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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2010 8:45:36 GMT -5
I just joined this group yesterday. I found the group while doing a search for headcovering Christians in Florida. My husband and I moved our family here last August, because we wanted to get out of northern NJ, and my husband wanted to work for Disney. He is now a shuttle bus driver for them. I stay home and homeschool our children. We have three grown children back in NJ, and six children here with us. I thought I might find a church to join here, since Florida seems to have so many churches! But due to our special circumstances, I have not yet found one we could stay with. Three of our children have special needs, and need a separate special needs class. My husband works nights, so a morning service is out of the question. Right there, with those two things, you eliminate just about every church out there! This brings me to my two "soapbox" issues. I'm not sure why so many churches want to meet in the morning, instead of allowing people a day to relax and rest, get up in a leisurely fashion, have a nutritious breakfast, and get ready to go without being rushed. Never understood that. Racing around finding lost shoes, brushing several children's hair, grabbing a junky snack to eat in the car, etc., really isn't my idea of how to start your day so you arrive in church ready to worship! And my three girls have Down Syndrome. Kids with disabilities didn't spring up out of a cabbage patch just yesterday. Why haven't more churches met the needs of families like ours? We sit home for YEARS with no fellowship, because there are no churches who have classes for our kids. I really wish many more churches would serve this wonderful population! Okay, soapbox over. Now back to our regularly scheduled intro. I have four boys, ages 11 (tomorrow), 12, 26, and 32. My five girls are 3 (a VERY unexpected blessing!), 15, 18 (today), 23, and 29. I have three grandchildren--two girls and a boy. Ever since I became a Christian, I have gravitated to the more conservative churches. My husband is not a Christian, although he has no problem with attending church with us, and supports me with headcovering, if I choose to do so for worship (but he doesn't want me to do it fulltime). I am not totally "dresses only", although I do lean that way, and dress modestly at ALL times. I guess that's enough about me! I am looking forward to finding some fellowship here, with likeminded people. Marilyn
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Post by Brother Ben on Jul 7, 2010 15:37:57 GMT -5
Welcome on board, sister. I hope we can be a blessing.
Bro. Ben
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Post by Tammy on Jul 8, 2010 1:16:38 GMT -5
Welcome, Marilyn! I have family in Altamonte Springs, near Orlando. Is that close to you?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2010 6:57:17 GMT -5
Thank you for the welcome, Bro. Ben and Tammy! Yes, Tammy, Altamonte Springs is not that far from me--maybe 45 mins.? I've never been there, but I mapquested it for something at one point, and I believe that's how far it was.
Does your family share your views on modest dress? Do they attend a church?
Marilyn
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Post by michelle on Jul 8, 2010 7:54:07 GMT -5
Welcome Marilyn!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2010 9:31:50 GMT -5
Hi and welcome to the forum! Katrina
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Post by lisa on Jul 8, 2010 18:07:02 GMT -5
Welcome to the board. I enjoyed reading your testimony of how you were saved. Blessings Lisa
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Post by Tyler's Helpmeet on Aug 24, 2010 14:05:44 GMT -5
Welcome. You and I must be neighbors. I live in the Kissimmee area.
I am sending you a private message!
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Post by rachel on Aug 24, 2010 22:05:19 GMT -5
Welcome Marilyn,
I hope you find lots of like-minded believers here to fellowship with. Everyone here is so warm and welcoming especially to newcomers (I joined about a month ago).
Like you I don't understand why so many people don't understand about 'special needs' kids. Let me just come clean now and say I have Asperger's Syndrome, a sort of high-functioning Autism. No, I'm not autistic, but just about everyone when they find out I have AS puts me in the same category as children with Downs and Autism.
What I don't get is why people think 'special needs' kids are so different from other kids and yet all the same as each other. You wouldn't put all the 'normal' kids in one category and say, 'they're all the same. We've got to treat them all the same'. So many people just don't get that that's not true! Even lots of people who are 'specialists' in dealing with Downs or Autistic kids treat us all the same. We're all individuals.
But then, I've never got the need for 'special needs' kids to have different classes. At my primary school, we had two Downs boys who fitted in perfectly fine in normal classes. Ok, so the older one had a fairly mild form of Downs but he still didn't start talking until he was about eight, and all the kids in his class learnt sign language to communicate with him!
I know some people would think it bad that there were Downs kids in a normal class, but I think it's wonderful. Those other kids get an experience they otherwise wouldn't get, they learn how to treat special kids (like a normal person), and often special kids have so much more to offer than 'normal' kids. I just wish people would get that.
