, and she mentioned a few things I began to see how grateful I am for my connection to the Seventh Day Adventist church. I know lately I have seemed pretty down on the church for my difficult elementary school days, but I must be forever grateful for all the good that came out of my time in the church. There were wonderful academy years, teachers extraordinaire. Working in an SDA hospital where I met my husband, and also where I sung hymns loudly in the stairwells with Sunny and Debbie when we worked part time while going to school. The healthful living, the vegetarianism, the natural remedies learned and on and on. I guess it feels right to say these things to balance the scale as I had tipped it in a negative direction and feel that that was a bit unfair.
I am so grateful for the years and years of serious Bible study, the verses that were memorized in class after class. The friendships formed, the sense of community that has always drawn me.
When I have gone to the church in the past 10 years, it does feel like they sold out a bit and lost some of the precious aspects of simplicity.
In my time in the church, I gained far more than I have lost. My children were trained to be healthy living and this is a jewel that is beyond anything, for our health is so important.
I loved keeping Sabbath, a pure day of rest. Nothing else to take my attention for 24 hours. I miss that. The girls and I still clean on Fridays, as we did in preparation for the Sabbath. It was exciting as though the best company was about to come through the door. Not sure where this is going or why my need to express it so important, except that Melissa pointed out to me the true blessing of this life. Emery is a 4th generation Adventist, it runs deep in his blood. The girls both raised in the church until we started attending the Mennonite church. Long history for our family and I must admit we have been blessed by it.
And after all, we still eat things like Special K loaf, choplets, vege-burger and linkettes. We know first hand about cold mitten friction baths and the benefits of activated charcoal. And can sing all the songs sung in Cradle and do the motions with them. That says a lot !.

In the picture....

I am the second from the left in the back row, 2nd grade

my white Bible from 1964 that I faithfully used in school for many years

A old reading book

And my all time favorite song book from Elementary school, open to number 64, a favorite song of mine, "Brighten the Corner Where You Are"