I was stocking a gift wrap endcap today at work and noticed that one gift bag that said "Happy Holidays" had an item number of 666. I laughed thinking how many folks might "ah-ha!" that as a sign or something silly. Then my brain took off down that rabbit trail.
This time of year you see the religious folk posting their memes shouting loudly that we must say "Merry Christmas" and the outrage about taking Christ out of Christmas. Do they even realize how silly and petty they sound? Sure, I may prefer to say Merry Christmas, but I don't feel the need to be offended by someone who chooses another greeting. There are a few fun holidays all run together, so is it really required to pick just one?
My biggest point to be made here, and probably the only one, is that Christmas really isn't about Christ anyway! It's NOT Jesus' birthday. We may choose to remember His birth at this time, but most research shows He was born in the summer, or maybe September. If we want to get really honest, we can research how it was actually a Pagan holiday that was commandeered by the Christians to stop the heathens from celebrating what they wanted to celebrate. So really, aren't WE the ones that stole the holiday? hmmm....
I love this time of year, and I even work in retail! I call it Christmas because that is what it has been called all my life, no agenda, no religion. I love Christmas music, Christmas movies, Christmas lights, Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, and yes, I even love Santa!! People are often more friendly and happy and excited about giving. The kids love getting presents and it's fun to watch their glee as they marvel at the wonderfulness that is Christmas. I don't see it as being much about Jesus, but all in all, it's a positive holiday that promotes a lot of godly principles, so I like it! There is nothing wrong with love, joy, peace, generosity, and enjoying life with the awe and wonder of a child. That is why this is my favorite holiday. So be happy, have a holiday, and love your neighbors, no matter what words they use to share the ideas that are Christmas.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Friday, October 23, 2015
Trust
I have been pondering this idea a lot lately. Trust has become my answer for "what is the bottom line of Christianity?" Trusting God is something I've been learning, but I have also been thinking about trust between people. I think we are sorely lacking in that arena as well.
When someone tells you your spouse has been cheating on you, how many of us will brush that off as just a nasty rumor? I doubt the numbers would be high, and that is sad. It seems like our natural first instinct is to believe a horrible story like that, even if the spouse never gave any cause to mistrust. How many of us could hear that and think, "no, I know him/her and I trust him/her, so I'm not going to just simply believe this story." ? With this issue of ultimate betrayal, trust is forfeit and fear takes over.
Let's step back a bit. What if you are a teenage girl wanting to date this super cute boy at school, and your father is against it? You've had a wonderful relationship with your daddy for 16 years, he's taken care of your every need and has loved you well, always encouraged you to pursue your dreams and passions and provided many opportunities for you to do so. Suddenly he's just out to destroy your happiness and ruin your life!! Um... Probably not. Trust would tell you that maybe he knows something you don't, maybe he is still that wonderful father that wants the very best for you. Trust wouldn't believe that he has suddenly turned into a monster.
And what if we turn the tables. What if your husband really was cheating? What if your best friend in the world was the one to tell you about it? Do you trust her as you always have? Or do you fly into a rage and throw her out of your life? Did she suddenly turn against you?
We've all seen scenarios like this play out and they're all pretty disastrous. So what am I getting at? Trust isn't automatic. Trust isn't a given. Trust is built over time and made stronger by history. It is my hope that we would all consider our level of trust with the people closest to us. Do we know their hearts? Do we know their character? I know that some people are good at deception, but do we really want to start from there? I think that trust is deeply important to our lives, so I am pondering how that works, who should I trust? How do I monitor my levels of trust with the various circles of relationships in my life? It's tough, but I think it is important enough to warrant more attention.
When someone tells you your spouse has been cheating on you, how many of us will brush that off as just a nasty rumor? I doubt the numbers would be high, and that is sad. It seems like our natural first instinct is to believe a horrible story like that, even if the spouse never gave any cause to mistrust. How many of us could hear that and think, "no, I know him/her and I trust him/her, so I'm not going to just simply believe this story." ? With this issue of ultimate betrayal, trust is forfeit and fear takes over.
Let's step back a bit. What if you are a teenage girl wanting to date this super cute boy at school, and your father is against it? You've had a wonderful relationship with your daddy for 16 years, he's taken care of your every need and has loved you well, always encouraged you to pursue your dreams and passions and provided many opportunities for you to do so. Suddenly he's just out to destroy your happiness and ruin your life!! Um... Probably not. Trust would tell you that maybe he knows something you don't, maybe he is still that wonderful father that wants the very best for you. Trust wouldn't believe that he has suddenly turned into a monster.
And what if we turn the tables. What if your husband really was cheating? What if your best friend in the world was the one to tell you about it? Do you trust her as you always have? Or do you fly into a rage and throw her out of your life? Did she suddenly turn against you?
We've all seen scenarios like this play out and they're all pretty disastrous. So what am I getting at? Trust isn't automatic. Trust isn't a given. Trust is built over time and made stronger by history. It is my hope that we would all consider our level of trust with the people closest to us. Do we know their hearts? Do we know their character? I know that some people are good at deception, but do we really want to start from there? I think that trust is deeply important to our lives, so I am pondering how that works, who should I trust? How do I monitor my levels of trust with the various circles of relationships in my life? It's tough, but I think it is important enough to warrant more attention.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Faith - what does it mean?
What does faith look like to me? I see and hear so many comments from those who don't believe in God that imply that they believe we Christians have completely blind faith in someone we have no evidence of. Like we're just hoping that there's someone out there and we're trying to behave a certain way to please this unknown, possibly imaginary God. I guess to someone without the experience, that is the most logical explanation. I also assume it's why they get so cynical and upset when pastors have nice things. They might think it's quite a racket that this guy gets enough money for that nice car by selling nonsense. I guess I can see that, but let me tell you what faith means to me, because I've only recently begun to get it myself.
Over the last three years I have had some very real encounters with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. There's been a really cool feeling, there's been a voice, but most of all there's been action. Let me try to lay out my journey.
I was brought up to be very independent and to take care of my own needs. I was pretty successful in this endeavor. I had a job, a home, and really wasn't lacking for anything. My job was not super consistent, so some weeks money was a little tighter than normal, and I was living paycheck to paycheck mostly. So at some point I started getting credit cards. I lived with those as my backup for years til I was enslaved to my debt. It was always something, a car repair, a medical bill, something big that I didn't have enough for. Eventually I am at a place where I'm still living paycheck to paycheck, but $200-300 is going to my debt!
About a year and a half ago I had a revelation. For me, the credit cards were replacing faith in God to provide for me. My pastor Bill Johnson said one day, "how much money is too much? However much replaces your trust in God." That really hit me. I saw that though I don't have much money, having a credit card was where my financial trust was. If something came up, I had that card to pay it with. So I stopped. I told God I was going to trust Him to provide for my needs. I haven't used them since. Things come up, but I've never not had enough. I've had multiple car issues in this time period, but for each one, I had just enough.
My income tax refund came just before a big repair was needed. I was a little disappointed because I had hoped to by a new camera and computer with that money. But guess what? Over the next few months I found a $250 camera on clearance for $60 and a computer drastically discounted down to $200!! So I spent the money on my need, and then saw God provide super deals that just popped up in front of me, so I actually spent less on those items than I would've had I bought them right away with my refund.
I can't tell you how many times I've taken my car to the shop and walked out without owing a cent. I've paid for a few, but I've had them turn out to be under warranty, or such a small fix the mechanic just didn't charge me. If it was just one, maybe you could call it just good luck, but I'm probably approaching 10 times this has happened.
Housing is the other area where I've had some crazy provision. Summer of 2013 I was in temporary housing and had to be out Aug 15. I was online answering every ad I could find for almost 4 months with every single one being "no." I was freaking out! About 2 weeks before my deadline I felt like God told me to just stop. Stop answering ads and posting ads. Just sit there and trust Him. That was a ridiculously hard thing to do for someone so used to taking care of business. Aug 15 arrived and I had nothing. I had all my stuff packed and my friends were coming at 4:00 to get me out of the house. Around 10:00, I got an email asking if I needed a place to stay. I didn't know this person. I went to the house at noon and met the other roommate and got the place!! No pet deposit either! I loved that house, it was so perfect. That was my first big super obvious God provided moment.
