And it's not from lack of exposure and failure to try! Growing up, I went to church pretty often (though I usually brought a book for during the sermon) and attended Sunday School semi-regularly (mostly it was arts and crafts and really bad Christian rap songs about the books of the Bible) and I was even dragged to Vacation Bible School despite throwing hissy fits every year. (Sorry, Mom!)
I remember being very little and saying prayers before I fell asleep. 'Course, it was ME, so instead of asking God to simply "Bless my friends and family. Amen." I asked God, "Please bless Mom and Dad and Emmy and Granny and Grandma and Grandpa and and Whiskers and Julie and Holly and Pebbles and Earl and Aunt Jeannie and Uncle Bruce and George and Cameron and Aunt Helen and Uncle Andy and Matthew and Aunt Sonja and Uncle Jeff and Danny and Brian and---"
I went on to mention all of my friends and my teachers and my doctors and animals that we drove by in the car everyday that my family nicknamed. I think most of the time I fell asleep before finishing!
So I really didn't mind that early church part of my life!... except, looking back, the things I liked weren't religious at all! I liked playing in the bell choir (I was middle C and D man!) and doing crafts and even then I found fire a little fascinating so being the acolyte was kinda cool. I liked seeing my family there.
I just don't... believe. And being that most of my family are good Presbyterians and also kind enough to read my blogs, I really don't want to offend anybody! It's just.. after all these years I know who I am and I know what I believe. And I absolutely don't have a problem that other people do believe in God and find him important! I just don't.
Like I said... HEATHEN! Blasphemous. Irreverent! Despicable.
Now I know some people think it's awful, because without reading the Bible and following the 10 Commandments, how could people know how to behave?
Well, speaking for myself, even if I had never seen or heard the 10 Commandments in my life, I was still born into a family of good, caring, trustworthy people who instilled that manner of behavior in me. Not to mention, I was born with a GARGANTUAN amount of naturally occurring guilt that results in my inability to misbehave without painfully regretting it for the next few weeks.
Now, I think we've all heard the saying, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything," which may be aimed at sacrilegious, profane people such as myself who don't believe.
You know what? I couldn't agree more! And so we come to the point of this blog!
You know what I stand for? Dogs. I BELIEVE IN DOGS!! And cats! And birds and chickens and horses and donkeys and de-stunk skunks, and ohhhhhh! I'm starting to sound like how I used to pray at night.
I believe in these animals with their unconditional love, and their ability and knack for finding us when we most desperately need them.
I believe these animals are so much more full of love and life than a lot of humans are, and we can learn from their optimism and open happiness.
I believe they are purely good, even the naughty ones like Mose, who CHEW AND CHEW AND CHEW on your prized possessions. He may be annoying, but he will never be mean or spiteful... something a lot of people could learn.
I believe animals save us just as much, if not a TON MORE, than we save them.
I believe they poke themselves into our lives like Otis' wet little nose nudges me in the morning to wake me up.
I believe they have a lot to teach us, and I believe we should listen.
Happy Wordsday Thursday, guys!
Sarah
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