The Langdoc Team

      Yesterday, I said "goodbye" to two of some of the most influential people I've met. Bryan and Maureen Langdoc, the husband-wife-pastor-team pastors at the church I attend at home left to further education in England and then to a town that is, actually, not too far away from Darlington (and one of my friends plays the piano there, so many trips to visit are bound to happen). I've asked them so many questions about life, religion, opinions, comedy, music, everything under the sun (almost). They have had a lot of cool answers and questions about my questions and, all together, proved to be two of the best people I've met. Here's a list of a few things I've learned from them.

1. Charity is still possible to give. No matter what.
2. Love is the most important.
3. Jesus was a human, too. 
4. Pastors are human, too! Who knew?
5. Not all pastors are obsessed with Christian Rock. 
6. Another image of perfect marriage: Bryan and Maureen Langdoc.
7. Another image of perfect parents: Bryan and Maureen Langdoc.
8. There's always room for understanding.
9. Speaking the truth is more powerful and useful than saying what will make the person happy.
10. Living in a small town is actually awesome and can be embraced.
11. How to embrace my small-town-roots.
12. How to love Darlington.
13. How to give a hand.
14. How to spread the Word and glory of God without shoving down peoples' throats.
15. Keeping an open mind is not synonymous with totally agreeing with the other person.
16. Forgiving doesn't always mean forgetting, but learning to live through it.
17. After accepting an apology "I forgive you" is better and more useful than "it's okay," because it's not okay. 
18. Prayer is powerful and it's nothing to be ashamed of. 
19. God is here. He's not coming, He's here. He's been here. 
20. Coincidences don't really happen.
21. How to have a hard core awesome Youth Group time.
22. How to maintain healthy relationships.
23. Living healthy and happy is good and what God truly wants.
24. Keeping the Earth beautiful shouldn't be souly a hippie thing. It should also be a God thing because we are here to help keep it up.
25. Reading is awesome.
26. Questions are to me embraced. Not always answered, but embraced.
27. Churches aren't against each other or in competition. They're working together to bring together a community of loving people.
28. Look into consumer responsibility and how it affects the world around you. 
29. Religion is nothing to be ashamed of.
30. Just be you. Who God made you to be.

I mean, I could go on for days. Thankfully, we live in the 21st Century where we have the world at our fingertips and can keep in contact. I'm very excited for them and their journey and excited for the church's journey. Thanks, Langdocs. There's never enough letters, posts, social media sites, to explain how much you've taught me.

Thanks,
Mary Taylor