But you run around with your fingers in your ears – LA LA LA LA LA LA LA I cant hear you…..

But God can get past those fingers….

And then you try the direct approach – Listen, God, this isnt going to work and let me list the ways….  And off goes your list.

And still God calls.   He obviously isnt getting the message, so now you are going to have to prove it to Him.   And now you research the reasons that it wont work in order to PROVE it to Him.     And guess what.    He. Is. Right.   Sigh…..

All your little reasons dont hold water.    What, this never happens to you?   Only me?   Naw – I cant be the only one who gets annoyed with God.    Or am I the only one who actually puts it in print?    I am not going to google “Annoyed with God.”    Lets assume I am not the only one….

Anywhos…..   Back to God, and me and The List.    So, this happened when He called me to Homeschool.    And shoot darn, if I dont absolutely love it.      So, He did this when He called me to a new life in a rural community.   And again, Love.

So, I am not stupid, when I felt this stirring, this time I didnt do anything.    I didnt move.   Wanted to be sure if it was real.   If it wasnt my Peri-menapausal, Daughter-just-left-for-college, emotional self.    And it hasnt gone away.     In fact, God has been true to form (is He ever not?) and kept calling.   Throwing this up in weird times, in weird thoughts, in weird connections.     He is kind of cool that way.

And one of the reasons I was so still is because this calling doesnt feel “God like”.    He isnt calling me to move to an orphanage in Africa, turn my world upside down all for Him.   Or is He?

He is calling me to “Buy American” for a year…. And if I just cant possibly do that, to “Do No Harm” or “Do Without”.     See…. doesnt sound Godly does it?

But then it really is.   There are more scriptures in the Bible about money than almost anything else.   God wants me to totally understand the power this American Dollar has.    The power it has to kill, steal, abuse… . The power it has to give life, to rescue, to love.

My dollar is more than a new pair of flipflops.    It very real is a child in another country who is forced to work because I need those flipflops.    That new whatever.

And honestly, thats where the “list of reasons why I couldnt” began with God.   I need a pair of black flipflops, God.  *** Old Navy doesnt make them in America, Hello…. Are you listening to me?    And He was – but He wasnt done.

So, I went on a search and amazingly enough, there are black flipflops made in the USA.    Some outside of Atlanta, I really adore.   Some in California that use recycled materials.    But heres the kicker, the point I think God wants from me, they arent 2 for $5.00.

They are around $25.00 a pair.   Ouch.   God, do you not know how many colors I could have from Old Navy?    He does and He doesnt care.    Do I need all those colors?   No, I do not.    God has been changing my heart for what I need and what I want.   Its annoying.   Totally.

And He has also been teaching me about value.   Those flilpflops made here will last longer.   My dollar actually goes farther.   I spend about $20 a summer in black flipflops and a couple other colors.   Mostly black.   What if I could spend $25 that lasted me for 2 years.    I have now used my God given dollar (and dont ever doubt its not God given) better – it has gone farther, and it has been denied to those that send a child to make me a pair of flipflops.   It has gone to an adult that will use it to support his or her family.    A divine purpose.
But, God, my lack of $20 to Old Navy wont make a difference.   They just dont care.    But God does.    That $20 makes a difference to God.    And lets not forget this is the God that can feed thousands on 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes – worth way less than $20.    What can He do with that $20?

I mean, kids will still be forced to work, even if I go a whole year….  What is the point?     My drop in an ocean….   And then there was this….

Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!        Matthew 18:7

It does make a difference.   It makes a difference to me.     And with God, it can make a difference in this world.    Once I KNOW, I cannot unknow something.    Once you know truth – you have to decide to live it or reject it.    Sucks knowing sometimes.

So I am doing research.    Changing how you buy everything cant be done on the fly.   Its an entire perspective shift.   I dont get to buy cute new things from Target.   No spur of the moment buys.    Unless they are spur of the moment buys at Shop Good and other places I know “Do no harm.”     And I am begging God not to make this pertain to my food too….   I can feel that it will, eventually, but there is Grace.   I feel Grace.    This is a new life path I am being called to.    One I am not sure I can live up to – I mean, its exhausting.

But He has been preparing me.    I go to the mall maybe 2 times a year.     But does this apply to my entire family?   Do I force them to go along with me?    No I dont.    I give them the choice.     And in all my worrying “How”, “Who”, “What”, there is His Grace and Peace.

I dont have all the answers.    I am just now figuring out the questions.    I am nervous and guardedly excited.    He will provide.    He will support.    He will do something with all this.

As always …..

