Journey of a Janus pt 7, Even the Colonel is Not Spared..
After a while of attending the family group every week, Co-worker/Future Sister-in-law Lynn, told me that I was going to have to find a place to fellowship and grow. Which sounded eerily like what Pastor Goode told me years ago to do that I managed to mess up badly at.
While I agreed and shook my head, Bella actually did something about it.
So while I was pretending not to think about when I would have to find a new church, Bella started surfing the web and trying to find a "good healthy non-psychotic" church for us to join.
Way to go Bella.
You have to love that modern technology, which wasn't around back in the day when I had to find A) a church that wasn't insane and B) One I could get a ride to. (Janus didn't drive back 15 years ago.) Some churches had a few basic core doctrines, others told me what food they didn't want me to eat and what R rated movies I couldn't watch. Bella, looked at a church some of her co-workers told her about a while back and they had a pretty normal (non-psycho) core doctrine (and nothing else) and we figured we better give it a go.
My first impression was...it was very big. I mean that you could fit about four of the congregations I was a part of at one point or other comfortably in this room and still have plenty of seating. I am a bit shy (if you couldn't guess) and get a little nervous with crowds so I was not too relaxed for my first time out. (I also went to the busiest service they had, the over crowded 11 o'clock.)
I also came into the end of a lesson series, instead of joining when they just started. So I got the tail end of the lesson on being a good steward, which admittedly made me a little nervous since I didn't realize that this is not a continual message. (I went to a church before where they tell you constantly to give give give more every week, and well they didn't really use what we gave them.) At the end my panic attack got me walking quickly to the exit.
Bella and I went to the IHOP afterwards and she asked me what I thought of it. I listed the good points I got from my brief visit (Nice people, casual dress, they enjoy it there) and mentioned the things in the above paragraph to show how I was not sure yet. Bella said we would pray on it and maybe visit another one, but she liked it and wanted to go back. (Goes to show that you can't always go off your first impressions.)
We didn't make it for the next service because we were out of town, and I was actually thinking that I would get out of not going to church. (Yes, I admit, I really didn't want to go to church, nothing against that particular church...I was avoiding all of them equally.) On that Monday that I went to my KFC and went to work. (Note the day.)
The next day I was praying (actually more like arguing with God, which I had done alot the last few years) about not wanting to go and fellowship, because I could do it all on my own. Since I didn't fellowship for a long time and you could see how well I clearly was doing. (Add your own sarcastic tone here)
I had that Tuesday evening off, and I decided that I wanted KFC again. Which for me is a normal thing. At one point I got so annoyed with the guilt pangs of not wanting to go back to the church that I said, "I am going to go get me a Chicken dinner from KFC...if you insist that I go back to that church, do a miracle...make me unable to get my chicken dinner." With that I left and drove to the local KFC.
When I pulled in, everything seemed normal enough. I got to the door and it was locked, it was 4:30 in the afternoon. I look at the door and saw a sign that said "CLOSED INDEFINATELY." The day before it was busy, people were working like normal. It came from out of no where.
Well God doesn't have to give us signs especially when we know deep down we are being bullheaded.
But I dared him.
And he called it.
I looked around nervously, and expected lightening to hit me or something.
Some of you out there who are reading this go "Wow thats an amazing coincidence and might accuse me of taking this too seriously."
Well if you heard the words I said to him earlier, and you saw my face out in that parking lot in January, you would know that it was a miracle.
"O.K....you win, I'm going back to the church."
And so I did, and I am still there. The KFC is still closed, apparently the rent was too high and they just closed down with no notice or warning. I drive by it almost every day and see a husk of what used to be a Kentucky Fried Chicken, now closed and standing there to remind me of where I came from.
I don't ask for signs anymore and now I eat at Popeyes and Browns Chicken. I recently found a KFC on the way home from work, and I have not asked God for any more dares. Do not put the Lord to the test, and he ain't kidding. If Colonel Sanders can't survive his smoting, I don't want to push my luck.
Soon After Bella said lets take a class at our new church called the 3 C course. I didn't dare argue, it was already decided.
To be continued and concluded.
While I agreed and shook my head, Bella actually did something about it.