It's a shame that so many churches have been I gather less than willing to accept your family. It really doesn't say much for God's people, does it? If I lived near you guys, I'd come and meet with you for a home-church in the evenings!
Yes, I've never got why churches have to meet in the morning either. I'm not a morning person. That's why I love being homeschooled! But lots of the churches who decide not to meet early then decide to meet really late in the morning and over lunch. What is with that? Anyway, I can go to 'youth services' which are usually at night, but that doesn't really help families like you, does it? And youth services don't often have a sunday school.
Anyway, I guess I've just got down from my own soapbox. I fear I haven't helped you very much, but you're not the only one out there with the same frustrations!
So, I hope you find a church that's good for you, soon. Love and God bless, from Rachel.
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Post by George on Aug 25, 2010 11:49:44 GMT -5
Sister Rachel you brought tears to my eyes with this paragraph. Not tears of sadness because of your Asperger's Syndrome but because of memories you have brought back.
During the time we had a Reformers Unanimous chapter in our Church I had the distinct pleasure of having for one of my students a young lady (I believer she was 18 when she started) who has Asperger's. She is such a sweet young lady. I learned to love her to death. She initially came to RUI to accompany her mother which was a big step for her since we had a lot of people in the group. She did all of the work in RUI. She did the challenges and memorized the Bible verses too. She was not exactly real fast but that is a part of the syndrome. I will say that every verse and challenge she memorized was perfect in every sense of the word.
Every once in a while I see her around town, usually with her mother. when she sees me she breaks into a big smile and comes running over to greet me and to inquire of my health. She is one of the nicest and best people I have ever known.
The reason I say all this is because I can see from your message you are most likely exactly the same as Alissa. You appear as very sweet and very concerned about others. I commend you for that. It would be my distinct pleasure to meet you and your husband at some time. Perhaps it won't be until we all get to heaven but one of these days I will meet you.
In Christ, George
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Post by George on Aug 25, 2010 12:26:00 GMT -5
Please understand I am not "picking" on the author of this particular sentence. There is another that is along the same line(s) that I just did not cut and paste.
I am rather shocked and amazed this subject was even broached here. I always felt the folks here had the greatest of love and respect for our God. Then this comes up and it leaves me puzzled. Do the ones who brought this up really believe this and/or question it? My word, it is covered so many times in the Bible.
Number one, Sunday is the Lord's Day. It is not our day to do as we please although so many of us, even those who profess to be Christians continue to do as we please on the Lord's Day and factor Him in at some small point in the day. It is not an inconvenience to go to Sunday School and Church on the Lord's Day, it is a blessing and a privilege. Yes, I said it is a privilege. We as born again believing Christians are the only ones who are privileged to worship Him on His day except for those who have been moved by the Holy Spirit to come to Church in search of His free salvation.
Secondly I would say to check what the Bible says: (Psa 118:24) This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
My goodness, the Lord made the day! It is only through His goodness, grace and mercies that we are allowed to participate in it in some way. So are we to forget that and complain and feel sorry for ourselves because we have to get up and suit up to show up at Church in the morning instead of lounging around and going when we feel like it?
God forbid that you should ever have to go through what I have recently gone through in order to achieve an appreciation for all He has done for us and to learn to do things in His time and not ours. Perhaps that is what it will take, that is up to Him and not me.
I do not say this out of pridefulness but perhaps as example. I start my weekend out with the Lord. In my Church each Saturday morning with the exception of once a month we have a men's prayer meeting at 7:00AM in the conference room. What a wonderful way to start out the weekend! We fellowship a bit before Pastor starts the meeting. We read a chapter out of the Bible. Last week we finished Luke 15. Then we go around the table and take prayer requests. After everyone has a chance to give his requests we go to prayer with each person speaking as the Spirit moves him and covering whatever subject in the list he feels the urge to cover. Generally we spend about an hour to an hour and a half on Saturday mornings speaking to the Lord of our requests. It is wonderful and effective.
The Saturday we don't have the men's prayer meeting we have the men's prayer breakfast. It is the best breakfast in the valley for three bucks! In fact this last Saturday I was there at 6:15 and cracked, scrambled and began to cook 54 eggs. I say began to cook because after starting to cook I got rather ill and had to stop. I don't have as much energy and endurance as I like to think I have. But did I get to feeling sorry for myself and go home to mope? Absolutely not! I went to Church that early in the morning to serve my Lord in any way I can and that is what I did. I had to sit for a while but I stayed until everything was over and done with.