Pray – Praise – Prepare

Pearls

**This isnt a slam against Old Navy.   Maybe it is.   I have no idea if children make their flipflops – I do know they are made in China.   I just used Old Navy because it is where I love the black flipflop and where God asked me to begin giving up something for Him.   For something better.

There was a comment(s) on my previous post.    And I totally appreciate his honesty, his perspective, and his coming back when things popped into his head to say.   I totally do that too      I also believe that his view point is probably the predominate one and so I want to address what was said….   And instead of replying to each of his comments, I am getting an entire ‘nother post out of it.

I was going to save space and have you flip back and forth, but thats a pain, so I will copy and paste his comments in its entirety and then comment…   So, now that we have the ground rules and the objective, lets go – I will start with the earliest time stamped comment first….

Please don’t take this the wrong way.

I certainly don’t mean this to come across mean spirited but I have to disagree on several points. I may break this up on several replies as I’ve already lost what I’ve written twice, but still feel compelled to write.

On June 19th, you were praying for more persecution. Now you claim that Jesus doesn’t need defending? I wish those Christians that were fed to the lions during the first century and otherwise killed by the Roman Government had know this.

What about poor Stephen, was he needlessly stoned?

These people died defendning their faith, their Savior.

Matthew 5:10-12 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you

The very act of being persecuted is defending his name.

Matt 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Certainly not all persecution involved dying while being stoned or being fed to the lions etc, but we better be defending him.

I’m taking a break from cutting grass and I need to get back out there. I’ll try and write more later.

 

First, stay hydrated – if you are anywhere close to me, public lighting is melting because of the heat.   Seriously – hell cant be much hotter….

I did and I do pray for persecution.   I pray for it because of how it spreads the Gospel.    Cuba, China, North Korea….   China’s church is growing faster than we can comprehend.    I pray that persecution here does this to the Church here.     They arent rising up and picketing in China – they are on fire to tell others.      The First Century’s response to persecution wasnt to eat chicken to show the “evildoers” how wrong they were.    They were bold and taught all the more.    They didnt take on the Government – they went about what they had always done which was sharing the Gospel and taking care of those in need.     We cant even begin to compare insults being tossed at us until our response is the same – continuing to share the Gospel and taking care of those in need.     And I contend that we arent really doing that.     We build churches, we have programs, but unless someone walks into one of these “shrines” to our Christianity, they arent going to hear the Gospel.    We arent out in the neighborhoods, the streets, the grocery stores, the highways, modeling the Gospel.

Every one mentioned died defending their faith – but how – they did it by telling of the Good News.    There was no telling of the Good News Wednesday.    There was a lot of Righteous Indignation.      That is what it was mostly about….

I have met Truett Cathey – the founder of CFA.     I have heard him speak several times.    I know some of where his personal money is spent – not CFA corporate funds.     And I can tell you, without a doubt, that more than a record day on Wednesday, he would have loved to get 100′s or 1000′s of letters telling him what they did for Jesus’ name.    That they took food to a Christian food pantry – that they set up tables in his honor to feed the homeless – that sponsored fatherless children in Africa….   THAT should have been the Christian response.     To do things for Him in secret – to pray in our closets.

Can you imagine anyone hurling insults at Christians feeding the homeless?     How absurd.    The shame that would have been directed on the screamers….    THAT is the response I wish Mike Huckabee (a politician) had called for….

I stand by stating that Jesus does not need me defending Him – He needs me BEING Him – He needs me serving – OTHERS, not myself.

And the Beatitudes….   Meek – Merciful – Hunger/Thirst for Righteousness – Mourning – those were not there on Wednesday.     There was not mercy on those without food – there wasnt a Hunger and Thirsting for Righteousness and there wasnt a Mourning over the lost.

Second Post:

You mentioned “free will” in regards to the choice we have in serving in his name.

“free will” and choices are what this “Chick Fil A” thing was on the 1st of August.

We, as Christians, were given the most wonderful gift two days ago. It didn’t involve being stoned, fed to lions, or otherwise killed. A few were verbally abused, one young lady working there was abused in this manner and the abuser was promptly fired. What a wonderful expression by God that he takes care of his own. That abuser sowed the wind and then reaped the whirlwind of his actions.

All we as Christians had to do was show up. This accomplished at least 2 things publicly. It showed the Lord that those who claim Christianity still have the inner fortitude to DEFEND his name via FREE WILL.

Those that showed up also made a statement to the evil ones who would persecute us. We will not be willingly shut up or shamed into being quiet when it comes to supporting those virtues that made this country great. Those that showed up will not be willingly pushed into Darkness.

