Last week, Miley made the news when she voiced support for gay marriage during a Twitter conversation. She basically said that in the Bible, it says that God loves us, created us equally, and that we should all be happy. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like Miley has read the entire Bible; or if she has, she seems to subscribe to a casual do-whatever-you-want-as-long-as-you're-happy attitude that the world in general has.
Her comments concern me because she's wildly popular. I'm almost twice her age, so her beliefs don't exactly shape my mind, but I'm sure tons of impressionable teens and tweens look up to her.
Granted, her statements were partially correct. I agree that yes, God loves us. That's in His very nature (1 John 4:16), and it's something He demonstrated by sacrificing His only Son Jesus for us (John 3:16, 1 John 4:10). Yes, He wants us to be happy and enjoy the life He's given us (Ecclesiastes 4:13, Psalm 36:8). But hopefully, anyone who was raised by loving parents can vouch for the fact that just because your father loves you doesn't necessarily mean he lets you do whatever you want, just so you can be happy.
Incidentally, not everything that makes you happy is a good thing. Or legal. What if stealing things or killing people made me happy? Would that make it OK? Not to mention, being devoted to your own happiness is called Hedonism. Being devoted to Christ is called Christianity.
The problem is that God is holy, perfect, a consuming fire. He doesn't tolerate sin, and anyone who wants to be right with Him needs to be willing to let Him get rid of any sin in their lives (Luke 9:23).
One of my gay friends who found me on Facebook zealously requested last November that whoever didn't support gay marriage needed to remove themselves from his friends list. So, regretfully, I did. He's a Christian also, so we had a rather lengthy debate via email about gay marriage and homosexuality in general. Unfortunately, he didn't believe that all of the Bible is still relevant today. I know that there are a few passages that don't really apply to contemporary times anymore, but to me, they seem kind of obvious (i.e., owning slaves, women not speaking in churches, men having several wives and concubines simultaneously). Sometimes when you read the Bible, though, I think you need to take into consideration how often something is mentioned. For instance, I think women being forbidden to speak in churches is only mentioned once (1 Corinthians 14:34), while God loving all of humanity is mentioned so many times that it would probably take me hours to type in all the references I could find (I only listed 3 of them above). Homosexuality is one of those issues that's pretty consistent throughout the Bible as being wrong, and marriage is never referred to as a same-sex relationship (i.e., Romans 1:24-27, 1 Corinthians 7:2, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Leviticus 20:13, Genesis 2:24).
Not to pick on homosexuality. I consider it a sin just as I would any other (I've listed 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 above). And just like with any other sin, God is more than willing and capable of removing it from the life of anyone who lets Him (1 John 1:8-9).
And I've struggled with same-sex attraction myself. I know how confusing and crazy your emotions can get when you're lonely, another human being accepts you and wants to nurture you, and you suddenly want to worship the ground they walk on. But God is the only One who's really worthy of being worshiped (Exodus 20:3, Psalm 2:11-12, Psalm 46:10, Philippians 2:9-11). If you're hurting, He wants to heal it and make it better (Psalm 147:3). If you're lonely, He wants to be near you (Psalm 34:15-18). If there's anything you need, He wants to provide it for you (Psalm 145:15-16, Psalm 63:1-5). If there's a war raging inside you, He wants to make it stop (Psalm 46:9).
(OK, I know, I read the Psalms a lot. :) And for the record, I'm straight. When I'm alone at night, I long for the company of a man, not a woman.)
I hope it's clear that I don't hate gay people and that I'm not just trying to kill people's happiness. I'm just concerned that our society has an attitude about homosexuality that's been getting more and more casual, even in the church. Sorry, Miley, but you can't always have the best of both worlds.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Not my cup of tea?
I heard about these tea parties that popped up everywhere last week with my fellow Republicans, and I feel slightly sad that I missed out on the excitement. But just slightly.
I hope I'm not being passive about all this. The day I found out that Sarah Palin was picked as a Vice-Presidential candidate, I was no longer embarrassed to be a Republican. I voted for Mike Huckabee for President in March '08, and I like his idea about abolishing the income tax altogether.
