So Many Thoughts...So Little Time

I have been so desiring to blog more frequently this school year, and yet have been remiss in doing so. (What I really want is uninterrupted time to fully form my thoughts, and throw in something funny or witty as well--You'd think by now I'd realize that uninterrupted time really isn't something I can plan on having!) So I've been thinking about quitters and commitment a lot lately. I'm trying to field questions from the kids about what it means to stay committed to something. I'm having a tough time, as we are surrounded by a culture that just doesn't commit. Fortunately, most of our friends are still married, so the kids have had a pretty consistent view of committed marriages. And I don't take that lightly one bit, as a kid of the no-fault divorce generation. But the one place where I should be able to show my kids fully committed people is the church. And sadly, I cannot. Most of our church is military, so people leave every 3 years or sooner. That ironically is usually the group who are the most committed--at least for the time they are here. What is actually very painful, though, are the many folks who leave our church for another one that better suits their needs, or who leave Hawaii altogether for various reasons. I get it--I really do. Life is complicated and there are many factors that come into play in breaking fellowship. But it's just bothering me that I don't have a good answer to the question I was recently asked: "Why are there vows of membership, when no one ever sticks around?" That question has me stumped. Because I realize that I actually don't buy it. The notion of vows of membership, that is. And frankly, it's because it simply isn't true. At the very least it isn't demonstrated. And yes, I realize it could mean the Church at large, but I doubt that's why we are in fellowship in particular communities. The fellowship God has in mind doesn't work if deep and sincere relationships cannot be formed. And we're in a self-obsessed culture that rails against that level of intimacy. So what to do, what to do? I'll have to search Scripture for an answer. I hope it has a better one than I do!