Edmund Burke said that “All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”

So those that showed up were doing far more than “feeding their faces”. These people were doing “something”.

Free will was offered and exercised. The evil ones were embarrassed and sent running to some extent. Yes they will be back, but that is another story for another day.

Again, I’m sorry for being blunt here, but this needs to be said.

Your comment is somewhat insulting, condescending, derisive and seemingly with out love and that saddens me.

 

Your free will absolutely allows you this past Wednesday.    However, could The Kingdom have been better served?     My salvation is DIRECTLY linked to how I treat the poor and the fatherless.    You stated  it did 2 things for Christians….    It isnt about me.    It never is.     I must be all things to all people to win the most to Him.   Its about Him.    Always.      It isnt “I can do whatever I want and if you dont like it, tough, this is the way it is….”

And just because someone went, doesnt correlate to them “standing up for Jesus” or that they actually would IF they met true persecution and the converse is true – just because I didnt have a Chicken sandwich doesnt mean I wouldnt stand firm.

I can see the 1st Amendment issue and I agree.   Eat Chicken because you can say whatever you want – but it gets convoluted with the Christian message and the Christian message loses out.    Jesus and The Kingdom lose out.

I am going to go out on a limb here and guess you had chicken.    Just tell me you had ChickFilA sauce….    Anyway, and I am also going to assume that part of the problem with my post is that you feel chastised because I came down on those that had chicken.      I did – a little.    But more than saying what you did was “wrong” I guess I didnt get across the point that we could have done better.    Challenge us to do better.    I want my first response to be doing good and not giving a PERCEIVED Christian finger which is how those on the other side see things.    Because that is how they saw it…. How am I going to introduce them to the Savior when they think I give them the finger?    I cant….

And speaking of those on the other side – you refer to them as “evil ones”.    Really?    I am evil.    You are evil.    I have been covered in Grace and therefore my King doesnt see my abject failures, but I am not naive to the fact that there is no difference between me and those on the other side except Grace.    I do not see them as the enemy, but as lost.    They do not get my anger, they get my pity – they get my prayer that Light will shine and they get my prayer that they will see Love.      How does Wednesday change when you view all as LOVED?     As Children of the King – lost or found?

Christians are persecuted here.   Its snide and subtle and its death by a 1000 cuts.    I get that.   I feel that.    I know that.   But on Wednesday, there was a lot of Righteous Indignation.      I like RI – it feels good.    It feels really good – we are morally superior.   And we are called to be Righteous, after all…. But the Indignation is all flesh.      My Lord and my Flesh cannot coexist.    If my Flesh is wining, my Lord cannot abide.     Therefore, when I am feeling all morally superior and all Righteously Indignant, I am in the wrong.   Flat out.    Its pride.   Lord forgive me when I dont see people as You see them…

I still contend that the “something” that was done could have been done better.    I never advocated doing nothing – just something different.

Final comment…..

“The attacking must stop”

Yes, but it never will, because sin never really goes ob vacation does it?

“Stop pointing out someone’s wrong. Get that big ole board out of your eye before you start to remove that spec out their eye.”

but Jesus does command us to use righteous judgement.

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Under what basis can I bring the GOSPEL to others that need it if I can’t show them they need it. That implies that at some point the sin will be pointed out in their lives. This idea of “judge not lest ye be judge” applied to those who are hypocrites. YES, don’t stand there and preach at me about the evil of “strong drink” while you have a beer in your hand. That’s the idea going on in the passage you were referring to here. It wasn’t to imply that we can’t tell people they are wrong for that would make the whole point of “Going into all the world” rather silly. What’s the use of leading others to Christ if I can’t give them a reason to change their life…. it would be a pointless endeavor.

You are 100% correct that God doesn’t love us more than other nations, but ( saw that “but” coming huh?) in the other countries you mentioned they certainly aren’t free to be Christians there. In the U.S. we are…. for the moment.

It’s the idea if use it or lose it. We better Stand UP for Jesus while we can. If we don’t take these wonderful opportunities while we have them, we may find ourselves like N. Korea one day.

Here’s a song I have sang all my life:

VERSE #1
Stand up, stand up, for Jesus,
Ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss:
From victory unto victory,
His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished,
And Christ is Lord indeed.
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/religious_music/stand_up_for_jesus.html ]
VERSE #2
Stand up, stand up, for Jesus,
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict,
In this His glorious day:
Ye who are men, now serve Him,
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger,
And strength to strength oppose.

