Ponderings about Youth

   Pondering on things in life and came to a realization ...... Sometimes we have to travel "our youth" far from what we had to understand that, what we had was what we needed all along ...... 
   Youth .... what is this word anyway? .... this is going to be a "Me" definition and not from the dictionary .... Youth is a fleeting, "age defining concept" that is totally left in the eye of the beholder.
I can say I am not a youth anymore .....
      My youth extended from my childhood until I was well into my 40's ...... that is to say ..... my youthful emotions and zeal were intact and operational ..... the exact age they started to wain, take leave, flounder, exit the stage of youth was a process of several years.  
      I am a proud 59 now ...... and on count down to the glorious age of 60 ..... in about 4 months give or take a few days or weeks ...... which brought me to pondering this thing called YOUTH .... and if you are not totally familiar with this word "pondering or ponder" it is that same as wondering except wondering is a faster paced walk into our imagination where pondering is a "slower, take time to smell the roses walk and even occasionally stopping to sit and contemplate on things ...... So all said and stated clearly .... I have been PONDERING ...... I am not looking these up in the dictionary because I really am not interested in it's definitions today of my renditions of "wonder & ponder" .... I like my explanations better ...... LOL 
    What brought me to this place is church ...... yep, ... thinking on church ..... I grew up in the north. Church was a sanctified religious experience every Sunday. You reverently walked into the sanctuary quietly and with great awe. As if you were expecting God to show up any second and judge your behavior. That was my childhood rendition and view. As I approached my 20's I began leaning more towards the hype and noise thing ..... Charismatic in nature ..... and I found what i was looking for ..... and thus I began my adventurous journey in the various charismatic area churches. Then I came south ..... Boisterous & spontaneous .... is the words that come to mind ..... the sanctuary was a place of running laughing children, talking adults and noise ..... and that's DURING THE SERVICE ...... whew!! at first it was entertaining, then it went to annoying FAST!!  ...... only one church I attended in the south I can honestly say adhered to reverence in the sancturay to a point ...... @ least the kids and adults were quiet during the service.
     Which brings me to my ponderings this morning ...... what do I miss most? You got it ...... the reverent quietness as you walk into the sanctuary on Sunday morning where you can spend some time unloading your cares of the day, and sit in prayer and quiet before God and prepare your heart for what God is going to do that day in the service ..... and per-chance seek God and what He would have you give.