Well maybe not the final chapter, but this is the last I will be talking about it for a while...

After my original post and subsequent meeting with the pastor, combined with comments from many of you on the blog, self-evaluation, convictions and discussions with friends and family...most notably my husband, here is where this journey has taken me:

The issue of Christians and alchohol has been a long-standing issue for me as most (and yes these are generalities) of the more conservatively dressed and demeanored Christians in my life have always abstained from alcohol and told thier children to abstain from it, while many of my friends and more "free-spirited" Christians who have had the greatest impact on my complete commitment to Christ have not made a big deal of alcohol and will freely drink in public.

Since becoming a Christian, I have always resisted the more conservative approach to Christianity via skirts, head-coverings and abstaining from all things that could even whiff of impurity.  Until I can find clear and coherent teachings from the word of God on why I should or should not do something, I do not want to draw hard lines in the sand unless Jesus himself does.

So, I have been pursuing this issue, but as I am reaching the end of the journey, I am recognizing that I have made it into a much bigger issue than is necessary and as a result have taken my focus off Christ.  Because I have spent much of my time ticked at our church for stating that alcohol is prohibited, that has been a partial excuse for our lack of involvement in a church that is greatly pursuing God's will for itself and our community.

The reality is that it is such an absurd waste of time to worry about such a trivial matter when there are eternal consequences for what we are doing with our time today.  I have really been trying to refocus on God and as such, I began reading AW Tozer's A Knowledge of the Holy.  Though I seemed to have misplaced the book and am only a few chapters in, a point that Tozer made about God has really stuck with me. 

In the book he explains how modern Christianity has developed this warped and highly-inaccurate picture of who God is and this has caused disasterous results within "Christianity" as it is loosely defined by the 50 or some percent of the US population that claimed to be evangelical Christians (those of you who have read Tozer's book will recognize that this is my editorial comment, not Tozers).  Tozer suggests that, among other things, if we were to regain a more accurate picture of God, we would be so amazed with who He is and what He has done for us that anything other than complete love, unadorned worship and service to the true and living God would lose all significance.

So, though I have not finished the book or have not still come up with an absolute answer to the alcohol question, I am turned to focus on God and His will for my life as I learn daily to love and serve Him better, and can only hope that many of the other worldly burdens on my shoulders would be taken away (or I will throw them away as I recognize their complete insignificance in light of eternity)  as I cast my cares upon Him.

Thank you to all who responded to my original post...your comments were all very helpful...and a basic answer to the question...right now I am simply going to stay away from alcohol personally and keep it out of our home as I allow my husband to reach his own conclusions as to what is best for our household.