VERSE #3
Stand up, stand up, for Jesus,
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you,
Ye dare not trust your own:
Put on the gospel armor
Each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls, or danger,
Be never wanting there.

VERSE #4
Stand up, stand up, for Jesus,
The strife will not belong;
This day the noise of battle,
The next, the victor’s song:
To him who over-cometh,
A crown of life shall be;
He, with the King of glory,
Shall reign eternally…

So what is the response for being attacked?    Is it to attack back?    Or is it to continue to do good?    To turn a cheek….    You show others their need of the Gospel by doing good.   Over and again.   By serving them.    By loving them.     ChickFilA showed this Wednesday by providing water and lemonade to those in the heat protesting.     Haters are going to hate, but that doesnt give us an excuse to stop doing good or to go on the offensive against them.     And at the very least, loving your “enemies” heaps burning coals on their heads

I stand up for Jesus by doing what He asked me to do.    Doing good.   Shaking off the dust if someone doesnt want to listen and moving on – not picketing or pointing out how awful they are….    In doing good – day in and day out – by quietly living a life above reproach you will – OVER THE LONG HAUL – win more to Him.    And there is the rub – man, the flesh wants a quick response.    It wants to SHOW the other side FAST that we are right.     It doesnt want to wait around for the long haul to quietly serve our God.

And I love that song – Old school Church of Christ here….

Last comment….

Again you are correct that GOD Hates sin. Those people at Westboro are completely with out love. He does hate sin, but not the sinner and Westboro apparently never read I Corinthians 13. It is obvious or they wouldn’t be acting the way they do. They act out of hate.

We should never be haughty, hateful, or mean spirited. And I hope you don’t take these replies to your blog in that manner.

Yes, I’m rather emotional about this and I feel like I’m a horse with a burr under it’s saddle. But I’m not mad, just concerned.

We as Christians have been too quiet for too long. We’ve let the evil side shut us up. This why this country is in the sorry shape it’s in today.

Showing a bit of support of a God Fearing man and his company is the least we can do. The next time they may be knocking on the Church Building door telling us we can’t meet.

Think about it.

God Bless.

 

I absolutely did not take this as mean spirited.   Not a bit.    And I hope in all this you have seen my heart….

These lines struck me:

We as Christians have been too quiet for too long. We’ve let the evil side shut us up. This why this country is in the sorry shape it’s in today.

Showing a bit of support of a God Fearing man and his company is the least we can do. The next time they may be knocking on the Church Building door telling us we can’t meet.

 

Yes – we have been too quiet for too long.   We havent taken care of the poor, the fatherless, the homeless, the Nations the way we should have.   We are the richest country in the world.    My sweet friend says that America should be the Sugar Daddy to the Church around the world – and she is right.    We have absconded on our responsibility – we have left it to Government, we have assuaged ourselves that we cant give money because they will abuse it – we have given our “tithe” and let churches then spend most of it on themselves with a tiny fraction of that given to missionaries and counted our job done.       And then we have the nerve to stand up and cry “Enough” – when we have done pretty much nothing?    And this “nothing” is the reason this Country is in the sad shape.    You will never be able to legislate morality.    The battle isnt in Washington DC.    The battle is over hearts.    You change a heart and the law becomes irrelevant.    Dont like abortion?    Change the hearts of the women that seek them and the men that knock them up and walk away and every single abortion clinic closes.    But thats a long haul endeavor – we are lazy; I am.   Its much easier to legislate abortion.   But have you really served the Kingdom?    Women still lost – babies born and lost – men lost.

I have been on several blogs and threads of “the other side”.      And their biggest complaint is “where is our support for the poor?”     We claim to be Christians, but what have we done?      They call us names but when you get down to it, we have absolutely no credibility with them.    Why should we?     I contend that if we want to reach them, if we want them to HEAR us, we need to shut our mouths and get our hands dirty.    Really dirty.   Because sin is a mess.    This world is a mess.   Poverty is a mess.    Kids are fatherless because of life’s messes.       And its inconvenient.    It will disrupt my house – my finances – my life.    It may expose my kids to some things I would rather hide them from – in a holy huddle.     Thats the truth.    And at the foundation of that is my lack of faith that God will take care of it.     That God loves my kids more than me and that He will protect them.    That He will provide.

Evil didnt shut us up.    We closed our mouths and stilled our hands a long time ago.   And in doing so, gave the “moral high ground” away….    And thats ok.    Jesus needs us in the trenches.   And the funny thing, is that in the trenches, you are really likely to find those that you are trying to reach working right along side of you – because they are there….where we arent….

