A few quick and somewhat random thoughts for this Memorial Day.
For the second year in a row we are having a few friends over to celebrate the holiday. This year it was Mike’s idea, mainly because he got a smoker for his birthday and he needs lots of people to eat whatever big piece of meat he makes. Tomorrow it will be a brisket and two pork butts that will turn into BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. The brisket was trimmed and rubbed today and went into the smoker around 8pm. We won’t eat it until about 4pm tomorrow. Mike has been running in and out of the house adjusting the temperature on his smoker all night. He’s gonna be up doing this while I sleep. While I’m not a huge fan of Texas BBQ, I admire his dedication.
Memorial Day is when we remember those who died fighting for our freedoms. That’s important, for sure. I have lots of family that have served our country but none that died in service that I can think of. It does remind me of when we arrived at the cemetery for my dad’s internment and we surprised to see a flag draped over his casket. He served in the National Guard for a very short time during Vietnam to avoid being drafted. He loathed it and never spoke of it but got very emotional when the subject of others dying in Vietnam would come up. All in all it was funny that someone had told the funeral director of his service, hence the flag.
Patriotic holidays also drag up for me a newly acquired disdain for large displays of nationalism in church. I love my country but I share a stronger bond with a believer in communist China than I do with a non-believer down the street. My feelings on this are complicated but Kevin DeYoung wrote a fantastic piece about it this week. The more I learn about the suffering in the world, particularly outside our country, the less I care about celebrating the wealth and opportunity of the US. I wish we’d spend less time celebrating and more time using our wealth and opportunity to help those than don’t have it. Our freedoms are incredible, especially the freedom to worship as we like, but our freedom in Christ is so much greater. That’s something I could celebrate all day, every day.
So what have you got planned for this Memorial Day?
It was 7 years in the army reserves. 6 Months basic training and active duty and one weekend every month with two weeks active in the summer.
It was 7 years in the army reserves. 6 Months basic training and active duty and one weekend every month with two weeks active in the summer.
It was 7 years in the army reserves. 6 Months basic training and active duty and one weekend every month with two weeks active in the summer.
Ah yes, the nationalism in church. Paul has opened my eyes to that issue, and I am so on your page. In fact, he was talking about that article last week. Our church doesn’t get into that and I am thankful but growing up, there was always much pomp and circumstance in church on patriotic holidays. I’ve come to disdain that as well, and we avoid visiting home on such holidays to avoid those services. I find them very uncomfortable.
Ah yes, the nationalism in church. Paul has opened my eyes to that issue, and I am so on your page. In fact, he was talking about that article last week. Our church doesn’t get into that and I am thankful but growing up, there was always much pomp and circumstance in church on patriotic holidays. I’ve come to disdain that as well, and we avoid visiting home on such holidays to avoid those services. I find them very uncomfortable.
I feel the same as you do about nationalism in church. While we love our country, we aren’t at church to worship the country, but to worship God. My pastor asked all the service members to stand and prayed blessings on them, thanked the families who had lost loved ones in the service. But that was it, he kept it personal. My favorite thing about my pastor is that he doesn’t preach politics, he sticks to the Bible, and we have extreme liberals and extreme conservatives in the congregation. The truth is the truth, right? No matter one’s ideology.
I feel the same as you do about nationalism in church. While we love our country, we aren’t at church to worship the country, but to worship God. My pastor asked all the service members to stand and prayed blessings on them, thanked the families who had lost loved ones in the service. But that was it, he kept it personal. My favorite thing about my pastor is that he doesn’t preach politics, he sticks to the Bible, and we have extreme liberals and extreme conservatives in the congregation. The truth is the truth, right? No matter one’s ideology.
I feel the same as you do about nationalism in church. While we love our country, we aren’t at church to worship the country, but to worship God. My pastor asked all the service members to stand and prayed blessings on them, thanked the families who had lost loved ones in the service. But that was it, he kept it personal. My favorite thing about my pastor is that he doesn’t preach politics, he sticks to the Bible, and we have extreme liberals and extreme conservatives in the congregation. The truth is the truth, right? No matter one’s ideology.
I don’t think PCA churches usually have trouble in this area, probably because they are so focused on details of worship and keeping everything centered on Sola Deo Gloria. I like that, although I’ve come to see the other side of the argument in favor of worship songs that are more from the human response perspective. Anyway it is MUCH. MORE. PROMINANT. in the south. Patriotism runs strong around here.
I don’t think PCA churches usually have trouble in this area, probably because they are so focused on details of worship and keeping everything centered on Sola Deo Gloria. I like that, although I’ve come to see the other side of the argument in favor of worship songs that are more from the human response perspective. Anyway it is MUCH. MORE. PROMINANT. in the south. Patriotism runs strong around here.
I don’t think PCA churches usually have trouble in this area, probably because they are so focused on details of worship and keeping everything centered on Sola Deo Gloria. I like that, although I’ve come to see the other side of the argument in favor of worship songs that are more from the human response perspective. Anyway it is MUCH. MORE. PROMINANT. in the south. Patriotism runs strong around here.
Yeah I have no problem at all with thanking and praying over service men and women. I do get annoyed with the presence of flags up front. This week we had a short video about our freedoms and that we should remember who fought for our freedoms. It was moving, but right on the border of worshiping freedom of religion over God himself. We have in the past had a presentation of the colors by the Boy Scout troop that our church sponsors. I’m all for having reasons for those scouts to sit through church when they ordinarily would not, but presenting the colors was over the top for me.
Yeah I have no problem at all with thanking and praying over service men and women. I do get annoyed with the presence of flags up front. This week we had a short video about our freedoms and that we should remember who fought for our freedoms. It was moving, but right on the border of worshiping freedom of religion over God himself. We have in the past had a presentation of the colors by the Boy Scout troop that our church sponsors. I’m all for having reasons for those scouts to sit through church when they ordinarily would not, but presenting the colors was over the top for me.
Yeah I have no problem at all with thanking and praying over service men and women. I do get annoyed with the presence of flags up front. This week we had a short video about our freedoms and that we should remember who fought for our freedoms. It was moving, but right on the border of worshiping freedom of religion over God himself. We have in the past had a presentation of the colors by the Boy Scout troop that our church sponsors. I’m all for having reasons for those scouts to sit through church when they ordinarily would not, but presenting the colors was over the top for me.
Absolutely. And I am very patriotic, but church isn’t the place.
Absolutely. And I am very patriotic, but church isn’t the place.
Yes, definitely. I grew up in the South. And Southern Baptist, at that! lol.
So yeah, I know what you mean.
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Jo-Lynne
Yes, definitely. I grew up in the South. And Southern Baptist, at that! lol.
So yeah, I know what you mean.
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Jo-Lynne