Weekend round up

This weekend was my new niece's Christening. We had a fairly relaxing Saturday morning. I baked 2 batches of brownies to take to the Christening party, finished the aprons for my friend, watched a bit of Veronica Mars and did a bit more jigsaw. Nice and relaxing.

We then headed over to my parents place, and got there bang on time to wake my other niece and nephew up from their naps. Sooo cute when they're all sleepy and disorientated.

Had a lovely evening catching up with my family, dinner all around the table together was nice and a bunch of laughs. Despite falling into the boarding school argument - my family (with us kids having attended boarding school, and my mum teaching at one) on one side, and my sister's hubby and my hubby on the other saying that there was nothing wrong with their upbringing or education. Me and Daddy kept pretty quiet and tried to shut down the discussion before it got out of hand.

Got up the next morning (7:00!) with Hubby with a dodgy tummy and the beginnings of a cold. Breakfast for all, and I was very restrained having a slice of bread and jam and some stewed apple. Very healthy!

I was slightly surprised that my atheist sister has apparently re-found some sort of faith. To the point that she almost started lecturing me about God and how He was there for her when she needed Him most. Now, I'm not poo-poohing people's beliefs because I believe that everyone is entitled to faith in whatever way suits them, but given that my sister was always such an atheist before, it kind of took me by surprise. She admits that having cancer a couple of years ago helped her find her faith. I still find it hard to accept.

I always found it strange that my parents had us baptised as Methodist, yet all their grandkids are now being baptised Catholic - for me, I feel a little like they've gone to the dark side.

Me, I have no specific faith. Certainly not in one deity. And I've always believed that although there might be some fate or destiny involved, we do, for the most part, make our own luck and fortune. I read a lot of Greek and Latin mythology as a child, and it fascinated me and I've always liked the idea that there is a whole host of deities, all responsible for some aspect of our life. I was always intrigued by the stories in the Bible, and the similarities between different religious texts, like the Koran, the Bible, the Hindu stories, and Greek and Latin myths. That, to me, makes me believe that there are some truths buried there.

I have, however, always been believing of the fact that religious convictions are what drive the wars in the world today and in the past. If we truly all did love each other and respect each other's beliefs as each religion purports, then we would be a peaceful world for the most part. However, it is those who use their perverted view of their religion to wage war in their God's name, and that is not what true faith is.

Anyway, I was amused during the Baptism as the vicar asks the parents (my brother and his now wife) to reaffirm their faith. I know she insisted on a church wedding (despite having had two children out of wedlock), but they couldn't because he was divorced... but I had no idea that my pedantic, scientific, slightly autistic brother had any faith at all. And to me, that is hypocritical.

I know, I know, pot kettle and black, as I got married in a church and I am not religious. However, the Church of England are very accepting of people who might have a degree of faith, but not be committed church goers, but the Catholic church here was very much less tolerant of non committed Catholics I feel.

When I am in church, for whatever reason, weddings, Christenings etc. I don't say the prayers. I don't utter any religious declarations because I believe that would be hypocritical of me - to stand their and say that I believed something when I didn't would be wrong. I do offer up prayers of my own in the quiet time, but these are more to offer wishes up for friends and family who may need them.

I don't believe in God, but I do believe in Something. I'm just not sure what. I know science explains an awful lot, and I am a rational person. But sometimes, just sometimes, something unexplained happens and I have a little faith.

Mind you - I don't deserve God's blessings, if there is one, but I have led a pretty blessed life whereas some of the nicest and best people I know have had nothing but trials and tribulations - so clearly if there is some deity up there, he's not smiting me down for being a non-believer, and he's not helping my loved ones through their troubles.

Which is why I was probably constantly told as a child that Life is NOT FAIR, and Life is What You Make It.