In.  The.  Trenches.

The One who gave you free will to chant whatever you want – to say whatever you want – believe whatever you want….   The One who died to bring you the ultimate freedom, dont you think that our political system is beneath Him?   Do you see Him with a sign (no matter what that sign says)…. Do you see Him with a flag pin on His lapel?     I dont either.

I dont see Him loving Americans more than He loves Cuba, or China, or North Korea.    In fact, I would bet my last dollar that His heart is totally rent for those under such oppression in those Countries.     I bet His heart hurts more than I could even comprehend.     We nod our heads in agreement.   We “feel sorry for” those in those countries.      How awful it must be.

But what would He say about us?   How would He view Americans?    Would He look approvingly at our freedom?   What we have done with it?   How we are free to say such vile things to each other in His name?

I loathe Westboro Baptist Church.   I hate that those who oppose the Church think most Churches are like this one – that all Christians are the same.   I loathe the salt in wounds at a time in peoples’ lives where they are hurting the most.   I loathe they think that the worst sin in this Country is homosexuality.     I loathe that my Christian response isnt what I want to do, which is punch them in the face.   Hard.   I loathe that I would be willing to bet that a lot of people agree with the Westboro message but not the delivery.

God does not hate fags.

Not.  In.  The.  Least.

God hates sin.   He hates when I lie.   He hates when I am prideful.   He hates my selfishness.   He hates my consumerism.   He hates my shortsightedness.   He hates my harsh words and my anger.   He hates that I loathe Westboro.  He hates I dont do enough for orphans and widows.   He hates my indifference towards the poor.     He absolutely does not hate me.    He adores me.    He died for me.     He longs, aches for me to choose Him to the degree He chose me.

Where would He have been yesterday?   Would He have enjoyed a spicy chicken sandwich?    Would He have waiting in line for an hour?   Would He have been outside with those who felt slighted by what the long lines represented?   Would He have ignored the entire thing?    Would He have just shook His head at both sides?

The irony of all this is “true religion is taking care of Widows and Orphans….” and we FEED OUR OWN FACES….

I like a chicken sandwich as much as the next person, save you vegetarians, but we are so wrapped up in ourselves, in what we want, what we have the “right” to do we have lost sight that all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial.

I want to be beneficial.   To see the lies the Liar uses to confuse and obfuscate.    You know he is giddy over this past week.    I wish I had thought to buy chicken yesterday to feed someone else.   I wish I had thought outside myself.

True religion was lost sight of this week.     Live humble and quiet lives so that no one can speak against your Savior.

We werent quiet this week and we certainly werent humble.    And we certainly didnt look after those that cant look after themselves.

This isnt an indictment against Christians.    I totally get that people are tired of feeling attacked.    This statement could be attributed to both sides.     The attacking must stop.

And the Christians need to be the ones to stop first.     Stop defending – Christ doesnt need you to go to bat for Him.    Hear that again, the Lord of Heaven’s Army DOES NOT NEED YOU TO DEFEND HIM.     Stop pointing out someone’s wrong.     Get that big ole board out of your eye before you start to remove that spec out their eye.   Do good.    Always.   You dont see whats flying over head when you have your head down about His business working or in prayer.

And just so you dont think I am above this stink – Im not.   I love my FB account.   I amuse myself.    I type this as a reminder to myself and for others to hold me accountable.

I daily disappoint the One I wish I didnt…    The One who gave me this freedom to absolutely screw things up.   The BEST news is that each morning, I start over – I can choose differently.   I can be different.   Better.   Lord, please, help me to be better.    Less of me, more of you.

And if you so wish, join me.    Let the “chicken war” wage (thanks DHL).    But as for me, I want to be not right….not left….but Free.     The Freedom that is true.    The Freedom that is eternal.     Thank. God.

Amen.

And if you are still wondering, the Lord of Freedom would absolutely be Libertarian…..

(I jest….see, I told you I amuse myself…..)

Dear Justice Roberts,

You used to be my favorite.   I loved you more than any of the other Supreme Court Justices.   You rocked.   You were solid.   You seemed to have the most libertarian minded grasp of the Constitution and I felt proud that you were the Chief.   You headed this Court and despite what the little  elf, Ms. Ginsberg, did you out ranked her.   I rested in that fact….   Until today.

Today you made this comment on page 6 of your MAJORITY OPINION UPHOLDING OBAMACARE:

“It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.”

And while I agreed initially and thought “Good, now people will realize that their votes have consequences” the more I think about it, I am thinking I need to break up with you.