Those are the two biggest examples I have for how God has proved Himself to be a good Father, and very very real to me. Faith is the act of not acting so to speak for me. Instead of trying so hard to do it all myself, I have been learning to sit back, not worry, and let God provide for me. It is hard, but the more time that I do it and He shows up, the more it builds my expectation for the next time. Faith is not belief, it's trust. He promised to take care of me, so now He just asks me to trust Him.
So now, I feel like He's calling me to move to another city. I need to find a place, get a transfer for my job, and fill my room here, all in the next week. I was offered a temporary home, and I'm ready to leap. I don't know that I'll find a permanent home, I don't yet have the job transfer confirmed, and I don't have anyone lined up to fill my room. Am I stressed? A little. But not nearly as much as one would expect. I know that God has provided for me every time I've needed Him, and usually at the last minute, so I can relax and trust that He has this one covered too.
I've come to believe that the bottom line of it all is trust. In the Garden of Eden, God gave them everything, but forbid just one tree. Love requires a choice. When Eve was tempted, the serpent told her that God was withholding something good from her. The choice she made was to trust someone other than the good God she'd spent so much time getting to know. Her momentary lack of trust cost mankind everything. So today, we are on a journey back to trust. I have always believed, but trust is a new thing for me. God is not a jerk, so He understands where we are in our journey. I know He's always been around, I can see His hand at work throughout my life, but as I made more direct effort to get to know Him, He has called me deeper. He knows trust doesn't come easy for us, so He very gently gives us opportunities to trust Him. As we see Him as faithful, the opportunities get a little more difficult. Each time we choose to trust Him, our faith grows, and the next challenge is a little easier.
Imagine the level of faith that Abraham had to embark on a journey up a mountain with the instruction to sacrifice his only son, the son of the promise, on the altar. He knew that God would never ask such a thing of him, yet he proceeded anyway knowing that God would provide another way if he just followed the path. To know God so well, I can only imagine. I'm on that journey to discover deeper depths of my Amazing Heavenly Father.
Over the last three years I have had some very real encounters with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. There's been a really cool feeling, there's been a voice, but most of all there's been action. Let me try to lay out my journey.
I was brought up to be very independent and to take care of my own needs. I was pretty successful in this endeavor. I had a job, a home, and really wasn't lacking for anything. My job was not super consistent, so some weeks money was a little tighter than normal, and I was living paycheck to paycheck mostly. So at some point I started getting credit cards. I lived with those as my backup for years til I was enslaved to my debt. It was always something, a car repair, a medical bill, something big that I didn't have enough for. Eventually I am at a place where I'm still living paycheck to paycheck, but $200-300 is going to my debt!
About a year and a half ago I had a revelation. For me, the credit cards were replacing faith in God to provide for me. My pastor Bill Johnson said one day, "how much money is too much? However much replaces your trust in God." That really hit me. I saw that though I don't have much money, having a credit card was where my financial trust was. If something came up, I had that card to pay it with. So I stopped. I told God I was going to trust Him to provide for my needs. I haven't used them since. Things come up, but I've never not had enough. I've had multiple car issues in this time period, but for each one, I had just enough.
My income tax refund came just before a big repair was needed. I was a little disappointed because I had hoped to by a new camera and computer with that money. But guess what? Over the next few months I found a $250 camera on clearance for $60 and a computer drastically discounted down to $200!! So I spent the money on my need, and then saw God provide super deals that just popped up in front of me, so I actually spent less on those items than I would've had I bought them right away with my refund.
I can't tell you how many times I've taken my car to the shop and walked out without owing a cent. I've paid for a few, but I've had them turn out to be under warranty, or such a small fix the mechanic just didn't charge me. If it was just one, maybe you could call it just good luck, but I'm probably approaching 10 times this has happened.
Housing is the other area where I've had some crazy provision. Summer of 2013 I was in temporary housing and had to be out Aug 15. I was online answering every ad I could find for almost 4 months with every single one being "no." I was freaking out! About 2 weeks before my deadline I felt like God told me to just stop. Stop answering ads and posting ads. Just sit there and trust Him. That was a ridiculously hard thing to do for someone so used to taking care of business. Aug 15 arrived and I had nothing. I had all my stuff packed and my friends were coming at 4:00 to get me out of the house. Around 10:00, I got an email asking if I needed a place to stay. I didn't know this person. I went to the house at noon and met the other roommate and got the place!! No pet deposit either! I loved that house, it was so perfect. That was my first big super obvious God provided moment.
Those are the two biggest examples I have for how God has proved Himself to be a good Father, and very very real to me. Faith is the act of not acting so to speak for me. Instead of trying so hard to do it all myself, I have been learning to sit back, not worry, and let God provide for me. It is hard, but the more time that I do it and He shows up, the more it builds my expectation for the next time. Faith is not belief, it's trust. He promised to take care of me, so now He just asks me to trust Him.
So now, I feel like He's calling me to move to another city. I need to find a place, get a transfer for my job, and fill my room here, all in the next week. I was offered a temporary home, and I'm ready to leap. I don't know that I'll find a permanent home, I don't yet have the job transfer confirmed, and I don't have anyone lined up to fill my room. Am I stressed? A little. But not nearly as much as one would expect. I know that God has provided for me every time I've needed Him, and usually at the last minute, so I can relax and trust that He has this one covered too.
I've come to believe that the bottom line of it all is trust. In the Garden of Eden, God gave them everything, but forbid just one tree. Love requires a choice. When Eve was tempted, the serpent told her that God was withholding something good from her. The choice she made was to trust someone other than the good God she'd spent so much time getting to know. Her momentary lack of trust cost mankind everything. So today, we are on a journey back to trust. I have always believed, but trust is a new thing for me. God is not a jerk, so He understands where we are in our journey. I know He's always been around, I can see His hand at work throughout my life, but as I made more direct effort to get to know Him, He has called me deeper. He knows trust doesn't come easy for us, so He very gently gives us opportunities to trust Him. As we see Him as faithful, the opportunities get a little more difficult. Each time we choose to trust Him, our faith grows, and the next challenge is a little easier.
Imagine the level of faith that Abraham had to embark on a journey up a mountain with the instruction to sacrifice his only son, the son of the promise, on the altar. He knew that God would never ask such a thing of him, yet he proceeded anyway knowing that God would provide another way if he just followed the path. To know God so well, I can only imagine. I'm on that journey to discover deeper depths of my Amazing Heavenly Father.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Abortion Logic
I try hard to listen to people that think differently in an attempt to understand where they are coming from. I feel to do any less would just be to add to the dis-unity we face. There is this one issue though that has me completely baffled. I see no logic, nor any relevant argument being presented. I am completely befuddled as to how many people think it's ok to slaughter babies by the millions.
One of the first reasons we hear is in the case of rape or incest. I do not deny that these are awful things and a baby born out of such situations could potentially be mentally and emotionally a huge challenge. I still don't think killing the baby is the answer, but this is one slightly understandable reason for some to think it is.
Statistics that I've seen say that less than 1% of abortions stem from this type of scenario. So if I were to accept this argument for abortion, please explain to me why that justifies the other 99% of abortions performed. This is why I find this an invalid response. It is not right to make all things legal for the sake of one understandable situation. Calling someone who is against abortion a monster for the sake of these few people is illogical. If those are truly the people you care about, why don't I hear of laws being proposed to legalize abortion only in these cases?
Another one I saw was a congresswoman I believe speaking to her governing peers. She proceeded to tell us that she had had 2 abortions. Then she went on to say that her babies had died in the womb and had to be removed from her body. She called this an abortion. She argued that if that dead tissue had been left in her body it would have killed her. She said that an abortion had to be done to remove the dead babies. She was using this scenario to show people that this was a medically necessary thing and the "other side" was trying to make it illegal.
Um. No. This woman needs a dictionary. I did a quick internet search for the definition of abortion, and this is what came up. "the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy" I think anyone with half a brain could determine that what this woman went through was in no way an abortion. If her babies died, that was not a deliberate termination, it was an unfortunate accident. This is the type of argument that bugs me most because it is completely off topic. No one that is pro-life is saying that babies dead in the womb must be left there. That is just stupid, or should I say, deceptive.
