Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Hey, look at me!
Because when I 'do' something for the Lord, I need to tell the world. But not only that, I'll tell the world in such a way where it doesn't look like I am trying to brag. That way no one can say I am doing it for my own glory. I mean, if I share with people how much money I give to the church because I want them to tithe too, than it's really for God's good. I mean, everyone should be tithing like me! Right? Or if I share with the world how much I pray, or who I pray for, it's only because I want people to pray to God. Not at all because I want people to know how holy I am. Only God can judge the heart, but I'm skeptical at best. Just sayin'.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Short stories
Once upon a time, there was a husband and wife very much caught up in all things religious. During their marriage, the husband felt that the wife wasn't being obedient to the Lord and submissive enough to him. He decided to go on a fast, much like Daniel in the Bible, and not eat anything that was pleasing to the pallet. He only ate food to nourish his body, but did not indulge in any sweets. His wife knew he was fasting for her to be obedient to the Lord and to him. About six weeks into the fast the wife was guilted into apologizing to her husband for not being the wife God called her to be. He patted her head and said, "What a good little wifey you are" and then continued in his addiction to pornography and lying about numerous things.
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Once upon a time, there was a family on vacation in the Smokey Mountains. They had four children and the youngest was six months old. During this vacation, the husband decided to tell the wife that he didn't think he loved her anymore. She was too strong willed and not supportive enough of him. If she didn't change then he didn't know if he could continue on this way. She cried and promised to be a better wife. She begged him not to leave her. He said OK and continued on with his addiction to pornography and lying about numerous things.
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Once upon a time there was a young couple on Easter Sunday. They had just gotten back from church and were dying eggs for the first time with their baby daughter. Later that evening, the husband sat the wife down and told her that because of her insubordination to him, he felt suicidal. If only she could be more submissive, he would not want to kill himself. She was devastated and felt terrible guilty. She promised to be a better wife so he wouldn't kill himself and he continued in his addiction to pornography and lying about numerous things.
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Once upon a time, there was a middle aged couple. The husband admitted 18 years of lying throughout their entire marriage. Over time, the wife became strong and independent and free. She no longer felt guilty or shame for not being the submissive wife. She is thankful for the strong spirit that God had put inside of her. She is capable of anything. By herself. She chose to stay with him. Not because she needed him, but because he needed her.
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Once upon a time, there was a middle aged couple.... (to be continued)
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Once upon a time, there was a family on vacation in the Smokey Mountains. They had four children and the youngest was six months old. During this vacation, the husband decided to tell the wife that he didn't think he loved her anymore. She was too strong willed and not supportive enough of him. If she didn't change then he didn't know if he could continue on this way. She cried and promised to be a better wife. She begged him not to leave her. He said OK and continued on with his addiction to pornography and lying about numerous things.
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Once upon a time there was a young couple on Easter Sunday. They had just gotten back from church and were dying eggs for the first time with their baby daughter. Later that evening, the husband sat the wife down and told her that because of her insubordination to him, he felt suicidal. If only she could be more submissive, he would not want to kill himself. She was devastated and felt terrible guilty. She promised to be a better wife so he wouldn't kill himself and he continued in his addiction to pornography and lying about numerous things.
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Once upon a time, there was a middle aged couple. The husband admitted 18 years of lying throughout their entire marriage. Over time, the wife became strong and independent and free. She no longer felt guilty or shame for not being the submissive wife. She is thankful for the strong spirit that God had put inside of her. She is capable of anything. By herself. She chose to stay with him. Not because she needed him, but because he needed her.
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Once upon a time, there was a middle aged couple.... (to be continued)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Is love enough?
Is love really enough? I wrestle with my fundamental thinking all the time with this one. I so want to believe that it is, but somewhere in my ingrained mind that runs to the very core of my being, I hear the rantings of my old self.
"You have to balance love with the rest of scripture."
"God is a just God!"
"Love the sinner, hate the sin!"
As I said in my last post, I am reading the Bible again. Not studying it, just reading it. I am trying hard not to read it with any preconceived ideology. (Which is very hard when you have been indoctrinated for over 20 years of your life.) I am reading different versions of the Bible too. Whatever strikes my fancy that day... I read this scripture today and my old mind said, "Boy, that sure does sound New Age!! There has to be a counter for this scripture." But I stopped myself. Because it is just that beautiful.
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
"You have to balance love with the rest of scripture."
"God is a just God!"
"Love the sinner, hate the sin!"
As I said in my last post, I am reading the Bible again. Not studying it, just reading it. I am trying hard not to read it with any preconceived ideology. (Which is very hard when you have been indoctrinated for over 20 years of your life.) I am reading different versions of the Bible too. Whatever strikes my fancy that day... I read this scripture today and my old mind said, "Boy, that sure does sound New Age!! There has to be a counter for this scripture." But I stopped myself. Because it is just that beautiful.
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Scripture
I started reading The Bible again. Well, online. Not the paper kind. In the 22 years that I have professed to be a born again Christian, I have read (and studied) the Bible several times through. Always through my 'evangelical glasses' of course. Things have to line up with what "Christianity mainstream" teaches, or your interpretation of scripture is wrong. Sure, we take parts of scripture literally and others figuratively. How do we know which is which? Well, don't let me bore you to death but the process is long and involved and uses words like hermeneutics. The point of this post is, I love Scripture now. I do!! I don't believe what I used to believe. At all. But what I do know is that Scripture is now beautiful and flowing and lovely. I would have never used those words to describe the Bible before. But reading the Bible with my new untainted eyes is liberating and joyful. Matthew 22:37-40 says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the greatest and foremost commandment. "And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor AS YOURSELF." On these two commandments depends the WHOLE LAW and THE PROPHETS." Love, love, love. I choose to love.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Parenting Trap
When I had Camille, I was 28 years old. I really wanted to parent her "correctly." There were/are so many philosophies to choose from. Growing Kids God's Way (blech!), Attachment Parenting, The Ferber Method of sleeping, and of course the The Pearl's crazy ideas! (let's beat our child with rubber tubing) Now that I am 43 and on child number five, I can honestly say there is no parenting method that fits every child. To be quite honest, it doesn't matter when they use the toilet, if they know their alphabet by the time they are three, if they color inside the lines, if they can count, or stack blocks, or all of that hooplah. By the time they are in the third grade, it all evens out. Josiah didn't even know his alphabet when he started Kindergarten and by the end of Kindergaten he was reading just like every other child. I am so happy I am not that crazy "have to do it right" mother that I used to be. One more reason I am so grateful for leaving that legalistic, cultish Christianity I was a part of for so long. If Jesus is the example of love, then I will be that for my children. Everything else will fall into place.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
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