My Church

My parents, 50 years ago, outside the church where they wed!

I was fortunate this morning to wake up from a nice, long sleep and get to go to a yoga class with one of my favorite yoga teachers and one of my favorite yoga friends.

It was a great way to start this day, August 20, 2016, 50 years to the day my parents were married.

50 years!? I can't imagine being married to anyone that long, and I don't suppose I will be unless I get married again soon, stay married to that person, and both live a really, really long time.

I'm also ok with that not being my path, but I know it has always been the most important thing on my mother's path, so I am happy for her that she has been able to keep her vows and stand by her man.

Understanding that my path can be different from those of my parents' and from the one that my parents envision for me has been a long, hard lesson, and it works both ways: My parents' path may be different from the one I envision for them but it's not my place to determine that any more than it is their place to determine mine.

Yesterday a friend posted a list of his top 10 songs this year so far on Facebook. I've been having fun listening to all of them -- most of them were entirely new to me.

This song from his list seems apropos today -- we all get to determine our own church and our own way to worship -- might be a yoga class, might be staying married to the same man for 50 years:

I've cussed on a Sunday
I've cheated and I've lied
I've fallen down from grace
A few too many times
But I find holy redemption
When I put this car in drive
Roll the windows down and turn up the dial

Can I get a hallelujah
Can I get an amen
Feels like the Holy Ghost running through ya
When I play the highway FM
I find my soul revival
Singing every single verse
Yeah I guess that's my church

When Hank brings the sermon
And Cash leads the choir
It gets my cold coal heart burning
Hotter than a ring of fire
When this wonderful world gets heavy
And I need to find my escape
I just keep the wheels rolling, radio scrolling
Until my sins wash away

Can I get a hallelujah
Can I get an amen
Feels like the Holy Ghost running through ya
When I play the highway FM
I find my soul revival
Singing every single verse
Yeah I guess that's my church

Yep, you can get an hallelujah and an amen, Maren, and Mom and Dad, you can get a congratulations!