oneup_shroom
Member
- Joined
- May 9, 2013
- Messages
- 52
This is just a casual discussion of something I've discovered quite recently. To give some background to the story I am a Pastors Kid, I grew up in the AG church, I went to a christian school from elementary up through high school. If there are any other church kids here maybe you'll relate.
Growing up I was so saturated with the things of God and the bible that I never actually got hungry for it. Growing up I honestly felt like I was starving for anything but God "MOM I DON'T WANT TO MEMORIZE ANOTHER VERSE!" - I screamed! I remember my mom actually came through a door after me during a fight that started because I did not wan't to learn that weeks bible verse. And yes you read that correctly, she came through the door, as in I was in a room with a locked door, and using a hammer she came through the door. (and I may need to specify that she did not hit me with the hammer and no abuse occurred... I got spanked yes but I was of appropriate age and got an appropriate discipline) Anyway... As funny as the story is to think about today it does bring me to realize how saturated in God I have felt.
I honestly don't recall ever missing a Sunday service until I was maybe 20, with the exception of sickness and being out of town for camp or vacation. A funny saying I stole off of another pastors kid I went school with is "I was born on a pew" but I like to add I was glued there too.
I have realized something lately though, after many many many many years (okay maybe not that many, I'm still young)... I know God... well I know of God, well I know some stuff people told me about God. And that led to a few weeks ago.. I was praying for probably the first time in a month (I'll admit it).. and in that time I realized something, I have been spoon fed God since the first second I breathed air... but I've never actually gotten to know him. So even with all that education, Sunday school classes and bible verses... I am still a baby christian. So what went wrong?
One big thing is that when I finally started to get hungry to know more about God about a year ago I was quite the "know it all". I thought well I've studied and memorized the bible since I was a kid... so I don't need to read that, lets see what the scholars and pastors are saying about God. So I started reading book after book of christian self help & study books. And even though these books are great! and offer great opinion about God... they are also very much opinionated. I am not knocking reading these books, but after finishing the last one. I couldn't find a new one to pick up... so I thought I guess I'll fill the gap with some Bible reading.
For the first time, probably ever, I picked up my bible (on my kindle) and started to read it like a book. There is just something about reading it for yourself and allowing your spirit to guide you and the opinion about what your reading... not some super christian. Its.. invigorating, exciting, and fulfilling...
I don't really know what point I am trying to make other than, The Bible is a good read (truly).
Also with the more I think about it maybe we should not smother our kids with forcing them to study the Bible as much as we do. Yes it is good for them to know, but I honestly grew to hate it, I hated going to church, I hated the Bible (it was an evil book of memorization!)... and it made God seem stale and militaristic. Maybe we should treat it more like Dr. Seuss.. I loved his books, because we read them! we didn't memorize them! Every time I saw or heard the bible it meant there was gonna be a test, every time I heard/read Dr. Seuss I could just enjoy it... So I honestly ended up memorizing Dr. Seuss better than I ever did a Bible verse.
I don't really know where I was going with this post, but eh there it is.. Reading the Bible for yourself is an amazing experience that I am glad I have discovered in my young adult years... I am just glad I didn't let my childhood hatred of the book keep me away forever. So, with that in mind, I probably will have my future children memorize the Sunday school bible verse.. but I will also add something on top, I am gonna try to help them actually read the book (bedtime stories maybe, idk)... but I just don't want them growing up looking at this amazing life giving read as just an evil book of memorization!
Growing up I was so saturated with the things of God and the bible that I never actually got hungry for it. Growing up I honestly felt like I was starving for anything but God "MOM I DON'T WANT TO MEMORIZE ANOTHER VERSE!" - I screamed! I remember my mom actually came through a door after me during a fight that started because I did not wan't to learn that weeks bible verse. And yes you read that correctly, she came through the door, as in I was in a room with a locked door, and using a hammer she came through the door. (and I may need to specify that she did not hit me with the hammer and no abuse occurred... I got spanked yes but I was of appropriate age and got an appropriate discipline) Anyway... As funny as the story is to think about today it does bring me to realize how saturated in God I have felt.
I honestly don't recall ever missing a Sunday service until I was maybe 20, with the exception of sickness and being out of town for camp or vacation. A funny saying I stole off of another pastors kid I went school with is "I was born on a pew" but I like to add I was glued there too.
I have realized something lately though, after many many many many years (okay maybe not that many, I'm still young)... I know God... well I know of God, well I know some stuff people told me about God. And that led to a few weeks ago.. I was praying for probably the first time in a month (I'll admit it).. and in that time I realized something, I have been spoon fed God since the first second I breathed air... but I've never actually gotten to know him. So even with all that education, Sunday school classes and bible verses... I am still a baby christian. So what went wrong?
One big thing is that when I finally started to get hungry to know more about God about a year ago I was quite the "know it all". I thought well I've studied and memorized the bible since I was a kid... so I don't need to read that, lets see what the scholars and pastors are saying about God. So I started reading book after book of christian self help & study books. And even though these books are great! and offer great opinion about God... they are also very much opinionated. I am not knocking reading these books, but after finishing the last one. I couldn't find a new one to pick up... so I thought I guess I'll fill the gap with some Bible reading.
For the first time, probably ever, I picked up my bible (on my kindle) and started to read it like a book. There is just something about reading it for yourself and allowing your spirit to guide you and the opinion about what your reading... not some super christian. Its.. invigorating, exciting, and fulfilling...
I don't really know what point I am trying to make other than, The Bible is a good read (truly).
Also with the more I think about it maybe we should not smother our kids with forcing them to study the Bible as much as we do. Yes it is good for them to know, but I honestly grew to hate it, I hated going to church, I hated the Bible (it was an evil book of memorization!)... and it made God seem stale and militaristic. Maybe we should treat it more like Dr. Seuss.. I loved his books, because we read them! we didn't memorize them! Every time I saw or heard the bible it meant there was gonna be a test, every time I heard/read Dr. Seuss I could just enjoy it... So I honestly ended up memorizing Dr. Seuss better than I ever did a Bible verse.
I don't really know where I was going with this post, but eh there it is.. Reading the Bible for yourself is an amazing experience that I am glad I have discovered in my young adult years... I am just glad I didn't let my childhood hatred of the book keep me away forever. So, with that in mind, I probably will have my future children memorize the Sunday school bible verse.. but I will also add something on top, I am gonna try to help them actually read the book (bedtime stories maybe, idk)... but I just don't want them growing up looking at this amazing life giving read as just an evil book of memorization!
