Missing Church- Again!

Well, I suppose my pastor and my church family must surely think I've fallen off the face of the earth. This is the third Sunday in a row that I haven't made it. I feel like a huge part of my week is missing when I don't make it. I have the most wonderful SS class ever... (I call us the Rejects. A few years ago Bro. Gordon announced a new class for folks who normally didn't go to SS, or who felt they didn't really fit in to the already-established classes. Thus my title- the Rejects. Ha!) I have really gotten to know my pastor during these classes, and was delighted to find that he's a normal kind of guy like the rest of us, really funny in a dry sort of way, and extremely smart about a lot of things. With most pastors I know, there was always the need, for me personally, to be on my "best behavior", and important for them to think that I'm probably a *better* Christian than I really am. What I really appreciate about this guy is that I can be myself, warts and all, and don't feel like he judges me for the areas that need improvement. And he's pretty much not afraid for us to see his warts and all too. If he doesn't know something, he'll tell you he doesn't know. He doesn't try to act like he is so spiritually far above us that he has all the answers. He is kinda tricky, though, when he asks questions... and will just laugh when our eyes glass over, or when someone gives an answer from left field. Not in a condemning fashion-- he just loves to "trick" us... to inspire us to think outside the box sometimes, and to examine the possible answers. In our class, most anything goes. He doesn't get all puffed up or high and mighty about what he knows compared to what we don't know. No question is a stupid question. We spend equally as much time off on tangents as we do on whatever lesson he has planned for us. Which to me is great. It is the best SS class I've ever been in, and it makes me irritated when things come up (like oversleeping, or my morning headaches that make me feel lousy) that keep me away. The fact that I work Sundays from 12:30 til 9 pm is sometimes an *excuse* that I will use for not draggin' myself out of the bed, especially on a morning where I can't rid myself of a headache. I have to sneak out every Sunday during the invitation hymn to get home in time to fire up the computer and get settled in to work. But I'm so thankful that my work schedule will allow me to attend church, therefore working on Sundays isn't even a valid reason for missing church.

I did discover that one of my favorite pulpit-preacher/teacher types, John Tally from FB Winder, is on one of our local access TV channels. I went there when I lived in Winder, and though I never quite found my niche in SS or the social aspect of the church family, I dearly loved his weekly sermons, and how they taught us to live every week. So, I try to tune in to those broadcasts, especially when I miss my own church services.

(Oh, and, okay, Bro. Gordon, I know you will read this at some point, so don't go gettin' too big for your britches because I'm saying nice things about you....)

So. For the situations beyond my control, I obviously can't change anything. But for the rest of the time, I am hoping to get back in the swing of things and get myself to that class that means so much to me.

Now it's off to work for the afternoon/evening.