Recently we were exposed to some horrific videos of Planned Parenthood execs dealing out the body parts of the babies they had killed. This stirred up the public outrage on one side of the issue. The left did not have a legitimate response to what they saw, they only decided to state that the videos were edited so therefor they were not real. Ever watch the news? Video clips are always edited to show the important details. The video footage is real, whether you see the whole thing or just pieces. Besides that, I believe they did upload the unedited footage as well. No response. A group of protesters gathered outside Governor Bobby Jindal's house to protest his defunding of Planned Parenthood. He set up screens outside and began showing the videos. The protesters ran away, they couldn't take watching them. Again, there is no legitimate response to the truth that this is a sick sick business.
There have been many testimonies of people who worked in abortion clinics and had to quit because it was so horrifying. I don't understand the people that can do it still after hearing the descriptions of those who left. I wonder how many average citizens could sit and watch it happen? I wonder how many that are for abortion really know what happens.
Next we can look at the tactic of shifting the focus. When someone stands up and says that it's wrong to kill babies, their own failings get put on the table. This lovely argument says that if you are not perfect, you have no right to make a moral stand against anything. Again, this is just smoke and mirrors. There is no way to make it sound like a good and proper thing to kill babies, all they can do is shift the focus to other issues. This is also applied to those who reference the Bible as their source for their opinion. People with no understanding of the Bible like to ask if they wear mixed clothing or cut their beards. Truth is truth, no matter how much of it we abide by. Just because I sin in one area does not mean that stating the truth in another is invalid. Just because I stole a candy bar doesn't mean I have no right to say murder is wrong.
My favorite one however is the idea that a man has no right to an opinion because he does not have a uterus. Really? I'll concede that it may seem unfair that a man can be promiscuous without facing the same risks a woman does. But that's how it is. A man is still a human being that should be able to express his thoughts regarding babies. We are outraged when ISIS slaughters people, when the Nazis killed 6 million people, when a refugee baby washes up on the beach and no one tells us we can't have an opinion because we're not __fill in the blank people group __ . Humans have the right to protest the slaughter of other humans. Period.
I am pro-choice. I believe that everyone has the right to choose how they approach their own sex lives. I believe you should choose carefully who you sleep with, how you protect yourself, etc. If you choose poorly, there are natural consequences. If you are female, you may end up pregnant. I think we all know where babies come from. Accept it. If you don't want a baby, you are responsible for making certain choices. After the fact, killing a baby is not an acceptable choice. I am pro-life.
I know that there are so many stories, situations, heart breaking reasons why so many women choose to kill their unborn babies. I know a few women, heard plenty of stories. My heart goes out to them all. I can't really put myself in their shoes, but I can imagine. I did live with a single mom for a bit and I saw how hard that life was. But I believe God is good, maybe that is the difference. I don't see a baby as a punishment. A baby is a blessing, a huge joy. All the fears that rise up when a girl finds out she is pregnant I'm sure are deafening. But what you don't know is how the baby will change you and the father and many others in your life. What if the baby is what causes someone to grow up and make positive changes in their life? What if a baby gives you a purpose and meaning in your life? What if that baby will grow up and find the cure for cancer? What if you ignore the fears and embrace the possibilities? What if you took responsibility for your choices and accept the great adventure of loving and being loved by a child you create in your own body? It could be the best choice you ever made.
One of the first reasons we hear is in the case of rape or incest. I do not deny that these are awful things and a baby born out of such situations could potentially be mentally and emotionally a huge challenge. I still don't think killing the baby is the answer, but this is one slightly understandable reason for some to think it is.
Statistics that I've seen say that less than 1% of abortions stem from this type of scenario. So if I were to accept this argument for abortion, please explain to me why that justifies the other 99% of abortions performed. This is why I find this an invalid response. It is not right to make all things legal for the sake of one understandable situation. Calling someone who is against abortion a monster for the sake of these few people is illogical. If those are truly the people you care about, why don't I hear of laws being proposed to legalize abortion only in these cases?
Another one I saw was a congresswoman I believe speaking to her governing peers. She proceeded to tell us that she had had 2 abortions. Then she went on to say that her babies had died in the womb and had to be removed from her body. She called this an abortion. She argued that if that dead tissue had been left in her body it would have killed her. She said that an abortion had to be done to remove the dead babies. She was using this scenario to show people that this was a medically necessary thing and the "other side" was trying to make it illegal.
Um. No. This woman needs a dictionary. I did a quick internet search for the definition of abortion, and this is what came up. "the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy" I think anyone with half a brain could determine that what this woman went through was in no way an abortion. If her babies died, that was not a deliberate termination, it was an unfortunate accident. This is the type of argument that bugs me most because it is completely off topic. No one that is pro-life is saying that babies dead in the womb must be left there. That is just stupid, or should I say, deceptive.
Recently we were exposed to some horrific videos of Planned Parenthood execs dealing out the body parts of the babies they had killed. This stirred up the public outrage on one side of the issue. The left did not have a legitimate response to what they saw, they only decided to state that the videos were edited so therefor they were not real. Ever watch the news? Video clips are always edited to show the important details. The video footage is real, whether you see the whole thing or just pieces. Besides that, I believe they did upload the unedited footage as well. No response. A group of protesters gathered outside Governor Bobby Jindal's house to protest his defunding of Planned Parenthood. He set up screens outside and began showing the videos. The protesters ran away, they couldn't take watching them. Again, there is no legitimate response to the truth that this is a sick sick business.
There have been many testimonies of people who worked in abortion clinics and had to quit because it was so horrifying. I don't understand the people that can do it still after hearing the descriptions of those who left. I wonder how many average citizens could sit and watch it happen? I wonder how many that are for abortion really know what happens.
Next we can look at the tactic of shifting the focus. When someone stands up and says that it's wrong to kill babies, their own failings get put on the table. This lovely argument says that if you are not perfect, you have no right to make a moral stand against anything. Again, this is just smoke and mirrors. There is no way to make it sound like a good and proper thing to kill babies, all they can do is shift the focus to other issues. This is also applied to those who reference the Bible as their source for their opinion. People with no understanding of the Bible like to ask if they wear mixed clothing or cut their beards. Truth is truth, no matter how much of it we abide by. Just because I sin in one area does not mean that stating the truth in another is invalid. Just because I stole a candy bar doesn't mean I have no right to say murder is wrong.
My favorite one however is the idea that a man has no right to an opinion because he does not have a uterus. Really? I'll concede that it may seem unfair that a man can be promiscuous without facing the same risks a woman does. But that's how it is. A man is still a human being that should be able to express his thoughts regarding babies. We are outraged when ISIS slaughters people, when the Nazis killed 6 million people, when a refugee baby washes up on the beach and no one tells us we can't have an opinion because we're not __fill in the blank people group __ . Humans have the right to protest the slaughter of other humans. Period.
I am pro-choice. I believe that everyone has the right to choose how they approach their own sex lives. I believe you should choose carefully who you sleep with, how you protect yourself, etc. If you choose poorly, there are natural consequences. If you are female, you may end up pregnant. I think we all know where babies come from. Accept it. If you don't want a baby, you are responsible for making certain choices. After the fact, killing a baby is not an acceptable choice. I am pro-life.
I know that there are so many stories, situations, heart breaking reasons why so many women choose to kill their unborn babies. I know a few women, heard plenty of stories. My heart goes out to them all. I can't really put myself in their shoes, but I can imagine. I did live with a single mom for a bit and I saw how hard that life was. But I believe God is good, maybe that is the difference. I don't see a baby as a punishment. A baby is a blessing, a huge joy. All the fears that rise up when a girl finds out she is pregnant I'm sure are deafening. But what you don't know is how the baby will change you and the father and many others in your life. What if the baby is what causes someone to grow up and make positive changes in their life? What if a baby gives you a purpose and meaning in your life? What if that baby will grow up and find the cure for cancer? What if you ignore the fears and embrace the possibilities? What if you took responsibility for your choices and accept the great adventure of loving and being loved by a child you create in your own body? It could be the best choice you ever made.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
What Good is Beauty?
All this talk about "re-defining beauty" is weird to me.