Sunday is Sunday School at 9:30, Church at 10:45 and then Church again at 6:00PM. I would stay all day long if I could. You see God gave me the days I have; each and every one of them. It is a very small thing I do to dedicate one day out of the week to Him. I say dedicate because throughout the week there are other things and other ministries which can be accomplished in service to Him. At times we have special events like pot lucks or bar-b-qs which mean that we may be at Church for 6 to 8 hours out of the day. I mean, can you imagine that? God spared my very life and I manage to give Him a paltry 6 to 8 hours on some Sundays but usually it is about 3 1/2 hours. To me that is rather pitiful.
I had better stop here. As you can see this subject has touched a nerve with me. I could get rather hard and to the point on this one. My goodness, I still can't believe I read what I read. I sit her shaking my head and wondering.
(Rev 2:2) I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
(Rev 2:3) And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
(Rev 2:4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
In Christ, George
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Post by michelle on Aug 25, 2010 13:45:08 GMT -5
Brother George,
Thank you for addressing this. I had wanted to, but try as I might, I could not formulate a good response.
Like you, I find it a privilege to have the opportunity to go to church on Sundays. It is really the highlight of my week. My church does differ from yours in that we have a fellowship lunch after our morning service and then an afternoon service instead of an evening one. After our afternoon service there are opportunities to go calling, to work on John Romans, and we have a family that has a service in a nursing home.
As for the rushing around getting ready, with a bit of preparing the night before, the morning needs not be so rushed. My friend raised 9 children (most are now married) and they were always able to get everyone ready and out the door on time.
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Post by Tammy on Aug 27, 2010 0:12:42 GMT -5
Yes, Tammy, Altamonte Springs is not that far from me--maybe 45 mins.? I've never been there, but I mapquested it for something at one point, and I believe that's how far it was. Does your family share your views on modest dress? Do they attend a church? Marilyn No, they do not share our views on modest dress, but the are faithful church-goers (Southern Baptist, I believe). My uncle just ran for Seminole County Commission.
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Post by rachel on Aug 31, 2010 23:19:19 GMT -5
Hi, me again.
It's good that you have had such a pleasant experience with someone with Aspergers, especially as she was a girl because about only one in ten people with AS are girls!
I am glad you think I come across as being sweet and concerned for others, as people are always telling me that I don't show enough emotion/concern for other people.
Yes, it would be nice to meet you sometime too (in fact, I'd like to meet everyone on this forum but that would be impossible!) but I need to correct you as I don't have a husband yet (I'm just fourteen, but I do want to get married some day). However if we do get a chance to meet, I will introduce you to my family (they aren't modest/headcovering like me though).
God bless, From Rachel.
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Post by rachel on Aug 31, 2010 23:37:34 GMT -5
Yes, I'm back again,
I want to reply to those who adressed my sentence about mornings. You all seemed to think I was talking about church on Sunday in general. That's not true, I was just saying that mornings don't work for everyone. It takes my family about 40 minutes to drive to church, so we have to leave quite early to get their in time, some Sundays we run late and don't get time to fellowship beforehand. If church were any earlier we would be hard-pressed to make it in time, and I can see how families with lots of children would find it difficult.
Yes, I would spend all day at church if I could. I find, once I am awake, I stay awake so getting up early isn't a problem for me, but I know it is for others (like my sister, par example).
Oh, and I should also note that for the Jews, Saturday is the Lord's day. It was moved to Sunday by the Roman Catholic church so that they would not be seen as being Jews. Haven't any of you ever wondered why Sunday is the first day of the week when the Lord's day (the seventh day as described in Genesis) is the day of rest?
So, I just feel you have taken my sentence completely out of context and all the wrong way. So, I'm not so good in the morning. That doesn't stop me being up before dawn to be ready for church. That doesn't stop me going to church with a smile and enjoying it. I don't feel sorry for myself because I have to get up in the morning and go to church. That would be stupid. I go to church because I love God and want to do what is good and right. Morning or any other time, I would still go.
I was just commenting that I don't really understand why it was put in the morning in the first place. Lots of churches think that because church is traditionally in the morning, it has to be over and finished by noon, even if people want to fellowship afterwards, they have to go to their house to do it. There are two sides to everything and I feel as though those who commented on this one sentence took it all the wrong way in the most extreme way possible.
So maybe what I was trying to say in that one sentence came out the wrong way. I'm surprised that people couldn't see that what it seemed to say was the complete opposite of everything else I've said!
I just wanted to correct what everyone has seemed to have misinterpreted. I hope I haven't offended anyone.
In His name, From Rachel.
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