Snow and church

It's snowing tonight. The first snow of the year, all of these wet little flakes flying around, and it's beautiful. When isn't snow beautiful though? There is actually a fair bit of snow on the ground!
I facetimed with my sister and her friend for a bit tonight, which was awesome. Sometimes I forget how much she makes me laugh, and how much I miss her. I'll see for thanksgiving though thank goodness.

In addition to my grand list of things I did over the last two weeks, I spoke at my church on Sunday.

I was honestly shaking the entire time, but I got a lot of compliments. I was asked to write something about how growing up Unitarian Universalist has affected me, and of course, I left it until Friday at 9. I was up till 1 trying to get something coherent together, which was just a bad idea on many different levels.
Two of my friends actually came, which I was not really expecting. It was cool to share that part of my life with them. I feel like I have so many different groups of people that are pretty much separate from each other, and it was strange to see one part a bit integrated.
I don't know if many people know why Unitarian Universalism is, but here is what I said.

I have been coming to first parish ever since I can remember. And honestly, I can’t imagine growing up in any other religious community.
I went through the religious education program here and although I don’t remember much about it specifically, it helped me garner a well rounded education of not just my religion, but others, and the values that are important to me now.
From watching the Simpsons to taking the OWL course, saying the program is not a normal RE program seems like kind of an understatement. I always resented having to wake up and go do things on Sunday mornings, but looking back, it was a valuable experience for me. I mean, it beats learning extensively about something I don’t necessarily believe in. And I made so many memories! Like being Clara Barton in the Christmas pageant, or helping write it, or this one time in OWL…
Maybe I’ll save that for another time.
I didn’t grow up learning that there is only one true religion, I didn’t grow up learning being gay is a sin, or that whether or not you get eternal happiness is whether or not you do a, b, and c on a daily basis, and I am grateful for that. I am not saying that gratefulness is true for everyone, im not saying that other religions are inferior, it is just the best choice for me.
I’m sure I’d be the same person if I didn’t grow up in this community, but getting to where I am today would have been a lot longer and harder process. Being UU has not only exposed me to amazing friends and experiences, as well as delicious food, but it also helped me develop a better understanding of others and I guess even myself.
Believe me, trying to explain to my friends what being UU actually is is HARD. Is not a very strict religion, and it doesn’t have a strict set of beliefs I can easily recite. I usually simplify it into “well you can kind of believe what you want, its more about peace and love and doing the right thing?” I guess that’s my interpretation of it. Then try to say the affirmation and doxology, because they explain it better than I ever could.
I don’t know all the UU principles, I don’t come to church every Sunday, but I do know that becoming UU was the best choice my parents ever made for me. Besides having me and my sister. And marrying.
What I love most about growing up UU is that I get to be part of a wonderful church community connected by similar set of values, but the community isn’t dictating what I should believe. Thankfully, I will never be under pressure to feign belief in some superior being, and I will always feel my personal belief is accepted. I got to form my own credo. That choice of belief, that encouragement to always ask questions, grow spiritually and to find out who you are on your own terms is what growing up UU has given to me.
I am UU because my parents are, but I will continue to be UU for the rest of my life for that unique acceptance and encouragement. I want my kids to experience the same benefits of choice and questioning that is part of UUism and part of me. I want to see what being a UU for my entire life is like, I want to grow and discover and share with my community. I want to drink some coffee and talk during social hour, I want to light a candle either for a joy, or a sorrow. Someday. Right now, I’m perfectly happy just helping out with the little kids, trying to fit youth group in, and pondering the existence of a higher being, in my own way.