I would think if we are honest, we don't view every single person as beautiful physically. We can talk all we want, but deep down inside, we don't really always see beauty in every person we look at during our first impression phase. The thing is, we all have a different opinion on that subject too, so why does it matter so much? I don't really see that that is the problem. The problem IMO is the value we place on that physical beauty that we have very little control over. We don't get to pick our face before we're born, we don't choose how our metabolism will work, we don't choose if we'll have a deformity or have a debilitating accident along the way that alters our appearance. Sure, we can exercise and eat right to try to maintain a certain body type, but we all know that doesn't always help either. And those girls that appear so pretty... any idea how much money they spend on products to get them to that place? It's a crazy mask of artwork. At some point, it's gonna come off.
It bugs me when I see so many comments on pics of good looking actors that say "I wanna have your babies" -- What makes you think that guy would be a good father? Being hot doesn't make good father material. I don't think this mentality is relegated to internet comments either, I see people of all ages aching to date someone that they know nothing about other than their looks. I just don't get that. To those of you who are thinking in the back of your mind that I am one of those people, I assure you, I am not. Yes, I pin pics of good looking celebs in my Pinterest account, but I have never said I wanted to date/marry/sleep with any of them. They are simply artwork to me. God did a good job and I admire His workmanship. ;) I realize that I don't know who they are, so there is nothing in me that thinks beyond the art status. If I'm going to be attracted to a guy, it's going to be based on getting to know his character... true beauty.
We elevate the physically beautiful people based on something they did nothing to obtain. We push away and ignore and abuse those who we deem ugly. THAT is the problem. It's no different than racial discrimination I would say. To treat someone based on a characteristic they can't control is wrong. We should value ALL humans based on the fact that they are created in the image of God. Their true beauty should never be on the outside, but only on the inside where they have a choice.
Inner beauty is a different story. That is where we all have opportunity to make a choice and grow and improve our own self and nothing can stop us. We all have equal opportunity to become a better, more beautiful person. When we talk inner beauty, there are still pretty people, and there are ugly people, but this time, it's not out of their control. If we're going to redefine beauty, this is where we must start. Trying to force society to see fat girls as beautiful isn't getting us very far. (that's the only thing I've really seen being pushed so far) I have seen plenty of pretty fat girls, and I've seen ugly skinny girls, it just isn't what is important. I've known numerous people that I put in one box on first impression , yet on further encounters, moved them to the other box based on who came out from the inside.
Dustin Hoffman on beauty
Watch this clip ^^ Dustin had the epiphany. This is an incredible revelation.
May we all grow in seeing each other as valuable because we were all created in the image of God. The packaging doesn't matter, it's the character that really counts. What have we missed out on in life by discounting someone because they are not our standard of beauty?
I would think if we are honest, we don't view every single person as beautiful physically. We can talk all we want, but deep down inside, we don't really always see beauty in every person we look at during our first impression phase. The thing is, we all have a different opinion on that subject too, so why does it matter so much? I don't really see that that is the problem. The problem IMO is the value we place on that physical beauty that we have very little control over. We don't get to pick our face before we're born, we don't choose how our metabolism will work, we don't choose if we'll have a deformity or have a debilitating accident along the way that alters our appearance. Sure, we can exercise and eat right to try to maintain a certain body type, but we all know that doesn't always help either. And those girls that appear so pretty... any idea how much money they spend on products to get them to that place? It's a crazy mask of artwork. At some point, it's gonna come off.
It bugs me when I see so many comments on pics of good looking actors that say "I wanna have your babies" -- What makes you think that guy would be a good father? Being hot doesn't make good father material. I don't think this mentality is relegated to internet comments either, I see people of all ages aching to date someone that they know nothing about other than their looks. I just don't get that. To those of you who are thinking in the back of your mind that I am one of those people, I assure you, I am not. Yes, I pin pics of good looking celebs in my Pinterest account, but I have never said I wanted to date/marry/sleep with any of them. They are simply artwork to me. God did a good job and I admire His workmanship. ;) I realize that I don't know who they are, so there is nothing in me that thinks beyond the art status. If I'm going to be attracted to a guy, it's going to be based on getting to know his character... true beauty.
We elevate the physically beautiful people based on something they did nothing to obtain. We push away and ignore and abuse those who we deem ugly. THAT is the problem. It's no different than racial discrimination I would say. To treat someone based on a characteristic they can't control is wrong. We should value ALL humans based on the fact that they are created in the image of God. Their true beauty should never be on the outside, but only on the inside where they have a choice.
Inner beauty is a different story. That is where we all have opportunity to make a choice and grow and improve our own self and nothing can stop us. We all have equal opportunity to become a better, more beautiful person. When we talk inner beauty, there are still pretty people, and there are ugly people, but this time, it's not out of their control. If we're going to redefine beauty, this is where we must start. Trying to force society to see fat girls as beautiful isn't getting us very far. (that's the only thing I've really seen being pushed so far) I have seen plenty of pretty fat girls, and I've seen ugly skinny girls, it just isn't what is important. I've known numerous people that I put in one box on first impression , yet on further encounters, moved them to the other box based on who came out from the inside.
Dustin Hoffman on beauty
Watch this clip ^^ Dustin had the epiphany. This is an incredible revelation.
May we all grow in seeing each other as valuable because we were all created in the image of God. The packaging doesn't matter, it's the character that really counts. What have we missed out on in life by discounting someone because they are not our standard of beauty?
Monday, April 27, 2015
Why Does it Matter?
Origin. Did God create us, or did we evolve from nothing? Why does it matter?
I'm not going to get into the debate over which is true, I want to talk about why the answer matters.
I enjoy a good debate, but there was one time a few years ago where I realized something important. Without common ground foundational truths, we can't have a functional debate and actually come together on an issue. When the trunk of truth is different, the branches of the argument are on two different trees.
Today there are so many issues in the news causing chaos in so many lives because we don't agree on the issues. We are a nation divided, constantly fighting, neither side willing to listen and understand. But why? Is lack of common sense the issue? Are people stupid? Are people hateful? Do people lack compassion? I'd like to suggest that the biggest problem we face is that we are on two different trees. What tree we subscribe to ultimately determines our beliefs on the issues.
I belong to the God tree. I believe that God created each and every one of us intentionally and with purpose. I believe that He crafted me exactly how He wanted me to be so that I could fulfill the amazing plan He had in mind for my life. I believe this is true of every single person on the planet throughout time, regardless of the individual's view of God. I believe that God singled us out to be made in His image and to be receivers of His love.
The other tree says that we evolved from some "lower" life form. We are an accident. We are no different than the animals. There is no purpose to our being here, we are not special, we have no value in the universe. Survival of the fittest.
These two wildly different viewpoints affect our beliefs on every issue we are fighting over.
- If I was created by a loving God who made me specifically how He wants me, then I believe He did not make a mistake in making me female. If I am just a random collection of cells that happened to turn out human, I can believe that I evolved wrong, therefore I can mutilate my body to make myself however I want to be.
- If I believe God is the initiator of all life, I will honor an unborn child's right to live the same as I would any other person. If I believe we are all an accident, I will be ok killing my unborn baby because it is inconvenient or "defective."
- If I believe God is my Creator, I will believe that He also wrote the 'operation manual' and knows how I should live my life in the best possible way. I'll believe that He will show me which acts are harmful to me and which are good. If I believe there is no plan for my life and no source for an absolute moral code, I will do whatever feels good in the moment and then be very confused when my life falls apart.
- If I believe that God has promised to take care of my every need, I will trust in Him and not stress out over every obstacle I face. I will not compromise my personal values for the sake of my own survival, and I will be generous with what I have, knowing my Heavenly Father will make sure I still have what I need. If I am alone in the universe and no one is looking after me, I will do what it takes to survive, not caring who I trample in the process. Survival of the fittest. If I am stronger, I will take what I want.
Now I do realize that these are somewhat extreme and we all fall in the spectrum somewhere. I am not perfect in walking out what I say I believe all the time, and those on the other tree don't always act out the extremes of what I'm saying, but I do believe the basic thought here is valid. People still have free will to do worse or better than what they believe and often do. I'm just trying to lay out what the origin belief can lead us to believe about humanity and how that affects where we fall on social issues.
Does human life have value and purpose? If it is created by God, yes... but if it's all a cosmic accident, I don't know.