So while I was pretending not to think about when I would have to find a new church, Bella started surfing the web and trying to find a "good healthy non-psychotic" church for us to join.
Way to go Bella.
You have to love that modern technology, which wasn't around back in the day when I had to find A) a church that wasn't insane and B) One I could get a ride to. (Janus didn't drive back 15 years ago.) Some churches had a few basic core doctrines, others told me what food they didn't want me to eat and what R rated movies I couldn't watch. Bella, looked at a church some of her co-workers told her about a while back and they had a pretty normal (non-psycho) core doctrine (and nothing else) and we figured we better give it a go.
My first impression was...it was very big. I mean that you could fit about four of the congregations I was a part of at one point or other comfortably in this room and still have plenty of seating. I am a bit shy (if you couldn't guess) and get a little nervous with crowds so I was not too relaxed for my first time out. (I also went to the busiest service they had, the over crowded 11 o'clock.)
I also came into the end of a lesson series, instead of joining when they just started. So I got the tail end of the lesson on being a good steward, which admittedly made me a little nervous since I didn't realize that this is not a continual message. (I went to a church before where they tell you constantly to give give give more every week, and well they didn't really use what we gave them.) At the end my panic attack got me walking quickly to the exit.
Bella and I went to the IHOP afterwards and she asked me what I thought of it. I listed the good points I got from my brief visit (Nice people, casual dress, they enjoy it there) and mentioned the things in the above paragraph to show how I was not sure yet. Bella said we would pray on it and maybe visit another one, but she liked it and wanted to go back. (Goes to show that you can't always go off your first impressions.)
We didn't make it for the next service because we were out of town, and I was actually thinking that I would get out of not going to church. (Yes, I admit, I really didn't want to go to church, nothing against that particular church...I was avoiding all of them equally.) On that Monday that I went to my KFC and went to work. (Note the day.)
The next day I was praying (actually more like arguing with God, which I had done alot the last few years) about not wanting to go and fellowship, because I could do it all on my own. Since I didn't fellowship for a long time and you could see how well I clearly was doing. (Add your own sarcastic tone here)
I had that Tuesday evening off, and I decided that I wanted KFC again. Which for me is a normal thing. At one point I got so annoyed with the guilt pangs of not wanting to go back to the church that I said, "I am going to go get me a Chicken dinner from KFC...if you insist that I go back to that church, do a miracle...make me unable to get my chicken dinner." With that I left and drove to the local KFC.
When I pulled in, everything seemed normal enough. I got to the door and it was locked, it was 4:30 in the afternoon. I look at the door and saw a sign that said "CLOSED INDEFINATELY." The day before it was busy, people were working like normal. It came from out of no where.
Well God doesn't have to give us signs especially when we know deep down we are being bullheaded.
But I dared him.
And he called it.
I looked around nervously, and expected lightening to hit me or something.
Some of you out there who are reading this go "Wow thats an amazing coincidence and might accuse me of taking this too seriously."
Well if you heard the words I said to him earlier, and you saw my face out in that parking lot in January, you would know that it was a miracle.
"O.K....you win, I'm going back to the church."
And so I did, and I am still there. The KFC is still closed, apparently the rent was too high and they just closed down with no notice or warning. I drive by it almost every day and see a husk of what used to be a Kentucky Fried Chicken, now closed and standing there to remind me of where I came from.
I don't ask for signs anymore and now I eat at Popeyes and Browns Chicken. I recently found a KFC on the way home from work, and I have not asked God for any more dares. Do not put the Lord to the test, and he ain't kidding. If Colonel Sanders can't survive his smoting, I don't want to push my luck.
Soon After Bella said lets take a class at our new church called the 3 C course. I didn't dare argue, it was already decided.
To be continued and concluded.
posted by Janus Torrell at 10:56 PM
4 Comments:
It seems destined that you were meant to be at that church. Bella finding out about it, your KFC being interupted etc. I'm glad you went back there, and gave it another shot. Good for Bella. :)
Frodo :)
Yep its true, I have been very very fortunate and blessed with events and the people in my life. I still miss going down the street for a chicken meal though, but it's a small price to pay
Yeah! Good for me! I love you Janus, thanks for coming to church with meee!
-Bella
Your welcome, I went again today and thanks for getting me back there.
love ya!
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