But I'm just so burned out on politics right now to keep up with everything that's going on. I didn't vote for him, but Obama is President, and I pray that God will give him wisdom in office. Honestly, I don't fully trust the President yet, but he's got an opportunity to earn my trust. I know my Republican party is trying to harness some momentum, but I think it's way too early to criticize Obama in his Presidency. I mean, he's only been sworn in for 3 months. Give him a break. If I'm gonna hit the streets to zealously protest something, I'm gonna save it for something I feel truly passionate about, like the abortion issue or family issues or teaching Creationism in schools or some other controversial issue that I'd gladly take a stand on, no matter how many people it offends.
No, I don't like paying taxes, probably just like everyone else in America, but it's something I've kinda gotten used to. Even Jesus said in the Bible to give Caesar what is Caesar's and give God what is God's. (In other words, I pay taxes to Uncle Sam when he says I owe him, and I pay God through the church, etc., when He says I owe Him.) But if President Obama wants to give me an economic stimulus, as a lump sum or $13 at a time, I'm not gonna turn that away.
That's how I feel for now. Later, who knows? If taxes in my country get worse, and folks organize more tea parties in the future, I may just join the party. :) But I hope I won't have to.
I hope I'm not being passive about all this. The day I found out that Sarah Palin was picked as a Vice-Presidential candidate, I was no longer embarrassed to be a Republican. I voted for Mike Huckabee for President in March '08, and I like his idea about abolishing the income tax altogether.
But I'm just so burned out on politics right now to keep up with everything that's going on. I didn't vote for him, but Obama is President, and I pray that God will give him wisdom in office. Honestly, I don't fully trust the President yet, but he's got an opportunity to earn my trust. I know my Republican party is trying to harness some momentum, but I think it's way too early to criticize Obama in his Presidency. I mean, he's only been sworn in for 3 months. Give him a break. If I'm gonna hit the streets to zealously protest something, I'm gonna save it for something I feel truly passionate about, like the abortion issue or family issues or teaching Creationism in schools or some other controversial issue that I'd gladly take a stand on, no matter how many people it offends.
No, I don't like paying taxes, probably just like everyone else in America, but it's something I've kinda gotten used to. Even Jesus said in the Bible to give Caesar what is Caesar's and give God what is God's. (In other words, I pay taxes to Uncle Sam when he says I owe him, and I pay God through the church, etc., when He says I owe Him.) But if President Obama wants to give me an economic stimulus, as a lump sum or $13 at a time, I'm not gonna turn that away.
That's how I feel for now. Later, who knows? If taxes in my country get worse, and folks organize more tea parties in the future, I may just join the party. :) But I hope I won't have to.
Cataerobics
[Originally posted 4/15/09] I had this delightful fantasy the other day that I could help my cat lose weight by getting some of his toys together and letting him swat away at them while I played Rocky music in the background. (Yes, I have the soundtracks of Rocky I, II and IV on cd.) We were going to start with the training montage from Rocky IV, then move on to Eye of the Tiger, then on to Gonna Fly Now, and maybe finish with Redemption. It was going to be hilarious and wonderfully cathartic. Uh, and beneficial for my cat, too.
Tommy is basically a live, non-talking version of Garfield. He's huge, orange, and embarrassingly lazy. And possibly even nearsighted -- I've seen bugs crawl right past him, and he won't even acknowledge their existence (when he's supposed to be exterminating them!). Tessie, my petite, extroverted girl cat, is more of a real, live Nermal -- extremely cute, athletic, and not really in need of a feline weight-loss program.
But that's not the case with Tommy. Maybe he's just a cat after my own heart. I've noticed that anytime I moved back home with my parents (summers during college, etc.), I'd gain about 15-20 pounds from inactivity. But Tommy also put on some weight this last time I lived with Mom and Dad. (I think my mom felt sorry for my babies while I was at work and just kept refilling their food bowls.) When I took him for his annual checkup one year, the vet put him on a strict diet, and I think he had to lose about 2 pounds. (He probably weighed around 17 pounds at the time. Tessie only weighed about 7.)
