Last week, an article came out in Huffington Post about church goers not being effected by their church going status.  The article can be found here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/14/churchgoing-no-effect-americans_n_1205564.html?ref=religion.  Six months ago, I would have been outraged by the systemic church and the people that go to church.

No longer.

Why?  I became a parent.

Three months ago, I started routinely taking my three foster kids to church.   I have a Master’s of Divinity.  I have devoted my entire working life to the church.  If it had not been for the Lord and the church, where would I be? – I am completely a believer in the importance of church.  The church has changed me and provided comfort in times of extreme discomfort.

Yet, I get this study now because now I need to worry about keeping my kids somewhat quiet, settled, and listening.  I can go to church, sit through the whole service and only remember that it took 3 packages of fruit snacks to get through the sermon.  

So why do I still go during this time?  (And I wonder if some of those in the study might be the same?)

My kids see what is important in my life.  My now husband often tells the story that he was more worried about meeting my church than my family.  Church is very important to me, and I want it to be important to them.

My kids can be with other families like ours.  My family is multi-cultural, and there are many like us at church.  Our family values are also expressed in the social justice that my kids learn about at church.  My little kids spend time on other doting laps, hearts and minds.  My kids get a village not just a family.

My kids may just catch the God thing as much as I have.  I love church because I fell in love with it and God when I was a kid.  When I hear one of my kids saying prayers that sound exactly like the pastor’s or when days later they are singing a hymn – it’s completely worth it.