Growing Up In the Texas Bible Belt

I grew up in a christian home that was all but unified. Up until I was

a mid-teen we attended Sunday school at a Methodist church. Then at

what is known as the age of reasoning my brothers and sister were compelled to choose to enter the church as full members. That is when my Catholic father put his foot down and insisted we get to know his church and religion. For a small period of time we alternated between the two faiths. I have the unique distinction of belonging to both the Catholic CYO and Methodist MYF youth groups at the same time. Both taught that God was in heaven.

One of the things that interests me is the idea of being nothing, no-thing. Think of it we're nothing! Many years ago when I attended CCD, now called RCIC, the sisters spoke of God being everywhere and in everything, cool! It took my reluctant introduction to the world to Eastern Martial Arts to learn of the spiritual dimension. Oh, I knew that Heaven was "up there" some where, but exactly where? There before my eyes written in one of the gospels where Jesus is explaining to sympathetic Pharisee that the Kingdom was within that it dawned on me that if the Kingdom is within then why do we seek Him, "up there"? If the Kingdom is with in then God must be there too? Wouldn't you think so?