Oops.

A few decades ago, I heard a story in Sunday school about Mary and Joseph leaving Jesus behind at the temple. Since I didn't have many friends at regular school, and my brothers terrorized me at home, the story made me think about how I liked church better than anywhere else. My parents always had us meet together by the front entrance after church, but I sat on the back steps near where we parked. In a way only very dramatic people do, I hoped my life would play out just like the story.

And it did, sort of.

I watched my family's big, blue, diesel suburban rumble away and smiled. I got to stay at church! But instead of sitting with rabbis discussing the Bible, I had three adults asking me if I was lost and where my parents were. It didn't take too long for Mom and Dad to realize they were a kid short. Mom says she asked God where to find me, and He told her, "At my house".

Like the sneaky child I was, I feel like this weblog would hang out on the back steps waiting to be left behind. And like my then beleaguered parents, I could possibly overlook it in the headcount because of the other children demanding my attention.

If I remember right, my parents made it up to me not knowing I wanted to stay at church in the first place. I think they took me to 7-Eleven or Dunkin' Donuts, or something. They were both on the same corner. Following their example, whether or not you wanted to be left behind, I plan on making it up to you.

December will have four essays posted. The first will finish the Basic Christian Living series and the last three will begin my next series. After writing We're In This Together, my friend Abe encouraged me to study more of Nehemiah and begin another writing project. Nearly two years later, I'm still studying Nehemiah (now along with the rest of my church) and only halfway through writing about the book. I figure posting each chapter will encourage me to both stay current with my delinquent weblog and finish at least a first draft of this book idea.

Now, moving on...