what's my religion?

I went to a wedding today. The bride, a cousin of mine, was the age my mother would have been, 60 something, the groom a Lutheran minister somewhat younger. She for the first time, he the second. They both looked so earnest, I just about cried. I wish them well.

The service was held in a little Lutheran church in a little town, the town where my great great grandfather settled when he came over from Sweden. So I have roots there, probably as much roots as I know of anywhere. I was related to maybe half the people at the wedding through my great grandparents. Overall, they're a pretty tame bunch, very Lake Wobegon. No wild wedding reception, no black sheep, except maybe me. ;)

I couldn't help but think, however, that it's been a very long time since I've attended a traditional Lutheran church service, and how rote and recitational it all seemed now. I was raised in that denomination, even went to a Lutheran college, but lately I've been, well, led differently. My church is now more among the white pines and frog choruses and chickadees and eagles. What a contrast to the liturgy at the wedding service today, complete with Nicene Creed and Holy Communion. The church of doctrine, of organ music and hymns written by sadistic church musicians. I used to think I couldn't carry a tune, thanks to hymnals all written in the wrong keys for my voice, with hymns that droned excessive verbiage with plodding unpredictable melody.

It felt really familiar to me; I knew all the congregational responses, sang along, knew what was coming. But then again, I felt like I did when I was twelve years old and attended my first Roman Catholic mass with a friend when I was a guest at their family cabin. The ritual overwhelmed me then, the genuflection and kneeling and holy water. I was in a panic by the time Communion came along, but then I was saved by my friend's mother who whispered "You can stay here. You only take Communion if you are confirmed Catholic." Which was strange, since I had taken my First Communion as a Lutheran a year before. But when in Rome...

So at least I know what I'm not. But what am I? A worshiper who delights at watching the mating display flight of the snipe? Who is thrilled that she may have seen a peregrine falcon today, not enough info to verify but the wings were so falcon-like? Who noticed the arrival of the yellow bellied sapsuckers on this rainy but warm day? Who thinks Handel's Messiah just can't compare to a frog chorus on a warm spring evening?

My favorite hymn is "How Great Thou Art", appropriately Swedish in origin:

O lord my God
when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hand has made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
The power of the universe displayed

Then sings my soul
my savior God to thee
How great thou art
How great thou art
Then sings my soul
my savior God to thee
How great thou art
How great thou art!

When through the woods
and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down
from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze
Then sings my soul
my savior God to thee
How great thou art
How great thou art
Then sings my soul
my savior God to thee
How great thou art
HOW GREAT THOU ART!

The world, the creation, is good. Let's treat it that way.