So, it was this 2-month ordeal of me feeding Tommy this special canned food twice a day, keeping it away from Tessie, and getting up early to start the daily routine. Tommy enjoyed the food, so getting him to eat it wasn't any problem. But he went through about 2 cases of that stuff that I had to buy specifically from the vet's office. And if I fed the cats dry food, I followed the vet's advice and cut a hole in an empty liter-water bottle to create a sort of rolling food bowl. (It's supposed to be exercise for cats if they reach their paws into a bowl to scoop the food out.) Anyway, after all that -- and I was totally sure that Tommy was, in fact, losing weight -- the vet called and said he had GAINED half a pound! What the heck?? It was kinda like one of those weigh-ins on The Biggest Loser where the contestant is like, "I don't know, I gave it my all," and the trainer has their head in their hands and is doing their darnedest to hold in the world's biggest groan.
I took Tommy immediately off the diet and, a couple of months later, moved out of my parents' house. :) He did drop a noticeable amount of weight after I moved into a roomy apartment and he started strutting around like he owned the place. (And I shed a lot of my extra fluff, too.)
But somehow, he seems to have gained part of it back. (Now I understand why my mom liked to make fun of him and say he looked pregnant!) I think maybe I've been too generous at mealtimes for some reason, or maybe he's been eating/stealing Tessie's portion when I'm not looking, or a little of both.
So, I'm cracking down again, watching the food bowls like a hawk to make sure Tommy doesn't scarf down too much, and I may even bust out the rolling food bowl again. Unfortunately, Cataerobics had very minimal success. (By that, I mean he just stared at me most of the time I was flicking his toys playfully at him.) I think he gets most of his exercise when he's wrestling with Tessie or jogging to his food bowl. But we have enjoyed some swatting matches lately (mano a paw-o). I might try more of that.
But I won't give up on my little Garfield. His next weigh-in is next month, and we can do this! It's the eye of the tiger! It's the thrill of the fight!
Tommy is basically a live, non-talking version of Garfield. He's huge, orange, and embarrassingly lazy. And possibly even nearsighted -- I've seen bugs crawl right past him, and he won't even acknowledge their existence (when he's supposed to be exterminating them!). Tessie, my petite, extroverted girl cat, is more of a real, live Nermal -- extremely cute, athletic, and not really in need of a feline weight-loss program.
But that's not the case with Tommy. Maybe he's just a cat after my own heart. I've noticed that anytime I moved back home with my parents (summers during college, etc.), I'd gain about 15-20 pounds from inactivity. But Tommy also put on some weight this last time I lived with Mom and Dad. (I think my mom felt sorry for my babies while I was at work and just kept refilling their food bowls.) When I took him for his annual checkup one year, the vet put him on a strict diet, and I think he had to lose about 2 pounds. (He probably weighed around 17 pounds at the time. Tessie only weighed about 7.)
So, it was this 2-month ordeal of me feeding Tommy this special canned food twice a day, keeping it away from Tessie, and getting up early to start the daily routine. Tommy enjoyed the food, so getting him to eat it wasn't any problem. But he went through about 2 cases of that stuff that I had to buy specifically from the vet's office. And if I fed the cats dry food, I followed the vet's advice and cut a hole in an empty liter-water bottle to create a sort of rolling food bowl. (It's supposed to be exercise for cats if they reach their paws into a bowl to scoop the food out.) Anyway, after all that -- and I was totally sure that Tommy was, in fact, losing weight -- the vet called and said he had GAINED half a pound! What the heck?? It was kinda like one of those weigh-ins on The Biggest Loser where the contestant is like, "I don't know, I gave it my all," and the trainer has their head in their hands and is doing their darnedest to hold in the world's biggest groan.
I took Tommy immediately off the diet and, a couple of months later, moved out of my parents' house. :) He did drop a noticeable amount of weight after I moved into a roomy apartment and he started strutting around like he owned the place. (And I shed a lot of my extra fluff, too.)
But somehow, he seems to have gained part of it back. (Now I understand why my mom liked to make fun of him and say he looked pregnant!) I think maybe I've been too generous at mealtimes for some reason, or maybe he's been eating/stealing Tessie's portion when I'm not looking, or a little of both.
