The Christmas-Easter Family

Yeah.  My family has become one of those.  Only venturing out to the church twice a year, on the days everybody else goes, Christmas and Easter.  It hasn't always been this way, though, so how did it happen? A few years ago we were going more than twelve times a year, then all of a sudden we leveled off at two.  Maybe I'll never know, but the GirlGazette does feel the need to bash me for my recent practices.  

The writer of GirlGazette wrote this post earlier today.  "In all my life I’ve noticed that the two busiest days of the year for the church is Christmas and Easter, some even say Easter rules out Christmas. At my church, and churches I’ve been attended during Easter, the congregation/church body is practically doubled with “Easter only church-goers”, people who go to church on Easter Sunday, but don’t come back until next year and maybe Christmas if they feel like. So today, I sat down and put together a list of possible reasons for why people only go to church on Easter Sunday, do you fall into any of these?

• Just to say you went to church on Easter
• Your folks made you
• You don’t wanna disrespect the people who invited you
• There’s food
• There’s free food
• So and so is going
• You feel obliged
• You feel religious, as if you belong to something

If you got church for any of the reasons stated above that don’t include your desire to learn more about Christ, then this Easter you could live G.I.R.L. by going to church  and not for the reasons listed and open your heart and mind to what Christ has to offer you. Side note: the easiest place to glorify God, inspire and be inspired, read His word, and live accordingly is church no doubt."

Now from this post I have to believe this site has religious affiliations, but I think this girl's tone is a little rude for someone claiming to be a regular church-goer.  No need to frown down on the Christmas-Easter family.  We have good intentions, maybe we're just too busy to go every other day of the year.  And don't tell me make time for God, now you're just sassing me.  I guess the real reason is that we just stopped, but not on Christmas and Easter.  And there are plenty of others out their like us.  I know for a fact the whole church is isn't overfilled for three services on a regular Sunday.  

Here's a little review of her reasons.  "Just to say you went to church on Easter".  Huh?  Do people actually do that?  I've never heard of that before in my life, and that's probably because no one goes to church just to say they did.  If they wanted to do that they would lie and say they went, but actually stay home and do an egg-hunt secretly by themselves.  Discredited.

"Your folks made you".  More legitimate I guess, but I doubt anyone reading this ranting blog went to church only for this reason.  In fact, anyone reading this ranting blog probably goes to church every week even if they are deathly sick.  And just from the use of the word "folks" I bet this person is over 40, therefore they are the people forcing their children to church. GirlGazzete, I don't feel like I'm being forced to do anything.  You're wrong again.

"You don't want to disrespect the people who invited you".  The only people I've ever been invited to go to a church service with are in my family, and I'm sure I disrespect them all the time.  Sorry.  Wrong again.

"There's food."  Maybe, but it's not good food.  I didn't even eat any of it today, so clearly not the reason I went, and I don't think the church food brings in many people to the service.  Maybe a few sneak into the basement without going to the service, but they aren't contributing to the overflowing sanctuary.

"There's free food."  Did this girl really use both of these as reasons?  They need to be combined into one.  End of story.  And by the way, no, that's not why I went.

"So and so is going."  I would only do this if "so and so" happened to be Ryan Lochte or Barack Obama.  Not going to church for the sole reason that an old neighborhood friend will be there.  No thanks, I'll call them up if I want to reconnect, not pretend to be interested in church once a year so I can see them.  I'll go for another reason.

"You feel obliged."  Well, a little bit.  I mean, it is Jesus' resurrection day and all that.  Kind of important, I feel like I should be there.  I've been going to church forever, and always on Easter, (apart from the year my dad made me sit in pizza grease and half the relatives got lost), but it's more than that.  Out of all the church services I've been too, which is a lot, I've come to enjoy Easter and Christmas the most.  The sermon is always interesting and we sing songs I actually like.  It feels like a tradition to me, the same way Christmas church is, and I like it.  I think it's kind of pointless to go to church if you're bored the whole time and counting the minutes down, because what would you get out of that.  I go when I know that won't happen, so no, it's not because I feel obligated, it's because I want to.

So "You feel religious" is just completely out of the picture at this point.

Christmas-Easter Families, don't be offended.  You aren't all shallow for only going to church twice a year, you're practical.  When you go, you're getting everything out of it, not just going through the motions.  It's a fine way to have faith, despite what GirlGazette has to say.