If God turns out to be the false tree, I still have no regrets. I believe in the path I'm on. I want to walk in love, to serve my fellow man, to value each and every life I encounter. I have observed how life works out for people who do the things God says are bad for us, and I choose to not go down that path. I don't want to live with the pain I see in their lives. My observations have led me to believe that what the Bible says is valid. I believe that God doesn't make mistakes, so I struggle to know how to love those who say He does in their attempts to live out a life outside of how God made them. This is a difficult road to navigate, but I am trying. I want to choose love, I want to express God's goodness to everyone. I don't always succeed, but with His help, I'm learning and growing every day. I see His plan and how I fit into it, so I submit myself to Him in order to fulfill His plan for me. I am most happy and satisfied with my life when I'm doing what He is showing me to do. Only in that place do I find freedom. That is why I wholeheartedly stand with the God tree. He has proven Himself true in my life too many times for me to believe any other idea.
I'm not going to get into the debate over which is true, I want to talk about why the answer matters.
I enjoy a good debate, but there was one time a few years ago where I realized something important. Without common ground foundational truths, we can't have a functional debate and actually come together on an issue. When the trunk of truth is different, the branches of the argument are on two different trees.
Today there are so many issues in the news causing chaos in so many lives because we don't agree on the issues. We are a nation divided, constantly fighting, neither side willing to listen and understand. But why? Is lack of common sense the issue? Are people stupid? Are people hateful? Do people lack compassion? I'd like to suggest that the biggest problem we face is that we are on two different trees. What tree we subscribe to ultimately determines our beliefs on the issues.
I belong to the God tree. I believe that God created each and every one of us intentionally and with purpose. I believe that He crafted me exactly how He wanted me to be so that I could fulfill the amazing plan He had in mind for my life. I believe this is true of every single person on the planet throughout time, regardless of the individual's view of God. I believe that God singled us out to be made in His image and to be receivers of His love.
The other tree says that we evolved from some "lower" life form. We are an accident. We are no different than the animals. There is no purpose to our being here, we are not special, we have no value in the universe. Survival of the fittest.
These two wildly different viewpoints affect our beliefs on every issue we are fighting over.
- If I was created by a loving God who made me specifically how He wants me, then I believe He did not make a mistake in making me female. If I am just a random collection of cells that happened to turn out human, I can believe that I evolved wrong, therefore I can mutilate my body to make myself however I want to be.
- If I believe God is the initiator of all life, I will honor an unborn child's right to live the same as I would any other person. If I believe we are all an accident, I will be ok killing my unborn baby because it is inconvenient or "defective."
- If I believe God is my Creator, I will believe that He also wrote the 'operation manual' and knows how I should live my life in the best possible way. I'll believe that He will show me which acts are harmful to me and which are good. If I believe there is no plan for my life and no source for an absolute moral code, I will do whatever feels good in the moment and then be very confused when my life falls apart.
- If I believe that God has promised to take care of my every need, I will trust in Him and not stress out over every obstacle I face. I will not compromise my personal values for the sake of my own survival, and I will be generous with what I have, knowing my Heavenly Father will make sure I still have what I need. If I am alone in the universe and no one is looking after me, I will do what it takes to survive, not caring who I trample in the process. Survival of the fittest. If I am stronger, I will take what I want.
Now I do realize that these are somewhat extreme and we all fall in the spectrum somewhere. I am not perfect in walking out what I say I believe all the time, and those on the other tree don't always act out the extremes of what I'm saying, but I do believe the basic thought here is valid. People still have free will to do worse or better than what they believe and often do. I'm just trying to lay out what the origin belief can lead us to believe about humanity and how that affects where we fall on social issues.
Does human life have value and purpose? If it is created by God, yes... but if it's all a cosmic accident, I don't know.
If God turns out to be the false tree, I still have no regrets. I believe in the path I'm on. I want to walk in love, to serve my fellow man, to value each and every life I encounter. I have observed how life works out for people who do the things God says are bad for us, and I choose to not go down that path. I don't want to live with the pain I see in their lives. My observations have led me to believe that what the Bible says is valid. I believe that God doesn't make mistakes, so I struggle to know how to love those who say He does in their attempts to live out a life outside of how God made them. This is a difficult road to navigate, but I am trying. I want to choose love, I want to express God's goodness to everyone. I don't always succeed, but with His help, I'm learning and growing every day. I see His plan and how I fit into it, so I submit myself to Him in order to fulfill His plan for me. I am most happy and satisfied with my life when I'm doing what He is showing me to do. Only in that place do I find freedom. That is why I wholeheartedly stand with the God tree. He has proven Himself true in my life too many times for me to believe any other idea.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Deception and Ignorance
I have been re-reading The Chronicles of Narnia lately. I tend to do this every 2-3 years and every time it seems like I see something new. I've been thinking about the issue of false teachers as I read The Last Battle. I'd like to share some of my thoughts here.
A quick idea of how the story led me here,,. An evil ape finds a lion skin, so he puts it on his stupid donkey friend and pretends that he has Aslan (Jesus) in a shed and fools the Narnians. He begins giving orders that are very un-Aslan like. In this story it's been a long time since Aslan has been seen in Narnia, but the creatures all know the old stories of how he defeated the witch and all the wonderful things he did. The ape's version of Aslan is so different, but they still seem to believe the ape is telling the truth and Aslan is really selling them into slavery and the like.
I was struck by how this can be true in this reality as well. How many crazy cult leaders have risen up over the years and fooled so many? How many corruptions have there been within the church? Sometimes they seem so out there, we wonder how anyone is fooled.
I think it is easy to see what you're looking for. If you have it in your head that God is a big evil tyrant in the sky, it will be easier for you to believe someone that is spewing fear and wrath "from God." If God is distant and un-knowable, you might be drawn to someone who claims to have a direct connection. If you believe God is in a good mood and He loves you, you will dismiss the street corner preacher's warnings of doom and gloom. So how do we know what we should believe?
The importance of the Bible seems to become more obvious here. The best description I've heard for the purpose of the Bible is that it is meant to lead us into a relationship with the Author. It's not a book of rules, it's not just a storybook, it's not a documentary of Jewish history .... it's a love letter. It is imperative that we learn to read it with the intent to know our Heavenly Father. To read each story and ask, what character qualities is God showing me here? Where is His love, His grace, His mercy? Who is God? What is He teaching me in this passage?
When we don't know who God is, the fear slingers can much more easily manipulate us. I think back to the time before Martin Luther when the Catholic church was so corrupt. Why? Only the leaders had access to the Bible. The general public was illiterate, or at least couldn't read the language the scriptures were written in, so all they could do was trust their leaders. This was a pretty sickening time in church history where the religious leaders were selling salvation, amassing wealth at the expense of the ignorant people. Martin Luther was a man brave enough to change the balance of power by translating the Bible into the common language. When more people had access to the knowledge of who God is, the times were a changing. ;)
I won't claim to know much about cults, but I've seen a few of my cop shows that deal with them, and in most cases, the cult leader is some guy who "hears from God" and passes along orders to the people. He usually works with scare tactics, threatening loss of salvation or something like that. I think it's pretty clear that when only one man can hear from God, we have a problem. Jesus came that ALL of us could have direct access, so none of us should ever be in a position to listen to one single individual to know what God is saying. We are all capable of hearing, so we are all responsible for the choices we make. Never allow another person to take the place of your own personal relationship to God. The people in our inner circle definitely can have input, but ultimately we need to hear from God for ourselves.
Another one, yes, mostly from Hollywood is the serial killers that are "doing God's work" as they run around killing people. This one goes back to the issue of knowing God's character. It's pretty simple to see that "thou shalt not murder" probably didn't come from the same guy telling you to murder people. Also, the Westborough Baptist "church" that runs around flinging hatred and lies in the name of God, they are sickening! They are the opposite of what Jesus taught, but they seem to believe they're doing His work. Seems to me they're doing a pretty good job of turning people away from Christ if they believe what they're saying. Jesus is perfect theology, and He never murdered any sinners, nor did He wave nasty picket signs. He showed them grace and mercy and offered forgiveness and love. If you knew that, you would be able to identify that voice in your head as "not God." It's pretty simple, but so many are deceived.
[ I use Hollywood examples, knowing they aren't necessarily true, or even accurate because people watch these shows and movies, and on some level, believe them. I have a passion to expose misinformation about God, so if there's any chance that people believe that God could be speaking to or through these people who do horrible things, I want to share my thoughts on the subject. I would hate for anyone to dismiss God because of a belief system shaped by Hollywood. Sounds silly, but I have run into people who seem to have done just that.]