How dare you sit in your ivory tower with your lifetime appointment and your EXEMPT Federal health insurance and pension looking down on me.   How dare you teach the populace a lesson.    How dare you.

Apparently you have been in Washington, D.C. too long in that it seems you have adopted the attitude that permeates that city, that somehow you know what is best for everyone else.    Progressive snake.    That somehow you are there to take care and teach us ignorant peoples.     Sir, you couldnt be more mistaken.

You seem to have forgotten that your job – Your.  Only.  Job.   Is to decide if the cases brought before you align with the Constitution.   You remember that piece of paper?    That is the one to which you swore an oath – the oath that follows:

“I, _________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.  So help me God.”

and

“I, _________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as _________ under the Constitution and laws of the United States.  So help me God.”

No where do I read that it is your job to teach me that my vote has consequences.   I have read “Love and Logic” – dont pull that crap with me.    Do your job.    Do the job that you SWORE you would do.    Defend the Constitution against enemies Foreign (few and far between) and Domestic (most everyone in D.C.).     It is not your job to care about the fall out of what happens.    It is not your job to see anything else besides the law and the Constitution.    You are supposed to be blind (and today I wish you were mute too.)

Sincerely, Me

We feel God is moving in our little town.   Things happening to each of us separately, but when we compare, it is nothing short of God confirming His plans…  We arent sure what they are, but its obvious He is involved.   More than that – He is orchestrating it all – beautifully.

So when we talk, sometimes we turn our thoughts and our plans to Him.   One of our group the other day said “What if there was just one Church in our town and everyone worshiped together.”       I have a sneaking suspicion that she said this because the singing would be better than in each of the separate tiny churches.     I’m kidding…. Kind of.    But what if….

But it would never work, you say…. There are too many differences – too much history – too many potential problems.

Really?

Worst than rich lording over the poor?    Worst than a man sleeping with his father’s wife?   Worst than drunkeness, greed, sexual sins?   Worst than Jew versus Gentile?   Worst than slavery?

Because the above list is what the First Century Church had to get through, over, around, past….    It really makes the Acapella vs. Piano dispute look pretty petty.

What if….   What if we could live out exactly what God would have of us – I can guarantee there would be One Church.   I doubt that there would be one building, but there would be One Church.    What if that One Church had no building?    I mean, we are talking about trying to emulate the Church of the First Century.

I mean, lets look at how the Church is on fire in China…..   There are no buildings – there are no signs/billboards….. They are all over modeling the 1st Century Church, right down to the persecution….   I pray for His church in China.   I pray for His fire to consume that Country of a billion people.      I pray that some of that fire reaches us on these shores.     I pray that if God intended our Church to look like the 1st Century, then circumstances in this Country would change to make that 1st Century the only option.     You read that right….   That prayer might mean persecution here.   It might mean that instead of just Christians getting mocked here, there is real persecution.   Rights being taken away.  It is a scary and bold prayer.    Its a prayer that could directly impact those that I love….my children.     Am I raising them up to be people that can withstand persecution?     Can I?

So, thanks Amy…. Your little random off-hand comment has sent me on a tangent praying and wondering if Persecution would be best for His Church in America and what that means in my discipleship of my children….   Sigh…..

At the same time in our home life, we are studying more and more the Socratic method for our lives and especially in our homeschool.    We are pretty Socratic as it is, but learning the finer points….  As you may remember me mentioning it in the Scott Walker post a few days ago…  Anyway, back to linking Government schools and the Bible….

At the time of the original writing of the Bible – especially stuff written by Paul – you know the learned one – learning was quite different than in the West.   They studied mostly in Temple or under Scholars – Tutors – Masters.    Not Lecturers – they werent of the variety where the one that had the information gave it, spoon fed it to the student, but rather led and let the student make “discoveries” on their own – questions and answers and discussion.    When a student does this, it makes it their own.    They discussed – debated – defended – truly educated.   It also wasnt a set course where when you finished, you were done learning.   No – it was a lifelong endeavor where at times Masters led students and times Masters studied all the more.   A true iron sharpens iron approach.

We do not do this in the West.  Again, Government schools spoon feed the information that the pupil is only required to retain until the examination and then is free to discard and forget.   Very little builds upon previous classes, subjects, years…. And certainly different subjects are not connected… Heaven forbid.

Thus our attitude towards the Bible is one of the same – give me the information.   Let me learn it.   Let me understand it and then let me go about my business and on to the next piece of information.   It isnt a life long endeavor and if it is – if one tries to make it so, it is wrought with fits and starts and difficulty getting past the Milk stage.    It becomes extremely difficult to use a Socratic method in regards to discussing, debating, defending, studying with others.     We dont see it is building blocks to build our lives upon.    We learn the stories over and over and we may go into detail a little, but new people come to Jesus and we start over and over and over….

