Here's a topic I have yet to really talk; religion.

I was raised Catholic. Baptised, had my first communion and was confirmed with the name Veronica. (I liked the name, what she stood for AND the fact that she was also an Archie's character)
I don't however go to church weekly. I go on major holidays just because it makes my mother happy. The service for me just got...empty. Stand up, sing this, say this, sit down, stand up again, kneel, shake hands with your neighbor, sing, take the host, kneel some more and then run for the car. I just wasn't getting anything out of it so when I was old enough to decide whether or not I wanted to go, I decided the latter. Not.
To be quite honest I probably would've stopped going years before that except for two reasons. One, my father MADE me go and two; youth group. As in choir. I was probably in one of the most amazing ones I've ever heard next to those kids in Sister Act 2.
I remember the day I was at Saturday 5:30 mass with my mother and heard the church youth group sing for the first time. Wow. There were a bunch of them too; all ages and sizes and three guitar players leading them. I had to join. So I did. Then dropped out, then joined up again about a year later when they had named themselves Morningstar.
For me it wasn't about the whole religion or singing infront of people in church, it was about being a voice in the middle of that sound. The harmonies were amazing. I had prided myself on being a pretty strong singer and have been known to drown out people by complete accident...but not in this group. There were strong singers everywhere.
That's when I was also introduced to the musical Godspell. Never heard of if but we sang practically every song off the soundtrack. Especially when the whole group went on a retreat. That album (this was pre-casette tape days) would get played to death. And we would act it out too. Recently one of the songs popped into my head and I haven't been able to get it out.
So what's my take on religion? Well....I don't believe that God is like Santa Claus and something that was made up like George Carlin says. I do believe that he exists, in his son and that there's a heaven and hell.
How else would you explain the power of music? Because when I think hard enough...I can still hear all those voices singing around me, it's SO comforting.

All Good Gifts
We plow the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land..
But it is fed and watered
by God's almighty hand..

He sends us snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain...
The breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain...

All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above
Then thank the Lord, thank the Lord for all his love...

We thank thee then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
The seedtime and the harvest,
our life our health our food,

No gifts have we to offer
for all thy love imparts
But that which thou desirest,
our humble thankful hearts!

All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above..
Then thank the Lord, thank the Lord for all his love..

I really wanna thank you Lord!
All good gifts around us Are sent from Heaven above..
Then thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love..