Take the red pill. There is an enemy out there and he hates you and he wants to keep you captive. He wants to destroy you and keep you from the Love of the Father and he is an expert deceiver. I don't believe in "scaring people into Heaven. I don't think that works. But the devil will convince you there isn't a Heaven if you let him. You owe it to yourself to seek out truth, to know that what you believe is true. There is so much bad information out there, it is up to each of us to be diligent in finding truth. If God is real, and in my experience He is very real, do you really want to put it off until it's too late? It's not about fear, it's about the ultimate love. Do you have any idea what you're missing out on? The devil and his minions will do all they can to keep you from truth. He's a whiny baby who knows he's lost, and just wants to hurt God by stealing away His children. Lies are the only power he has. That's why the Bible tells us that the truth will set us free. It's simple. There is a promise that if you seek it, you will find it. It's so worth it. God isn't about rules, He's about freedom!
My encouragement with this one is to make sure you are investing time in getting to know God so that the chances of your being one of the deceived will be minimized. God is right there waiting for you to talk to and hear from. He wants relationship with you. Take advantage of this incredible opportunity. We live in a free country where we are able to read in the open and practice our faith. Others don't have the same freedom, so don't waste yours.
A quick idea of how the story led me here,,. An evil ape finds a lion skin, so he puts it on his stupid donkey friend and pretends that he has Aslan (Jesus) in a shed and fools the Narnians. He begins giving orders that are very un-Aslan like. In this story it's been a long time since Aslan has been seen in Narnia, but the creatures all know the old stories of how he defeated the witch and all the wonderful things he did. The ape's version of Aslan is so different, but they still seem to believe the ape is telling the truth and Aslan is really selling them into slavery and the like.
I was struck by how this can be true in this reality as well. How many crazy cult leaders have risen up over the years and fooled so many? How many corruptions have there been within the church? Sometimes they seem so out there, we wonder how anyone is fooled.
I think it is easy to see what you're looking for. If you have it in your head that God is a big evil tyrant in the sky, it will be easier for you to believe someone that is spewing fear and wrath "from God." If God is distant and un-knowable, you might be drawn to someone who claims to have a direct connection. If you believe God is in a good mood and He loves you, you will dismiss the street corner preacher's warnings of doom and gloom. So how do we know what we should believe?
The importance of the Bible seems to become more obvious here. The best description I've heard for the purpose of the Bible is that it is meant to lead us into a relationship with the Author. It's not a book of rules, it's not just a storybook, it's not a documentary of Jewish history .... it's a love letter. It is imperative that we learn to read it with the intent to know our Heavenly Father. To read each story and ask, what character qualities is God showing me here? Where is His love, His grace, His mercy? Who is God? What is He teaching me in this passage?
When we don't know who God is, the fear slingers can much more easily manipulate us. I think back to the time before Martin Luther when the Catholic church was so corrupt. Why? Only the leaders had access to the Bible. The general public was illiterate, or at least couldn't read the language the scriptures were written in, so all they could do was trust their leaders. This was a pretty sickening time in church history where the religious leaders were selling salvation, amassing wealth at the expense of the ignorant people. Martin Luther was a man brave enough to change the balance of power by translating the Bible into the common language. When more people had access to the knowledge of who God is, the times were a changing. ;)
I won't claim to know much about cults, but I've seen a few of my cop shows that deal with them, and in most cases, the cult leader is some guy who "hears from God" and passes along orders to the people. He usually works with scare tactics, threatening loss of salvation or something like that. I think it's pretty clear that when only one man can hear from God, we have a problem. Jesus came that ALL of us could have direct access, so none of us should ever be in a position to listen to one single individual to know what God is saying. We are all capable of hearing, so we are all responsible for the choices we make. Never allow another person to take the place of your own personal relationship to God. The people in our inner circle definitely can have input, but ultimately we need to hear from God for ourselves.
Another one, yes, mostly from Hollywood is the serial killers that are "doing God's work" as they run around killing people. This one goes back to the issue of knowing God's character. It's pretty simple to see that "thou shalt not murder" probably didn't come from the same guy telling you to murder people. Also, the Westborough Baptist "church" that runs around flinging hatred and lies in the name of God, they are sickening! They are the opposite of what Jesus taught, but they seem to believe they're doing His work. Seems to me they're doing a pretty good job of turning people away from Christ if they believe what they're saying. Jesus is perfect theology, and He never murdered any sinners, nor did He wave nasty picket signs. He showed them grace and mercy and offered forgiveness and love. If you knew that, you would be able to identify that voice in your head as "not God." It's pretty simple, but so many are deceived.
[ I use Hollywood examples, knowing they aren't necessarily true, or even accurate because people watch these shows and movies, and on some level, believe them. I have a passion to expose misinformation about God, so if there's any chance that people believe that God could be speaking to or through these people who do horrible things, I want to share my thoughts on the subject. I would hate for anyone to dismiss God because of a belief system shaped by Hollywood. Sounds silly, but I have run into people who seem to have done just that.]
Take the red pill. There is an enemy out there and he hates you and he wants to keep you captive. He wants to destroy you and keep you from the Love of the Father and he is an expert deceiver. I don't believe in "scaring people into Heaven. I don't think that works. But the devil will convince you there isn't a Heaven if you let him. You owe it to yourself to seek out truth, to know that what you believe is true. There is so much bad information out there, it is up to each of us to be diligent in finding truth. If God is real, and in my experience He is very real, do you really want to put it off until it's too late? It's not about fear, it's about the ultimate love. Do you have any idea what you're missing out on? The devil and his minions will do all they can to keep you from truth. He's a whiny baby who knows he's lost, and just wants to hurt God by stealing away His children. Lies are the only power he has. That's why the Bible tells us that the truth will set us free. It's simple. There is a promise that if you seek it, you will find it. It's so worth it. God isn't about rules, He's about freedom!
My encouragement with this one is to make sure you are investing time in getting to know God so that the chances of your being one of the deceived will be minimized. God is right there waiting for you to talk to and hear from. He wants relationship with you. Take advantage of this incredible opportunity. We live in a free country where we are able to read in the open and practice our faith. Others don't have the same freedom, so don't waste yours.
Friday, February 6, 2015
What is the real issue with gender?
I read an article today that was about the issue of "transgender." There is a cry for help from a group of people that needs to be addressed. There is a lot of pain associated with this whole gender identity issue. The article spurred me to write out my thoughts.
The topics related to sex / gender have fascinated me for some time now. Why? Because I am someone who doesn't fit "the norm." I will say that I agree with this article. This gender identity issue is a mental one that should be addressed, but I want to offer up another answer to the issue. One that is near to my heart.
Gender is cultural. What it means to be a woman in the US is different than a woman in a remote African village. But beyond that, we are ALL different. I like to think of these things as a spectrum. Both sexes have testosterone and estrogen right? They're not doled out in equal parts to all of us, we all land somewhere on the spectrum. We are mostly all born clearly one sex or the other, (there are a few born with both parts) but how our life develops is up for grabs. I think environment definitely plays a part in determining our preferences, but I'm sure our biology does as well. (no, I have no formal education on this topic, just thinking with my brain and reading random articles over the years) A girl who has more testosterone will likely be better at sports and therefore pursue it more than a girl who does not. Just a generalization, but you get where I'm going.
Let me tell you a little about me that shapes how I view this issue. All who know me will tell you that I'm a tomboy, that I hate girly stuff, I hate pink, I hate flowers, but I love sports, baseball caps, and eating burgers instead of salads. Does that mean I identify as a boy? No!
Why am I this way? I would guess in part because I grew up in a neighborhood full of boys. When I went out to play with the neighbor kids, it was all baseball, football, Star Wars... We watched action movies and played ball. I had an older sister, but she married and moved out when I was 8, so before I hit the age of really starting to develop who I was. Maybe if we'd been closer in age I would've been different. Who knows? I know a lot of kids look up to and emulate their older siblings. But as it is, I have always much preferred "boy activities" to "girl activities." This of course caused me to be picked on in school and I never quite fit in with the boys or the girls. Even into adulthood, there were women's meetings at church and I never wanted to go to them because they were all tea parties, fashion shows, and girl food that I wouldn't eat. I have finally come to terms with my identity, I am secure in who I am, but it has not come without a lot of heartache. I would think that I can relate to these youth that call themselves transgender on some level. I don't fit in. I am not what people have told me I should be.