Dont get me wrong – I love Church.   It is THE model for how Christ expected us to meet each others’ needs as well as those around us….  But is the Western Church the same one described and that grew so fast in Acts?

Above I said its hard for study and iron sharpening iron….     It is…. Our bible classes are as close as we come but so many just sit and say little to nothing and we usually only have 45 minutes or so…  Once.  A.  Week.   This is true…. unless you are in a close knit home bible study group.     Brothers Keepers – Life Group – Small Group – House Church…. All girls….  All boys….   Couples….   Whatever you call it, I am more apt to believe this is the Church Christ envisioned and not the stately buildings we have today.      For one, the Old Testament and the Israelites had the Temple – that beautiful, Gold building where God dwelled….   But we all know (or I could tell you later, just email me) that when Christ died and was raised, the old passed away – the Old Law was no more.    He turned everything pretty much upside down and I wonder if the Church was part of that upside down turn.   Last/first, leader/servant, poor/inherit….   You know, the stuff that seems backwards – what if Christ’s church wasnt supposed to be building, but people – we know the finger game, open the doors and here’s all the people.    The Church are the people…. But what if that REALLY what its about – that we are supposed to forget building and be the church/people?

What would life look like?    Well – I can tell you one thing, you wouldnt be judging people anymore that are home on Sunday morning or are in comfy clothes at a restaurant about noon on the first day of the week.     Im kidding… Sort of.     You will start to take someone at their word and I bet differences really start to melt away.   Its hard to hate or even look down on someone and their beliefs when you have fed them in your home.    When you sit around a table from them and you hear their story, their struggles, their sin, their victories, their faith, their beliefs.    Grace happens.    We cut each other some slack.   I bet the things that split building churches become few and far between and pretty petty.    Really.   How many churches would split over whether there is a kitchen in the building if there wasnt a building to begin with?    That.  Really.  Happens.

I am not saying that life would instantly become perfect – we are a fallen world, and I am chief among all us sinners, but I wonder if it will become a little more like Acts 2, that describes the beginning of the church and the amazing growth they had and the needs that they met.   There is no more giving to an anonymous plate that is passed – its feeding one of your own or someone your own knows.    How attractive would the Church be?   How beautiful the Bride of Christ?    And dont forget – this first generation sent the gospel to every single part of the earth…   Without electronics, cars, FB, books…   Everywhere.    Imagine what we could do today? Imagine what we would do if we turned what we thought upside down – if we thought like 1st Century Jews….

I thank God for the house He has given us.   May it be used to further His kingdom.   To reach His people and those that He has called and may it be filled with Love for those that He loves…. Meaning each and every single person.

Pray – Praise – Prepare
Pearls

Education.    Let me tell you first that my kids have never been to public school.   I have no first hand experience except for my own 25+ years ago.   I have second hand experience from listening to friends and the headlines our local paper writes.    My kids have all gone to private, Christian school and we have 2 years under our belts homeschooling our youngest two kids.  I have a kid going to college in the fall.    I plan to continue schooling at home all the way through high school.

I am not going to dog Public School.   I am not going to tell you that unless you are homeschooling you are some way not fulfilling your job as a parent.

So here it goes….   Every year there is a brand new curriculum that will work famously, will raise test scores, will make children brilliant.    And yet scores fall a little bit each and every year.      I remember being a kid and my mom was a first grade teacher and the “new” thing was teaching kids to read by teaching them whole words.   No more phonics.    Yeah….that didnt turn out too well because when a kid stumbled on a word they didnt know, they didnt have the skills to sound it out and figure it out.   Most kids with phonics can sound out a word they dont know until they realize what it sounds like and they actually know the word.    No such luck for a whole word kid.

Lets talk New Math.   Hows that working for you?    Whats wrong with “Old Math”?   It put men on the moon, after all…..    Several kids on my youngest’s baseball team are dealing with New Math.    Parents have no idea how  to do it and have been told to not try that the teacher will do it all…. Ummm…. No.     Is it just me are children being separated from their parents more and more in a subtle, subversive way?    Teachers know best.    You see the subtlety on Nick and Disney where the parents are idiots and the kids are all so very smart and know so much more and need to “teach” their parents a thing or two.     Al Gore has even flat out told students they need to teach their parents some things.     Your kids are under assault.      But this is nothing new.

