What Grabs Your Attention?

I don’t know why, but I’m drawn to quaint, country churches. I always slow down when I go past them when I’m driving and crane to look until they are out of sight when I’m not driving. They draw my gaze, almost without exception.

Is it their charm? Because they are quaint? Because the characters from books I loved when I was young always seem to attend little country churches? Is their history? Their durability? Because I used to attend a small country church when I was little?

I don’t remember a lot about our little church, because I was really little when we moved to a new church. I have vague memories of dark wood and stained glass, of quirky stairways and odd angles. I also remember playing outside, until the old church was demolished. I don’t remember feeling sad at the time. I was pretty young when that happened. I feel the loss more now, maybe because my memories aren’t clear?

New church buildings have many positives. Better bathrooms and air conditioning/heat topping my list. There is nothing quite like trying to stay awake when you’re hot. Or huddling together when you’re cold.

We’ve moved several times, since I left home. Met in some interesting and diverse places. At one point, we met in a strip mall. But new or old, quirky or classic, that feeling of being connected to a legacy of faith never diminishes. I’m very grateful for it. It has helped me steer a mostly steady course through life. Has brought me comfort and courage.

Where do you find comfort? What attracts your attention? All comments are entered into my monthly drawing for an AnaBanana gift basket (worth $50 in honor of NaBloPoMo). Winner will be announced the first blog post in December. 🙂

Perilously,

Pauline does sometimes see old churches, despite being a confirmed hermit. When she isn’t craning to see old churches, she stays at home writing novels. You can find out more about her and her books on her website.

Can she do the impossible one more time?

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