So, I'm cracking down again, watching the food bowls like a hawk to make sure Tommy doesn't scarf down too much, and I may even bust out the rolling food bowl again. Unfortunately, Cataerobics had very minimal success. (By that, I mean he just stared at me most of the time I was flicking his toys playfully at him.) I think he gets most of his exercise when he's wrestling with Tessie or jogging to his food bowl. But we have enjoyed some swatting matches lately (mano a paw-o). I might try more of that.
But I won't give up on my little Garfield. His next weigh-in is next month, and we can do this! It's the eye of the tiger! It's the thrill of the fight!
The Wringer Chronicles, Volume II
[Originally posted 3/5/09] I wrote a new blog entry earlier this week that had all sorts of cool stuff in it -- a movie reference, Bible verses, and even some nifty alliteration. But I didn't post it after all, because I wrote a bunch of stuff that I don't really agree with anymore. I think that's what happens sometimes when you get squeezed -- crap oozes out, and before you know it, it's like, "Ewww. I didn't know it was this gross." Plus, nothing's totally accurate in your brain, anyway, when you've got PMS.
I don't like the stuff that God's been squeezing out of me lately. Sometimes, people in your life can be merciless and downright selfish towards you when you try to be merciful and selfless towards them. If you try to reach out, they ignore you. If you give them an inch, they take a mile (or two). If you try to be nice to them, they dump all over you. (Psalm 35 describes a lot of how I felt one evening when I was turning into an oozing pile of snot and tears on my living-room carpet.)
But God says (in Galatians) that we shouldn't get weary of doing good. That can be hard to do. I mean, when you try to do the right thing, and people puke all over it, it feels natural to just close up and protect yourself from them. But I need to learn from Jesus and get strength from Him (Matthew 11:28-30) and let Him be the One to shield me. He teaches us to pray for those who use us and to love our enemies. This is hard! I need His help!!
So, I've been working through bitterness and resentment issues towards people who've been so hard to love. Another thing God has been teaching me is that there's a difference between loving somebody and letting them take advantage of you. Even God, who is love by His very nature, sometimes has to draw the line with people and let them lie in the bed they've made (metaphorically speaking, as the cliche goes). So, for the sake of my sanity, I'm gonna have to start drawing boundaries and showing people some tough love... which I've been learning how to do already for the past several years, but I think I'm gonna have to kick it up a notch.
Meanwhile, I've been a little sleep-deprived, which can really get nasty when combined with PMS. The changing weather has made my cats a little hyper at night, and they've been waking me up after I've barely dozed off. Maybe I should practice setting some boundaries with them. (Sorry, Fluffy, you just earned yourself a night on the couch.) Finally finding the feline boundaries might fare just fine with very... philosophical... filching of... fishing field trips. Darn it. Well, I thought I'd give the alliteration another try. :)
I don't like the stuff that God's been squeezing out of me lately. Sometimes, people in your life can be merciless and downright selfish towards you when you try to be merciful and selfless towards them. If you try to reach out, they ignore you. If you give them an inch, they take a mile (or two). If you try to be nice to them, they dump all over you. (Psalm 35 describes a lot of how I felt one evening when I was turning into an oozing pile of snot and tears on my living-room carpet.)
But God says (in Galatians) that we shouldn't get weary of doing good. That can be hard to do. I mean, when you try to do the right thing, and people puke all over it, it feels natural to just close up and protect yourself from them. But I need to learn from Jesus and get strength from Him (Matthew 11:28-30) and let Him be the One to shield me. He teaches us to pray for those who use us and to love our enemies. This is hard! I need His help!!
So, I've been working through bitterness and resentment issues towards people who've been so hard to love. Another thing God has been teaching me is that there's a difference between loving somebody and letting them take advantage of you. Even God, who is love by His very nature, sometimes has to draw the line with people and let them lie in the bed they've made (metaphorically speaking, as the cliche goes). So, for the sake of my sanity, I'm gonna have to start drawing boundaries and showing people some tough love... which I've been learning how to do already for the past several years, but I think I'm gonna have to kick it up a notch.
