I made a trip out to New Mexico last week to speak for the Lincoln County National Day of Prayer event. It is the largest per capita in the country. They had 1400 people in attendance at 6:30 in the morning! Wonderful, warm people – it was a privilege to be a small part of their observance. It never ceases to thrill me as the present the flag. It gives me goose bumps. I love this country and the liberty for which it stands as a beacon of hope around the world. God bless America.

As I travelled  home my last fight was on a small prop plane that left Washington, Dulles at 10:30 PM arriving at my airport at 11:00. It is a rather small plane and as we boarded, a young woman was ahead of me and seated herself in the front seat opposite the young flight attendant. They struck up a conversation. It wasn’t long before she was confiding some rather personal details about her life. I am sure she didn’t realize that her voice carried over the rattle of the engines! (I was trying not to listen as I was reading an engrossing mystery.)

But it made me so aware how much easier it is to confide our secrets to a stranger on an airplane or in a bar rather than in a church. Why is that? (No, I do not frequent bars other than the one on Cheers som eyears ago.) Do you remember the lyrics of the theme song?

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. 
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. 

Wouldn’t you like to get away? 

Sometimes you want to go 

Where everybody knows your name, 
and they’re always glad you came. 
You wanna be where you can see, 
our troubles are all the same 
You wanna be where everybody knows 
Your name. 

If only our churches could be that kind of place. How can we make it so?