Will you be back?

Today I went to church with Sarah. We went to the Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church. I have been to this church a couple of times by myself and I wanted to bring Sarah. I like this church because it is very traditional. I like that they use an organ rather than a band and drums for the music and sing hymns rather than christian rock. Going to this church makes me feel comfortable and I wanted to expose my daughter to this kind of church. This is the third church we have gone to together and now we will discuss which one she likes best. I am leaning towards going to the church near her house because she has friends that go there and I know their parents. Church is about people not a building. The style of worship isn't so important to me as long as it isn't too strange.

The message today was based on Genesis 28: 10-17.

Jacob’s Vow at Bethel

¹⁰ Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. ¹¹ So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. ¹² Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
¹³ And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. ¹⁴ Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. ¹⁵ Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
¹⁶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” ¹⁷ And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

 When they read this verse I thought the message would be about the angels going up and down the ladder. Something about how the ladder is there for our souls too. But, the message was about how we all need the reassurance that the people we love won't leave us. The minister talked about children going to pre-school and wanting to know for sure that their parents will come to get them. Foster children were mentioned because they can't always be sure that their parents will be there for them.

I think it is important that my children and loved ones know I will always be there when needed. My older sister, Betsy, has shown me throughout my life that if I am really in need she will always provide for me what I need.  I never know if she knows how much I appreciate that from her, but I do think of it often. In many low points in my life she has swooped in and been there. Thanks Betsy!