Meanwhile, I've been a little sleep-deprived, which can really get nasty when combined with PMS. The changing weather has made my cats a little hyper at night, and they've been waking me up after I've barely dozed off. Maybe I should practice setting some boundaries with them. (Sorry, Fluffy, you just earned yourself a night on the couch.) Finally finding the feline boundaries might fare just fine with very... philosophical... filching of... fishing field trips. Darn it. Well, I thought I'd give the alliteration another try. :)
The Wringer Chronicles, Volume I
[Originally posted 2/23/09] A few years ago, my mom and sister somehow got it into their heads that the best place to shop for me is in the toy section. Consequently, I've got new Veggie Tales in my DVD collection and Veggie Tales figurines that collect dust in my closet. The problem: I'm almost 33 years old, I don't have children, and I don't hang around children very often. I appreciate the gifts (and yes, I'm a Veggie Tales fan as much as the next Baylor alumna), but I'm not exactly sure why the women in my family starting shopping for me like I'm 9 years old. (Not to mention, it's a reminder that yells just as loud as my biological clock that I'm seemingly overdue for marriage and a family! AAAGH!! Ahem. OK, I think I can pull it together...)
I think they may have misinterpreted my behavior while I was living with my parents. (I moved back home when I was age 27-30.) For a while, when I worked nights, the highlight of my evening was watching Garfield and Friends on the Toon Disney Channel at 1 in the morning. And more often than not, I'd watch Mr. Roger's Neighborhood after a hard day's work.
I believe it was during that time that I learned something important about myself: When I'm really stressed out, I revert back to childhood. For instance, if I'm trying to unwind while driving home from work after a hectic day and I'm sitting at the stoplight, I'll catch myself singing something from the Annie soundtrack. ("The sun'll come out / Tomorrow / Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow / There'll be suuuuun... ") Yes, I definitely think a good dose of nostalgia is healthy every now and then, but a grown woman comforting herself with Sesame Street songs is kinda sad.
So, the whole time I was enjoying cartoons like a 9-year-old while I was 30 and living with my parents in a town that I despised and working a job that I hated, of course I was majorly stressed out. (I'm almost surprised that I didn't start sucking my thumb, wrecking 4 years' worth of orthodontic work.)
When I had a serious emotional breakdown over 8 years ago and got in my car and just drove one Friday morning, I eventually ended up in Bastrop, Texas (where I lived from 7 months old to age 6), and drove to the church that my dad used to pastor. I just parked my car, walked up to the nursery window, and just sort of stared inside and snooped around the outside of the building for a little while. I was severely distressed and stressed out, and I just sort of wanted to hang out in my childhood for a while, I guess.
Strange, huh? (Hey, blogging is cheaper than therapy. :))
Anyway, at the moment, I'm better now, but I noticed that I reverted back to childhood earlier this month, this time with theme songs to TV shows that I used to watch in the late 70s/early 80s. I was playing this YouTube video of a song quite a bit, and this one was in my mind more recently. I wonder if they sell these on iTunes? (Man, we Generation-Xers grew up during some crazy times. :))
Another thing I learned about myself during my emotional breakdown is that when I'm truly depressed, I won't brush my teeth. (Under healthy circumstances, I'll brush twice a day.) I know it sounds weird, but when I was admitted into a psychiatric hospital years ago, I had gone an entire week without brushing my teeth. (It was extremely gross, especially with that black charcoal stuff they made me drink. Blech!!) Maybe it's because I didn't believe I was worth doing even the tiniest little thing for myself, like toothbrushing. Thankfully, I've learned since then that yes, I am worth even keeping my teeth clean, and that I live a life that's precious in at least God's sight. :)
It's good to at least be aware of any iffy emotional state that I might be in. Recently, God reminded me that He knows when I'm hurting and that He's right there: "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry." (Psalm 34:15)
I'm not exactly sure what was stressing me out recently (not counting Valentine's Day) -- although it was probably a combination of different stuff -- but I'm glad that I've got Somebody to turn to. For now, I'm staying on the alert, and I've got more good news: I have been brushing my teeth, preserving those 4 years' worth of orthodontic work. :)
I think they may have misinterpreted my behavior while I was living with my parents. (I moved back home when I was age 27-30.) For a while, when I worked nights, the highlight of my evening was watching Garfield and Friends on the Toon Disney Channel at 1 in the morning. And more often than not, I'd watch Mr. Roger's Neighborhood after a hard day's work.
