Presby-Musings

When I was growing up, the conservative, evangelical churches that we attended all had this thing about “tithing.” Apparently, as near as I could gather, Tithing was inexplicably connected to Salvation in the churches of my childhood. If you were among the saved, you tithed. If you were bound for an eternity doing laps in the Lake of Fire, you didn’t tithe. And tithing meant giving 10 per cent of your income, more or less. The ten per cent thing was a doctrine that appeared to be connected to the Old Testament and to stoning. I grew up believing that if I didn’t give God ten cents on every dollar from my allowance, I ran the risk of being taken out behind the church to be stoned, and then I would go to Hell.   After awhile, I figured out that no one in church ever really got stoned for not tithing. I also realized that there were other signs that indicated someone was a Christian---like showing love, acting with mercy, sharing grace, and not telling people they weren’t saved ...

I like a good nap now and again.  It sets things right.  I want to tell you about the best nap that I ever took.  It was at Lake Tahoe in July.  If you have never been to Lake Tahoe in July, I am not telling you this so that you will feel poorly toward me, although I would almost assuredly understand if you were.  The weather at Lake Tahoe in July is pretty much like the weather in Heaven.  Clear, slightly warm in the day, but with a cooling breeze, slightly chilly at night, but not cold.  Now I could probably stop right there, but there's more to tell.  The nap in question took place on a rock that was about fifty yards from the shore---right smack in the middle of the Lake.  And my wife was with me.  We waded out in the freezing cold water of the Lake, got on top of the aforementioned rock that also happened to be warmed by the brilliant Nevada sun and we just laid there while a cooling breeze blew across our bodies.   And brother, I have to tell you that I slept, and slept goo...