The Non-Bible Book Study

I know I already wrote before about the Non-Bible Book Study I was doing at church, but I feel like I may have painted it in a bad light...when it's probably a great study for many, many people.

For MOST people.

It's just that I see things through humor-colored glasses.

But I know there are just some things...hard things...that aren't one bit funny.

We have had some very difficult, very serious situations in our lives...health and medical issues with two of our children...and the death of my Mom...and then my Grandmother.

Not funny.

Although, I will have to say that DURING MY GRANDMOTHER'S FUNERAL, one of my sisters...who shall remain nameless, but her name rhymes with Deanne...said something about how we should've put Grandma in a flower-printed Mumu for her service, and we all got so tickled that tears were rolling down our faces.

DURING. THE. SERVICE.

Our only saving grace was that everyone thought that we were overwhelmed with emotion over our loss, because our shoulders were heaving and we were wiping our eyes.

We all loved our Grandmother. LOVED HER with all of our hearts. She was just very prim and proper, so the thought of putting her in some touristy outfit for her sending off party was so far from anything she would ever, EVER do...and we could all hear her saying that it "didn't suit her" to wear that outfit.

Anyway, back to the non-Bible Book Study...we would typically read two chapters a week, and then answer some questions that were in a different book. There were many questions that were serious. I guess they all were supposed to be, but some of them nearly sent me running from the room...so that no one would see me laughing.

Things like, "how did you feel when you first started your period?"

What?

And, "how did your mother feel when she got hers?"

Good grief, I DON'T KNOW, and my Mom isn't here for me to ask. Does this mean I failed the non-Bible Book Study?

There was one chapter on how to love your body. I don't have the best body in the world or the best body IMAGE in the world, but when the author said we were supposed to look at our thighs and say, "I love you thighs," and thank God for them...I nearly lost it.

One week I got in there and the leader said she'd had lots of tears that week...but they had been "good tears, cleansing tears."

This proves it: I'm just not that deep.

My husband and boys would run me out of the house if I was crying all the time...good tears OR cleansing tears!

The whole study was all very introspective and it wanted you to look back at your childhood and all of that...and, honestly, I can barely remember yesterday.

The book asked a lot of questions about our moms and how they felt on things...building on the thought that some of the ish-ahs we have today might be from experiences our moms had and how they may have
(even unintentionally) passed on those thoughts or fears to us. There were women in this class who were remembering things and dealing with things that I never in a million years have had to do.

I was raised in a loving home with two imperfect parents who looked to God as the source of all wisdom...and that's pretty much it.

And while I may not have had to deal with some of the heavy memories and experiences of my sisters in Christ, everybody's got something, right?

I am thankful for this study. I met some new people.  Now, it feels good to be able to wave and speak to them when I see them at church! I also gained new respect for people who are struggling in different areas: with their weight, with addiction, with abuse, with self-esteem/respect issues. Oh the list went on and on.

I really felt the Lord prompting me to take this study, altho I could not relate to many of the topics.

Still, there was a purpose for me being in the class...to learn, of course. But also to empathize with others, and encourage and pray for them.

"Bear one another's burdens..." Galatians 6:2