Speaking in Tongues & Slain in the Spirit

   My next mail drop was in the little town of Duncannon, PA. I arrived at the edge of town at the end of the day.  I think it was on a Wednesday night. As I walked down the trail, the trail began to follow a paved road (a sure sign that the town was very close). To my right a short distance away was the Susquehana River which flowed past the State Capitol of Harrisburg, PA. A short distance south of there was an island called "Three Mile Island", known for the nuclear accident in the 1970's (the problem was contained to the island, I was safe). I didn't know back in 1980 that I would later relocate and live for three years just a few miles south of this area in the year 2000 (but that is another story).
   As I walked down the road in 1980 I noticed a small white framed church. The parking lot had a lot of cars in it. The lights were on. I looked at the church sign and realized that I had never been in a church of that kind. What kind was it? Well,  I don't remember the name of the church or the denomination. But the church was some type of pentacostal/charismatic church. I saw a few people entering the building. After a brief glance at my watch, I realized that I would be just in time for church service. So I dropped my backpack at the front porch and entered the church building.
   The worship service started very shortly after I entered. There was a lot of music, and some preaching. At the end there was more music and praying of a kind I had never experienced before. People began to "speak in tongues". Others were "slain in the spirit" and fell to the ground (they later recovered). It was an organized chaos, on the brink of pandemonium. I sang, I prayed (in English only), and I watched what was going on around me. For an 18 year old who was raised Episcopalian, this was quite a contrast!
   Afterwards I retrieved my pack and headed down the road. I realized that people worship God in a wide variety of ways. I knew that I was not a pentacostal/charismatic, but the people seemed to have genuine faith. I was reminded of the phrase "different strokes for different folks". Whenever I meet someone of that denominational background, I am reminded of that night in Duncannon, PA.

   Here in 2011 I weighed in at 174.2 pounds this morning. My wife made some delicious burritos last night. She takes wheat (that she grinds) and makes tortilla bread. Then she added beans, a little bit of cheese, and some chopped tomatoes (from the garden..we have LOTS). They were wonderful! You don't have to starve in order to lose weight. You just have to be sensible in what you eat. Time for supper, I think I will have a salad!