I believe it was during that time that I learned something important about myself: When I'm really stressed out, I revert back to childhood. For instance, if I'm trying to unwind while driving home from work after a hectic day and I'm sitting at the stoplight, I'll catch myself singing something from the Annie soundtrack. ("The sun'll come out / Tomorrow / Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow / There'll be suuuuun... ") Yes, I definitely think a good dose of nostalgia is healthy every now and then, but a grown woman comforting herself with Sesame Street songs is kinda sad.
So, the whole time I was enjoying cartoons like a 9-year-old while I was 30 and living with my parents in a town that I despised and working a job that I hated, of course I was majorly stressed out. (I'm almost surprised that I didn't start sucking my thumb, wrecking 4 years' worth of orthodontic work.)
When I had a serious emotional breakdown over 8 years ago and got in my car and just drove one Friday morning, I eventually ended up in Bastrop, Texas (where I lived from 7 months old to age 6), and drove to the church that my dad used to pastor. I just parked my car, walked up to the nursery window, and just sort of stared inside and snooped around the outside of the building for a little while. I was severely distressed and stressed out, and I just sort of wanted to hang out in my childhood for a while, I guess.
Strange, huh? (Hey, blogging is cheaper than therapy. :))
Anyway, at the moment, I'm better now, but I noticed that I reverted back to childhood earlier this month, this time with theme songs to TV shows that I used to watch in the late 70s/early 80s. I was playing this YouTube video of a song quite a bit, and this one was in my mind more recently. I wonder if they sell these on iTunes? (Man, we Generation-Xers grew up during some crazy times. :))
Another thing I learned about myself during my emotional breakdown is that when I'm truly depressed, I won't brush my teeth. (Under healthy circumstances, I'll brush twice a day.) I know it sounds weird, but when I was admitted into a psychiatric hospital years ago, I had gone an entire week without brushing my teeth. (It was extremely gross, especially with that black charcoal stuff they made me drink. Blech!!) Maybe it's because I didn't believe I was worth doing even the tiniest little thing for myself, like toothbrushing. Thankfully, I've learned since then that yes, I am worth even keeping my teeth clean, and that I live a life that's precious in at least God's sight. :)
It's good to at least be aware of any iffy emotional state that I might be in. Recently, God reminded me that He knows when I'm hurting and that He's right there: "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry." (Psalm 34:15)
I'm not exactly sure what was stressing me out recently (not counting Valentine's Day) -- although it was probably a combination of different stuff -- but I'm glad that I've got Somebody to turn to. For now, I'm staying on the alert, and I've got more good news: I have been brushing my teeth, preserving those 4 years' worth of orthodontic work. :)
The Wringer Chronicles: An Introduction
[Originally posted 2/21/09] Years ago, when I told my friend Katie that I was a kinetic learner, she asked me how that applied to my Christian walk. "Trials," I immediately replied.
You see, a kinetic (or kinesthetic) learner is one who learns by doing. As opposed to visual learners and audio learners, we kinetic learners have to really get our hands on something to understand a new concept. I know for me, repetition is essential, and I often ask a lot of questions. If I'm learning something new on the job, I won't strain my brain too much when someone's explaining something new to me, and I just take notes to refer to later, because I'm probably not going to understand it until I go back to my cubicle and try it for myself. (And it might take several tries before the light bulb clicks on in my brain. And then it stays on.)
So, as a Christian, I can sit my butt in church or go home and read my Bible about how God is good or about how I need to trust Him or about how I need to show compassion to people and forgive them -- and it may take a while for the truth to click on in my brain, heart, and soul. Sometimes, I let the Holy Spirit speed things along by teaching me what I need to know right away, kind of like how the computer programs were downloaded directly into people's minds on The Matrix. (Wasn't that cool??) But there are lots of times when maybe God knows it'll need to soak in a little longer for me. So, He lets trials come. For instance, if I need to know that God is Provider -- maybe I'll have trouble paying a bill -- then sometime later, He'll provide the money after I ask Him for it and wait for it, and I'll remember the truth that God is my Provider. (This particular truth has required lots of repetition for me! I wish the light bulb would stay on!)
