Occasionally I am asked, by others here in the community and/or my friends back in the States, “what do you miss most about your life back in Chicago”? Well, the easy answer is… my sister, Mike’s family, a later sunset during the summer season, but to be honest I think the answer is just now being revealed to me (not in an AH-HAH moment) but rather a slow and steady disclosure. I have not done a good job at feeding, nourishing and deepening my Christian faith since I have been here in Costa Rica. One could argue “Hey, give yourself a break – you just went through a significant transition” but finding little comfort in that. My travel bible, I’m sure, is somewhere in storage along with the Toddler bibles for the boys. I miss the fellowship and the worship opportunities provided by my home church. So this brings me to the question that I am asking myself of late “What is a Presbyterian to do here in Monteverde”?
Although Mike has attended Meeting each Sunday at the School, I usually stay behind to care for the boys. I have not had a chance to attend Meeting myself but hear from others that it is time well-spent. On my list to check out in deed as I want to learn more about Quakerism and the logistics of the meeting itself.
We ventured into Santa Elena last Sunday to attend the Catholic church, but after being 15 minutes late, standing room only, all in Spanish and having two tired three year olds in toe, the actual time in church equated to less than 15 minutes. Not the most practical alternative but still a viable option.
So back to my initial question…"how can I continue on my faith journey and provide a solid foundation for my boys?" Short-term – here are some of my random thoughts…
1. Call my mom and have her send me Sunday school lessons and some of her material that she uses/has used over her long tenure as a Sunday School teacher.
2. Have her send me or bring with her in February Toddler bibles for the kids (surely I will benefit from this as well as the Toddler versions seem more tailored to my brain capacity these days)
3. Start to build some Sunday routine at my own home with the boys – carve out a nook in the house where we can spend 15 to 30 minutes on a lesson and an activity each week.
Longer term, find out the answers to these questions….
1. Are there any families here in Monteverde or surrounding villages that would support/attend/have interest in a Sunday school for little ones?
2. Could I broaden what I start with my kids into a more structured time inviting other kids into my home each Sunday?
There are a lot of families who land in Monteverde for a finite period of time (six months to a year), with one of the parents usually on sabbatical or yearning for a different educational experience for their children. Are any of these families pondering this very subject? Perhaps someone in the community will be revealed to me and offer guidance/support as how to proceed with this idea…or not.
One thing I do know is that I want to continue to share the stories in the bible with my kids, whether I expand that outward, is yet to be determined.
Signed: S
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Sally--more on this later. Gregg spends time every morning reading scripture, praying, etc. I believe that he gets a (free) daily spiritual email. Perhaps something of that sort would be helpful to you to give you some structure.
ReplyDeleteAnd do try to get to Meeting. Obviously I haven't been to the Monteverde meeting, but I have been to meetings a fair number of times. Is the Monteverde one a "silent" meeting--meaning that the group sits in silent meditation until/unless someone feels led to speak? That's the sort I'm familiar with. I know there are some Quaker meetings with services much more like a "regular" church. Meeting for worship can be a very positive spiritual experience. Does the meeting have any provision for children? Many do. You might find that there are other parents of young children who might like to share staffing a nursery during meeting.
Betty Ann
Betty Ann
Sally:
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you are thinking about your faith and seeking ways to connect and reconnect is an incredible expression of your faith itself.
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20
So you taking a few minutes each day and maybe some more minutes on Sunday to share your faith with the boys, is a big step forward. The simple act of asking for God's grace and thanking Him for our incredible bounty as you sit to eat a meal is a positive and meaningful expression of faith.
There are some churches with great online resources. While not exactly like going to church, there are video and audio versions of Sunday teachings that you can listen or watch whenever you have a few minutes. Here are just a couple:
http://forestviewchurch.ca/podcast/index.asp
http://www.themeetinghouse.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=121&Itemid=3
We attend Forestview, and have attended The Meeting House in the past. Both have great Pastors who bring a great message every Sunday.
I remember giving up "church" when our kids were young because it became so much work. We learned not to confuse church with faith - sounds like you have too.
God bless.
David S.
Hi! I've been looking through the windows (reading your blog) and finally found a way in to communicate to you. It's been a one way street since Kevin sent me the link to your blog. I can read what you've posted yet I could not figure out how to communicate to you! I dove in this evening and poked away at the site until I figured it out. At the very least I have tenacity on my side. I'm appreciating and admiring your adventures and your spiritual journey. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Now that I've found a way in, I'll be looking to connect again! Barbra
ReplyDelete