Breakfast time!

 It was a good day. You felt freer than you had ever felt before. You went about the day free from the pressure of that stupid invitation. After you had tossed it into the garbage, you went and got ready for the day. The wife was at church. So you were free for a while. Dressed, you go through the kitchen, pick up a cup of coffee, and head to the garage to dig through the Christmas decorations. There was decorating to do. Folks in the neighborhood had already been putting up their lives. You neighbor even had lights on the fence between you. That was good, because it meant that you would not have to put up the lights on the fence. Maybe it pays off to procrastinate. Maybe.

Time slips away and before you know it, the missus has returned home from church. She pulls into the drive, gets out of the car and calls out to you. "Want to go out for lunch?" she asks. You realize that you are hunger. Yes, you would like to go out for a bite to eat. 

Sitting at the local diner, you see other folks that seemed like they were dressed up. Oh, yes, they are in their Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. Several of them greet your wife and you as you come in. They are all smiles. There is lots of good conversation going on. As you sit there, the family at the table next you greets you. "Wasn't that service great this morning?" the gentlemen asks. You stare at him blankly. What? What service? You wife responds with an affirmation. And they chat about what went on in church. You look down at the menu, hoping to avoid any such conversation. 

"Where were you this morning? We would love to see you in church." he says to you. With a sigh, you look up. "I was busy," you respond. Really? That is the best you could do? I was busy? You weren't busy. You just did not want anything to do with church. Besides, no one has ever asked you to be there, you think grumpily. Why would I go without an invitaiton...then you stop. You were invited. Your wife asked you to join her. Rats. Why did she have to do that? Why couldn't she just leave well enough alone?

"Well, maybe you will join us next week," he says to you. "I would enjoy seeing you in worship. You would really enjoy it." What? Really? Another person doing that. Leave me alone! you think. "Yeah, maybe I will," you say, without much conviction. Why do they have to do such things? Why do they feel the need to invite you to church? Your wife, these folks, who else is going to invite you? 

You mind drifts back to the invite you had received. You had thrown it in the garbage. You felt free from it. But now, it is back in your thoughts. What is that all about? Maybe you should look at it after all? Shaking your head to clear your thoughts, you realize the conversation has moved along. But in the back in your mind, there is the invitation...