Several days ago, I read where Susan responded to The Daily Biscuit from gooddogbaddog. The topic was describe your faith as a garment. I've decided to write about this as well because I like the topic, but I'm not sure what I'm going to write, so this may get continued at another time. Here goes....

okay, this is what came to my mind just now, so if the analogy isn't perfect, it's because it hasn't been thouroughly thought out yet.

My faith is like flip-flops in Florida. (nice alliteration, huh?!) Not a single pair, but a whole assortment of flip-flops. Here in Florida, flops take you anywhere. You've got your going-to-the-beach flops, your half-worn-out/not-afraid-to-get-dirty-in flops, your going-out-with-friends/casual-yet-nice flops, and finally your "dress" flops. [Yes, as a matter of fact, in Florida, there is such thing as "dress flip-flops"!] Flops take you from the streets, to the beach, to the shopping mall, to the restaurant, and have even been known to take some to the prom! While flops seem more appropriate in some situations than others, there's still no law saying you can't wear flops anywhere (except possibly those silly fire-codes in schools). The key benefits of flops: they protect the soles of your feet while still giving your feet room to "breathe."

So, how does this relate to faith, you ask? And remember this is my faith, so if it's not a great analogy for yours, then come up with your own analogy. Faith takes me anywhere. By that, I mean faith isn't limited to certain places, such as church, and then left out of everything else. Flops in Florida are not limited to the beach; they go everywhere. My faith is a part of me in all aspects of my life: work, school, home, church, social stuff, whatever. Some people think faith is only appropriate for church--mostly the people who don't go to church--and they think you should leave it out of other stuff. But like my flops, I don't like people delegating when they are or are not appropriate. An important fact is the part about the law: there's no law saying we must leave our faith out of any part of our life. In fact, America's constitution protects our faith. People try to tell us there's a seperation between church and state, but the truth is, that's not a law, just somebody's idea. However, like the fire-code, there are places where faith is "prohibited." In other countries, people may be told that they are not allowed to "practice" their faith, but that does not mean that their faith does not go with them; it just means it can't be obvious, like a kid wearing flops to school and trying to hide them under his long, baggy jeans. It's sad, though, that some people are forced to hide their faith like that. But what's good to know is that their faith is still a part of them. Finally, some key benifits of my faith: it is my security and protection, yet it is not limited and confined. There are the basics, which are necessary, yet the walls are left open to make room for expansion. God gives me room to express my faith in the way I choose, and He certainly doesn't give us a stopping point for growth. He wants us to grow as much as possible.

That's it for my flip-flop faith...from Florida. Hope you liked it. Tell me what your faith would be. Leave a comment, or blog about it. Later.