The Church Conundrum, PS

Well…I’ve just spoken once again to my father tonight. And we discussed going to church and he asked me whether I was going tomorrow (Sunday). And I explained to him my cunning plan, that I would be going once a month. And he said that he would want me to be going every week. So I suggested that I could be alternating between a number of different churches, so I don’t get overly committed to any one church, and also so people would not start to get to know me. (Also while I remember, my Mum had previously asked me earlier today whether I would be going to church tomorrow, and I just gave a flat “No!”, explaining my “once a month” decision.) Anyway, my Dad said that he would like me to be going to the same church every week, so that I could get involved in the church (perhaps he is thinking of my finding a husband!!!) Anyway the point is this: my Dad knows that I deeply respect him. And he knows that there are some things that I will do not because I actually want to do them, but because he has requested them, and I will honour him by going along with his requests.  I do not think of this as “obeying” him as I am an adult now, and out of the remit of necessary obedience to my parents, I can rightly make my own decisions. Rather, it is now a question of honouring my parents. If and hopefully when I get married, that will revert to a matter of obeying my husband.)

Anyway, long story short, because my Dad has made the request, and because I seek to honour him in my life, I will go to church tomorrow, and I will go to the same church in following weeks.

And in case anyone is wondering, if I get married, and husband’s wishes ever clash with my Dad’s requests, I hope that my husband and I would both seek to honour both sets of parents as much as possible. However, ultimately, husband’s wishes would override father’s requests, if it absolutely came to that – and I know that my Dad would never ask or expect otherwise.