How do I identify myself today at 37? Honestly, to tell you the truth, neither. And I think that is how it should be. (I'm sure some would disagree with me on that, but it's my opinion) I think the entire problem is that people really like to put things in boxes, to create labels to attach to everyone. We so badly want control in our world, we subconsciously insist that everyone fit perfectly into all sorts of little categories. This is what I believe needs to change. There is a loud cry for freedom that is running into brick walls everywhere it turns! Growing up and discovering who you are is hard enough without all the outside pressure to conform conform conform!! We are destroying the uniqueness in people by forcing everyone to be exactly the same or get tormented by their peers. We claim to be a tolerant society, but we are so far from it. Ask any junior high kid. Any little thing that is different about you brings the torment of the other students. We have all been there, we've all felt outcast at some point. Just because we're different.
We all know the boy that likes fashion and art and dancing and is immediately labeled "gay." We all know the girl who dresses for comfort, loves sports, and can fix a car so she is labeled "lesbian." It's sick and wrong!! It is ludicrous to think that a person's likes or dislikes have anything to do with sexual desires. But that is how we label, and that is a big part of messing up the minds of kids who are trying to figure out who they are. We're telling them that "because you like this, you must be this." Why can't a boy like fashion and still like girls? Why can't a girl be good at sports and still like boys? Why are these people the targets of bullying? Why can't we just let people be who they are? If we're all the same, life is boring and a lot of stuff wouldn't get done. We need everyone to be who they were created to be. What would the world look like if everyone could be free to be? I think it would be a much happier place.
I don't know how to end this. It's human nature to categorize things. All I can hope for is that I can write something that makes one person think, and that person shares it with another and it spreads, changing attitudes and perceptions. We desperately need true tolerance and acceptance of the unique nature of every single human being. Stop labeling people on first impressions. Stop insisting that everyone be the same. Stop telling little boys to not play with dolls. Stop forcing little girls to wear pink every day. We all have a sex, male or female, that is not up for debate. It tells us what our role in reproduction is, that's about it. Beyond that is a huge spectrum of possibility.
The rest of our identity is a mystery to be sought out and discovered with great joy! I wasted so many years listening to others tell me that who I was was wrong and I needed to change it. I had a culturally based gender identity forced on me and I didn't have the courage to fight it yet. I know that eventually my journey brought be to a discovery of my destiny to live and serve in Uganda. Once I found that piece, all the other quirks and oddities suddenly made complete sense! I was created for this! This is who I am and where I find my joy. I only hope that everyone else is given the same freedom to find who they are and rejoice in it.
I am Superman. Deal with it. :)
P.S. -- Since this whole Bruce Jenner story has blown up, I'm revisiting this post. I don't know his story. I don't know why he thinks he should be a woman. My heart breaks for him that he sees his only option is to mutilate his body and artificially medicate himself for the rest of his life so that he can appear as a woman. I wonder if the things I've said here could've helped him see another option if he had encountered these ideas. I wonder what made him believe he couldn't be himself without changing his appearance. It's so sad, and even sadder that our media is hailing him as a great courageous hero for what he's doing. I think he is a very hurt and confused man and I hope he finds the help he needs so he can be at peace with the man he was created to be.
The topics related to sex / gender have fascinated me for some time now. Why? Because I am someone who doesn't fit "the norm." I will say that I agree with this article. This gender identity issue is a mental one that should be addressed, but I want to offer up another answer to the issue. One that is near to my heart.
Gender is cultural. What it means to be a woman in the US is different than a woman in a remote African village. But beyond that, we are ALL different. I like to think of these things as a spectrum. Both sexes have testosterone and estrogen right? They're not doled out in equal parts to all of us, we all land somewhere on the spectrum. We are mostly all born clearly one sex or the other, (there are a few born with both parts) but how our life develops is up for grabs. I think environment definitely plays a part in determining our preferences, but I'm sure our biology does as well. (no, I have no formal education on this topic, just thinking with my brain and reading random articles over the years) A girl who has more testosterone will likely be better at sports and therefore pursue it more than a girl who does not. Just a generalization, but you get where I'm going.
Let me tell you a little about me that shapes how I view this issue. All who know me will tell you that I'm a tomboy, that I hate girly stuff, I hate pink, I hate flowers, but I love sports, baseball caps, and eating burgers instead of salads. Does that mean I identify as a boy? No!
Why am I this way? I would guess in part because I grew up in a neighborhood full of boys. When I went out to play with the neighbor kids, it was all baseball, football, Star Wars... We watched action movies and played ball. I had an older sister, but she married and moved out when I was 8, so before I hit the age of really starting to develop who I was. Maybe if we'd been closer in age I would've been different. Who knows? I know a lot of kids look up to and emulate their older siblings. But as it is, I have always much preferred "boy activities" to "girl activities." This of course caused me to be picked on in school and I never quite fit in with the boys or the girls. Even into adulthood, there were women's meetings at church and I never wanted to go to them because they were all tea parties, fashion shows, and girl food that I wouldn't eat. I have finally come to terms with my identity, I am secure in who I am, but it has not come without a lot of heartache. I would think that I can relate to these youth that call themselves transgender on some level. I don't fit in. I am not what people have told me I should be.
How do I identify myself today at 37? Honestly, to tell you the truth, neither. And I think that is how it should be. (I'm sure some would disagree with me on that, but it's my opinion) I think the entire problem is that people really like to put things in boxes, to create labels to attach to everyone. We so badly want control in our world, we subconsciously insist that everyone fit perfectly into all sorts of little categories. This is what I believe needs to change. There is a loud cry for freedom that is running into brick walls everywhere it turns! Growing up and discovering who you are is hard enough without all the outside pressure to conform conform conform!! We are destroying the uniqueness in people by forcing everyone to be exactly the same or get tormented by their peers. We claim to be a tolerant society, but we are so far from it. Ask any junior high kid. Any little thing that is different about you brings the torment of the other students. We have all been there, we've all felt outcast at some point. Just because we're different.
We all know the boy that likes fashion and art and dancing and is immediately labeled "gay." We all know the girl who dresses for comfort, loves sports, and can fix a car so she is labeled "lesbian." It's sick and wrong!! It is ludicrous to think that a person's likes or dislikes have anything to do with sexual desires. But that is how we label, and that is a big part of messing up the minds of kids who are trying to figure out who they are. We're telling them that "because you like this, you must be this." Why can't a boy like fashion and still like girls? Why can't a girl be good at sports and still like boys? Why are these people the targets of bullying? Why can't we just let people be who they are? If we're all the same, life is boring and a lot of stuff wouldn't get done. We need everyone to be who they were created to be. What would the world look like if everyone could be free to be? I think it would be a much happier place.
I don't know how to end this. It's human nature to categorize things. All I can hope for is that I can write something that makes one person think, and that person shares it with another and it spreads, changing attitudes and perceptions. We desperately need true tolerance and acceptance of the unique nature of every single human being. Stop labeling people on first impressions. Stop insisting that everyone be the same. Stop telling little boys to not play with dolls. Stop forcing little girls to wear pink every day. We all have a sex, male or female, that is not up for debate. It tells us what our role in reproduction is, that's about it. Beyond that is a huge spectrum of possibility.
The rest of our identity is a mystery to be sought out and discovered with great joy! I wasted so many years listening to others tell me that who I was was wrong and I needed to change it. I had a culturally based gender identity forced on me and I didn't have the courage to fight it yet. I know that eventually my journey brought be to a discovery of my destiny to live and serve in Uganda. Once I found that piece, all the other quirks and oddities suddenly made complete sense! I was created for this! This is who I am and where I find my joy. I only hope that everyone else is given the same freedom to find who they are and rejoice in it.