Trials teach you what God is like, and they refine all the crap out of you. A very simple concept that's often taught in church is that if you squeeze something, its contents will squirt out. Like, if I'm an orange, if you squeeze me, you'll get orange juice. Or if I've got bitterness, fear, or insecurity building up inside me and I don't know it yet, a trial can squeeze that junk right out. For instance, if you happen to get a 2nd-degree burn on your thumb while you're cooking dinner one night, do you shout profanities and curse God? or do you pray for healing and come home from the emergency room exhausted but thankful? and wiser?
My point is that God uses trials to make us more like Jesus and draw us closer to Him, if we respond the right way. God didn't burn my thumb -- I did, and it was an accident -- but He used the situation to strengthen my faith. (And I also learned what oven mitts are for. And my thumb healed very nicely, hallelujah. :))
So, when I say that I'm going through the wringer, that means that God's got me in a trial or series of trials to see what I'm made of, squeeze all the junk out, and make me stronger in Him. I have a feeling that a good chunk of 2009 may be like this for me, and I would like to share this journey with you. I'm in uncharted territory, and I think I'm going to learn lots of new things about how God made me and how Jesus can live His life through me. I'm probably going to write a lot about my emotional healing. I think some old issues that I thought were resolved are still lingering, and some new issues may have cropped up.
In the past, when I've gone through trials and haven't responded the right way (i.e., haven't taken my pain to Jesus or trusted Him), it's led to depression (a slimy pit that I don't want to go back to). But that was the past. I'm a newly reconstructed creature who knows who her Heavenly Daddy is. And as an aspiring writer, I've learned to channel the angst into a healthy expression. Hopefully. :)
So, if you think Christians are supposed to be happy all the time, boy are you in for a surprise. :) For the record, yes, Christians aren't supposed to be depressed, because in Christ, we've got access to all the joy, peace, and love we could ever need! But God knows our hearts, and He wants us to be honest with Him and pour it all out to Him. We have Somebody to run to when we're hurting.
I'm probably going to be very vulnerable and share some private information in this blog series (well, about as private as you can get on the internet), so please don't be cruel. :) If you've ever wondered what goes on behind my smile or behind that overly pensive look I get on my face sometimes, you're about to get some answers.
Dear readers, I offer you... THE WRINGER CHRONICLES.
You see, a kinetic (or kinesthetic) learner is one who learns by doing. As opposed to visual learners and audio learners, we kinetic learners have to really get our hands on something to understand a new concept. I know for me, repetition is essential, and I often ask a lot of questions. If I'm learning something new on the job, I won't strain my brain too much when someone's explaining something new to me, and I just take notes to refer to later, because I'm probably not going to understand it until I go back to my cubicle and try it for myself. (And it might take several tries before the light bulb clicks on in my brain. And then it stays on.)
So, as a Christian, I can sit my butt in church or go home and read my Bible about how God is good or about how I need to trust Him or about how I need to show compassion to people and forgive them -- and it may take a while for the truth to click on in my brain, heart, and soul. Sometimes, I let the Holy Spirit speed things along by teaching me what I need to know right away, kind of like how the computer programs were downloaded directly into people's minds on The Matrix. (Wasn't that cool??) But there are lots of times when maybe God knows it'll need to soak in a little longer for me. So, He lets trials come. For instance, if I need to know that God is Provider -- maybe I'll have trouble paying a bill -- then sometime later, He'll provide the money after I ask Him for it and wait for it, and I'll remember the truth that God is my Provider. (This particular truth has required lots of repetition for me! I wish the light bulb would stay on!)
Trials teach you what God is like, and they refine all the crap out of you. A very simple concept that's often taught in church is that if you squeeze something, its contents will squirt out. Like, if I'm an orange, if you squeeze me, you'll get orange juice. Or if I've got bitterness, fear, or insecurity building up inside me and I don't know it yet, a trial can squeeze that junk right out. For instance, if you happen to get a 2nd-degree burn on your thumb while you're cooking dinner one night, do you shout profanities and curse God? or do you pray for healing and come home from the emergency room exhausted but thankful? and wiser?
