Well, I didn't have to way-lay anyone.  Pat came into town, took me to lunch, and hung the oil painting of the poppies over my bed.  It looks absolutely perfect.  And it was done within twenty-four hours of when I gave up doing it myself!!!  Next on my list is to hang the drape in the front guest bedroom.  All I need is a ladder.  Actually, a step stool.  This is a job that I can do by myself.

When I go to bed, I lie there planning what I'm going to get done the next day.  I had planned to water the plants today, but last night as I was listening to the news, the weatherman said it was going to rain.  I can mark that job off my list.

I go to choir every Thursday morning.  We are practicing a Christmas thing for the holiday.  We sound terrible.  But not for lack of trying.  We are exuberantly discordant.

I got a new insight from a retired pastor who came to teacher's meeting.  He said that the Baptists and the Church of Christ's major point of difference was on the subject of baptism.  The C.O.C believes you have to be baptized to be saved.  The Baptists don't.  They think you should be baptized, but Christ's death on the cross for your sins did it all.  The pastor said that he believed the difference comes from whose writings you give emphasis to in the New Testament, Peter or Paul.

Peter converted the Jews--and the Jews already had a religious background.  Perhaps, they needed a sign of their conversion to Christianity--Baptism.  Paul converted the Gentiles who had no religious background in symbolism, or rituals--so to them, baptism simply meant you identified with other Christians to form a church.  Christ said that after you were saved you should be baptized.

He said that Baptists put much more weight on the writings of Paul--who says very little about baptism, other than you need to follow Christ's example.  Paul is clear about Christ's atoning blood being the payment for sin, not baptism.  But the Church of Christ leans heavily on the way Peter phrased salvation--in a couple of particular verses.  Most of Peter's letters say nothing about it.

So that is one way denominations are formed.  Over disagreements.  I have been baptized.  To me, it was a public symbol of what Christ had already done for me--he died for my sins on the cross.