I am Superman. Deal with it. :)
P.S. -- Since this whole Bruce Jenner story has blown up, I'm revisiting this post. I don't know his story. I don't know why he thinks he should be a woman. My heart breaks for him that he sees his only option is to mutilate his body and artificially medicate himself for the rest of his life so that he can appear as a woman. I wonder if the things I've said here could've helped him see another option if he had encountered these ideas. I wonder what made him believe he couldn't be himself without changing his appearance. It's so sad, and even sadder that our media is hailing him as a great courageous hero for what he's doing. I think he is a very hurt and confused man and I hope he finds the help he needs so he can be at peace with the man he was created to be.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Destiny
What am I supposed to be doing with my life? Some would tell you that every answer you need in life is in the Bible, but I would like to propose that isn't exactly true. Yeah, I said it. There are tons of good teachings in there, but they are broad and generic so to speak. But what about my life? There's no way the Bible is going to tell me to move to Uganda, because Uganda didn't exist when it was written. It's not going to tell you to go to college for a computer programming degree. The Bible gives us principles and guidelines, but there has to be another way to get specific instructions for our own lives.
The purpose of the Bible, I've heard it said, is to introduce you to the author. As we get to know Him, He shows us who He created us to be. When you know who you are, and what your passions are, it becomes much easier to choose your path. He created us all for something specific, and it isn't all 'super spiritual' looking. Some are called to be pastors and missionaries, sure, but some are called to be postmen or football players. There's plenty of possibilities, and as we discover our unique identity, gift mix, and passions, our destiny becomes clear.
The Bible contains principles by which we can make decisions which is great. It also contains stories of people who messed up and people who got to see God's miracles, many times they were one in the same. The Bible is about redemption. God used the worst of people to accomplish His works on the Earth. I just heard a preacher say something like 19 books of the Bible were written by murderers. Ever looked at Jesus' family tree? Prostitutes, murderers, adulterers, liars.... Not the prettiest heritage. But God. I think the Bible is a story of hope. All these people messed up big time, yet God still loved them and still used them for great purposes.
So what can I learn? I learned that why these people overcame their sin was their relationship with God. David was called a man after God's heart. He killed tons of people and he lusted after a married woman and slept with her and then had her husband killed to cover up his sin. Not the best resume, but he lived a life of repentance and God blessed him over and over. This in no way tells us it's ok to sin, but if and when we do mess up, it's not too late. I am encouraged in that. My sin is not bigger than God's plan for my life.
Sometimes it's easy to start thinking it's too late for me. I've messed up too much, I didn't do enough, I didn't work hard enough... I'm 37 years old, it's too late to discover my purpose and get on it. I think the Bible is full of stories of people who didn't start their journey at age 20. People who took a lot of detours before they finally clicked into their destiny. It's not too late for me. Tomorrow is a new day, full of hope and new opportunities. I will choose to partner with Jesus and discover what He has for me this day.
Right now I'm in a season of waiting. God is working quietly in my heart, healing deep wounds and working bad habits out of me. No one really sees what is happening under the surface, but I know what's happening. Yes, He has called me to Uganda and given me a great vision for what He wants to do there through me and I can't wait to get started! But first, He has work to do inside me. People ask me all the time when I'm going, and I don't feel like giving the full answer. Some things are just between me and God right now. He has showed me some things that need to fall into place before I'll be ready to take on my mission, but I am not going to share the details with everyone. He just keeps telling me to "wait and trust." So that is what I'm doing. I have been building a relationship with the author and perfecter of my faith, and I'm choosing to trust in His timing. Without a solid relationship with Him, I will fail in Uganda, I'm sure of it. I might still do some good, but there is no way I'll have the same kind of impact that I'll have with Him.
The purpose of the Bible, I've heard it said, is to introduce you to the author. As we get to know Him, He shows us who He created us to be. When you know who you are, and what your passions are, it becomes much easier to choose your path. He created us all for something specific, and it isn't all 'super spiritual' looking. Some are called to be pastors and missionaries, sure, but some are called to be postmen or football players. There's plenty of possibilities, and as we discover our unique identity, gift mix, and passions, our destiny becomes clear.
The Bible contains principles by which we can make decisions which is great. It also contains stories of people who messed up and people who got to see God's miracles, many times they were one in the same. The Bible is about redemption. God used the worst of people to accomplish His works on the Earth. I just heard a preacher say something like 19 books of the Bible were written by murderers. Ever looked at Jesus' family tree? Prostitutes, murderers, adulterers, liars.... Not the prettiest heritage. But God. I think the Bible is a story of hope. All these people messed up big time, yet God still loved them and still used them for great purposes.
So what can I learn? I learned that why these people overcame their sin was their relationship with God. David was called a man after God's heart. He killed tons of people and he lusted after a married woman and slept with her and then had her husband killed to cover up his sin. Not the best resume, but he lived a life of repentance and God blessed him over and over. This in no way tells us it's ok to sin, but if and when we do mess up, it's not too late. I am encouraged in that. My sin is not bigger than God's plan for my life.
Sometimes it's easy to start thinking it's too late for me. I've messed up too much, I didn't do enough, I didn't work hard enough... I'm 37 years old, it's too late to discover my purpose and get on it. I think the Bible is full of stories of people who didn't start their journey at age 20. People who took a lot of detours before they finally clicked into their destiny. It's not too late for me. Tomorrow is a new day, full of hope and new opportunities. I will choose to partner with Jesus and discover what He has for me this day.
Right now I'm in a season of waiting. God is working quietly in my heart, healing deep wounds and working bad habits out of me. No one really sees what is happening under the surface, but I know what's happening. Yes, He has called me to Uganda and given me a great vision for what He wants to do there through me and I can't wait to get started! But first, He has work to do inside me. People ask me all the time when I'm going, and I don't feel like giving the full answer. Some things are just between me and God right now. He has showed me some things that need to fall into place before I'll be ready to take on my mission, but I am not going to share the details with everyone. He just keeps telling me to "wait and trust." So that is what I'm doing. I have been building a relationship with the author and perfecter of my faith, and I'm choosing to trust in His timing. Without a solid relationship with Him, I will fail in Uganda, I'm sure of it. I might still do some good, but there is no way I'll have the same kind of impact that I'll have with Him.
Friday, January 2, 2015
God doesn't hate 'fags'
Today I want to post something a little odd. One of my biggest pet peeves is people who misrepresent God in very public ways. It breaks my heart that so many people are getting a very wrong idea about who God is and because of that they're missing out on the greatest relationship they could ever have. One of the biggest offenders in this area is those who picket with "God hates fags" signs. This makes me so angry! I know it isn't true, but I decided to do a search of the words "God hates" and see what I could find in the Bible. Just for kicks.
I did find a few things. I'll just lump them all together. This is everything that came up in a computer search on biblegateway.com...
God hates: sacrificing children in the fire, setting up altars to false gods, people who love violence, Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, new moon festivals, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, one who spreads strife among brothers, divorce, and Esau. (if you want all the references, just ask, I don't feel like typing all that out at the moment - they're all OT except the Esau one)
I did find a few things. I'll just lump them all together. This is everything that came up in a computer search on biblegateway.com...
God hates: sacrificing children in the fire, setting up altars to false gods, people who love violence, Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, new moon festivals, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, one who spreads strife among brothers, divorce, and Esau. (if you want all the references, just ask, I don't feel like typing all that out at the moment - they're all OT except the Esau one)
Anyone see homosexuals in that list? I don't. I see a list of things that if we're honest with ourselves, we've all done at least a couple of. I can pretty much guarantee that EVERYONE has lied at some point. The thing is, with the exception of Esau, (and I don't claim to understand why he's named on this list) these things God hates are all actions that cause harm. Really, that is what sin is. God didn't set up a list of stupid meaningless rules to keep us down, He gave us guardrails to keep us from getting hurt. He loves His children, every last one of us. How many of you parents like seeing your kids get hurt? I hope that no one does. God hates things that hurt His kids. He's a good Papa and He loves us all very much.
As I've written about before, I think that people only sin because they are either wounded or believing a lie. I believe sin is a deceitful thing that is attacking us. That is the bottom line of what God hates. He hates this thing that is out to destroy His kids. If you've done things on this list, it does NOT mean God hates you. I don't want anyone reading this to take up shame, that is not the response I'm looking for. I do think we should all be mindful of the things God warns us about. I personally do not enjoy pain, so I will listen to His guidance. I'm not perfect, I still fall into the trap, but I strive to do better and better as the years go by. That's all we can do, and only with Jesus' help.
I would add that I bet God also hates the harm caused by these people and their picket signs. I apologize to anyone who has been hurt by seeing these signs. These people are misled and NOT displaying the heart of the Jesus I know. He really is good and He loves you very much.
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