My point is that God uses trials to make us more like Jesus and draw us closer to Him, if we respond the right way. God didn't burn my thumb -- I did, and it was an accident -- but He used the situation to strengthen my faith. (And I also learned what oven mitts are for. And my thumb healed very nicely, hallelujah. :))
So, when I say that I'm going through the wringer, that means that God's got me in a trial or series of trials to see what I'm made of, squeeze all the junk out, and make me stronger in Him. I have a feeling that a good chunk of 2009 may be like this for me, and I would like to share this journey with you. I'm in uncharted territory, and I think I'm going to learn lots of new things about how God made me and how Jesus can live His life through me. I'm probably going to write a lot about my emotional healing. I think some old issues that I thought were resolved are still lingering, and some new issues may have cropped up.
In the past, when I've gone through trials and haven't responded the right way (i.e., haven't taken my pain to Jesus or trusted Him), it's led to depression (a slimy pit that I don't want to go back to). But that was the past. I'm a newly reconstructed creature who knows who her Heavenly Daddy is. And as an aspiring writer, I've learned to channel the angst into a healthy expression. Hopefully. :)
So, if you think Christians are supposed to be happy all the time, boy are you in for a surprise. :) For the record, yes, Christians aren't supposed to be depressed, because in Christ, we've got access to all the joy, peace, and love we could ever need! But God knows our hearts, and He wants us to be honest with Him and pour it all out to Him. We have Somebody to run to when we're hurting.
I'm probably going to be very vulnerable and share some private information in this blog series (well, about as private as you can get on the internet), so please don't be cruel. :) If you've ever wondered what goes on behind my smile or behind that overly pensive look I get on my face sometimes, you're about to get some answers.
Dear readers, I offer you... THE WRINGER CHRONICLES.
What's a Windowbrawl, anyway?
When I lived with my parents a few years ago, my little half-Siamese female cat used to visit a sunroom that was in the back of the house. Unfortunately, the neighbor's larger black-and-white female cat would frequently trespass in the backyard and pick fights with my cat through the window. I wonder if both felines felt braver in fighting each other since they were protected by the window and didn't actually make any contact?
I've noticed that I'm much braver when I'm writing than when I'm talking in person. This world is nuts. There are all sorts of issues floating around that need to be addressed, and if you're introverted like me, it can be intimidating to confront a person who gets in your face and debates the crap out of you. But I figure if I'm sitting at my computer, protected by the "window" of the monitor and not actually getting the crap kicked out of me while I'm "brawling," it's all good. :) Yay, America! Yay, freedom of speech! Yay, freedom of expression!
I'd like to use this blog to express my ideas, probably address some controversial issues, and more than likely just ramble about random ideas that float through my head while I keep friends updated on my life. I hope you'll laugh, and/or cry, and/or clench your fist and... well, unclench your fist long enough to type in a comment. Let it all be in the spirit of Psalm 144.
For now, I'll be double-posting entries from my blog on MySpace. I'll insert the most recent posts from there on here shortly. (If you'd like to read really old posts, please refer to the Decidedly Wandering blog I shared with my friend Debbie.)
Thanks for reading, God bless, and come again. :)
I've noticed that I'm much braver when I'm writing than when I'm talking in person. This world is nuts. There are all sorts of issues floating around that need to be addressed, and if you're introverted like me, it can be intimidating to confront a person who gets in your face and debates the crap out of you. But I figure if I'm sitting at my computer, protected by the "window" of the monitor and not actually getting the crap kicked out of me while I'm "brawling," it's all good. :) Yay, America! Yay, freedom of speech! Yay, freedom of expression!
I'd like to use this blog to express my ideas, probably address some controversial issues, and more than likely just ramble about random ideas that float through my head while I keep friends updated on my life. I hope you'll laugh, and/or cry, and/or clench your fist and... well, unclench your fist long enough to type in a comment. Let it all be in the spirit of Psalm 144.
For now, I'll be double-posting entries from my blog on MySpace. I'll insert the most recent posts from there on here shortly. (If you'd like to read really old posts, please refer to the Decidedly Wandering blog I shared with my friend Debbie.)
Thanks for reading, God bless, and come again. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
