It's Sunday morning, and I am so excited that I get to go to a *real* church today.  

We've probably all realized that is a touchy subject for our dear pastor, and I must confess that I spent several years being one of those people who thought you had to have a church building and have certain programs to be a "real" church. 

We spent 9 years doing mission work/church planting in Indiana.  We started churches that met in all different kinds of places -- from homes to community centers - to even a fire station!  Don't get me wrong - I loved it -- but I was often concerned about how not being in a "real" church would affect my children.  I felt they were missing out on all that a "real" church had to offer.  

It took my own daughter to teach me a very important lesson. Hannah was only 4 years old at the time.  Our church had a big circus-type tent set up at a community festival.  We had our praise band playing, and  we were giving out snow cones and cotton candy.  It was an incredibly hot day, and by the end of the afternoon, Hannah had fallen asleep.  I decided leave early and take her home.  I had picked her up and was carrying her to the car when she woke up just enough to wave good bye and said "Bye church." 

WOW - at that moment, I realized that she had a better understanding of what a real church was than I did.  To her, church was never about a building or programs.  She knew that church was a group of people coming together to worship.  It didn't matter if it was a home or a red and white striped tent - she knew it was church.

So, as I said, I am going to a "real" church today.  Psalms 122:1 says "I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."    This morning, the house of the Lord is Living Truth Church at Dixon Intermediate School -- a *real* church!