Church Questioning and Answers

Over the past few weeks I have had a lot of questions come to me about my church choice. These came from me and from a few friends. Why am I Baptist? Can a woman be a minister? What about infant baptism as a Chaplain?

For a while I thought about these questions on my own and talk with my mom about my conclusions. First off I am Baptist because I like the church, the pastor, the mission, and the singles group. Second I had not seen a woman do anything in the church service so I had no clue if women were even allowed to do anything in the service. Third I need to ask my pastor about infant baptism and if it is not possible for me to do I probably need a new denomination.

Now today I had a few questions asked at church. I joined the choir last week and had to go to a different service today. Yes, I can be a woman and do things in service and even be a minister. Another answer can up to be yes as well. I can do infant baptism as a Baptist Hospital Chaplain. I have now come to the conclusion that I am in the right place for me. Maybe I will someday feel the need to change denominations, but for now I am happy as a Texas Baptist.

Proud of the Saints, but Peyton Manning is my MVP

As a person living in Houston, Texas, I have become friends with many people from New Orleans. I have watch Saints games, and been supportive of my friends. Tonight as a support for them I cheered on the Saints against the Colts. I just hope that the Win tonight brings about some good change on mind in New Orleans.

However, as proud of the Saints as I am Peyton Manning will always be my MVP. Why is this since I am a die hard Steelers fan and this year have been cheering for the Saints with my friends? About 7 years ago Peyton Manning befriended a young teenage girl with terminal brain cancer. This girl was sweet, loving, fun, and well one of the most amazing people everyone who ever meet her knew. Her name was Allison and she was/is my cousin. Allison and her family love the Colts, epically Paton! During her last year and a half alive Peyton agreed to meet Allison and he became a friend of hers. This never astonished me, since I knew what an inspirational person Allison was. He encouraged Allison to keep fight for the rest of her life. Allison died in September 2004. So to tonight Peyton Manning may not have been named MVP at the Superbowl, but he will always be MVP in my book for what he did for Allison.

Beliefs, are they right or wrong?

Tonight I set out for a friends dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and I found myself in the mist of a conversation on beliefs. This I must say was not my fault totally, but I also did not stop it. A man who is in the older singles class and I have started to become friends and he finally decided to ask me what Seminary was like. I probably started this off wrong with saying I went to a school of Theology. I also came straight out and told him it was probably more liberal than he would expect since I was Methodist when I went to seminary. At this point he looked straight at me and ask how liberal. Again not being able to keep my mouth shut I told him about some of the classes I took like Biomedical Pastoral Ethics. Hahaha, I was digging a hole. He asked about situations I had been given in my pastoral care classes and I could only think of the one I loved the most. It was a situation where I was placed as a pastor of a church that was somewhat conservative in their thinking about homosexuality and a homosexual couple came to me asking to baptise their adopted child. I just completely dug that hole to China. He asked about my feeling about homosexual people being allowed in church and I said it was a good thing. Than he asked me about child baptism. I told him I agreed with it and that I was raised in a denomination where it was done. I guess I might as well have just dug the hole thought the ozone layer and now I am out in space. He then told me I was wrong and that he thought he could change my mind. Yeah Right!!!!! I guess you could say I might not be baptist anymore if my thoughts get out.