We even felt this way at our great school.    The kids werent being taught to think.   To reason.   To figure it out using Logic.    They were being taught to just memorize to regurgitate information without even considering if the information was correct.     They were glossing over issues and events that could have been used to teach such a greater idea and instead fed facts and dates.   Yawn….

We discuss things at our house – our kids know the names of our Government officials and we discuss issues and politics around our dinner table and our extended family’s table.   Current events are always a topic.  Our then 12yo fully understood the fiat money system one day by saying “I cant believe they give us real stuff for a piece of paper when that paper isnt backed by anything.”    There you go.      When our oldest would say something like “Well Mrs. So and So says this” in a tone that clearly portrayed the idea that she thought Mrs. So and So knew more or was more informed when we could point out the error and she wasnt impressed… Or she would say “We dont need to know that for the test.” we knew something was up and we  started to want more.   I wanted my child to think.   It all started in earnest when we visited Thomas Jefferson’s home before our littlest was in school.    How did he get so smart?   (Thomas Jefferson, not the littlest )   How was he able to come up with these ideas, in concert with great men and thinkers and found a country.   THEY FOUNDED A COUNTRY.    And then in a few short 100 years became the most power country in the world.    It is awesome to think about and hard to get our brains around.    How did they do it?

Well – they were classically educated.

What does that mean?   It means you study original texts.   It means when you are young you memorize so that when you are older you can ponder and think on that which you have learned.   It means that you drill and kill things like Grammar and Math facts.    It means that it is just as important to learn about the life of Einstein as it is to learn physics and you need to read Einstein.    It means that life is a story – history – and that it goes in order from beginning to now….     And that as you go through history you learn about art and beauty and music and science and religion and literature from that time so its all connected and it all makes sense in context.   It means there is alot of writing.   It means you copy good works of  poetry as examples until you give writing poetry a shot yourself.   It means that as you age, you spend time discussing what you are reading and learning and pondering with others that are learning the same thing.   Because believe it or not, being able to debate, defend and engage is one of the highest forms of learning.   It is the Socratic method.       It is the antithesis of memorize and regurgitate for a standardized test.    And it probably means you learn Latin…..

So we started to read.    We read C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man.     How he could see exactly where a progressive education system would end up so long ago is nothing short of divine providence.    It was prophetic.

We read A Thomas Jefferson Education, Well Trained Mind, The Core.      Now, these are homeschool books but stay with me….   We read The What Your Whatever Grader Needs to Know.

We didnt pull out all our kids – we left that oldest right where she was….  Because not only did we want something more for the youngers, we knew we could work within the system with the oldest.    And we did.    First, we quit going head to head with her challenging her teachers, or at least we tried – and by that I mean I tried not to go head to head.    I was going to lose.   She is a teenager and therefore you have to be sneaky and subtle.    I would ask questions.    I would make comments like, “That is neat and did you know…..”  or  “Neat, ask your teacher about…..”   It was totally undermining the teacher in my child’s eyes, but I really didnt care.   I had a goal.    I needed my kid to realize that these teachers didnt know as much as they pretended when they stood all superior in front of their classes.     Now – I want to be absolutely clear.   My daughter had some amazing teachers.   The man that taught her math and then switched over to the sciences and taught her honors Physics was amazing.   There was no work until they understood WHY they were learning something.   Everything had a real life application.   Classical teaching.    She had a literature teacher who would read to them – be still my heart and an Honors English teacher who’s class and writing I would put up against any freshman college course.    And her history teacher, who I will admit I was apprehensive about after seeing the textbook, got my enthusiastic support when he said “That text book is crap, and we wont use it.”     His class was discussion and research.  Socratic method.

And my daughter started to think for herself.    She started to read and she read all the time.   She read current literature, she read history, she read theology, she hunted down book lists, she read everything and in reading she began to think.    A thinking kid is a hard kid to control which is why I believe our schools do not teach logic or in the Socratic method.   Its also not easy to evaluate.    I now had a kid that wanted to know the WHY behind everything and if she didnt agree, she would do her own thing and totally ignore the rules – my rules – school rules – any rule.    I had to be smarter.   I had to have a reason.    And you know what…. The rules she followed, her own internal rules, are virtuous.    She is virtuous.

Again, I believe that the reason that the classical method of teaching – the method that gave us the greatest thinkers EVER in the history of the world – is not followed is that it gives people that cannot be easily controlled.    Do Government schools really want citizens that think for themselves?    No they do not.   They do not want people who can hear a propaganda PSA and point out the fallacy in the statement.

So what did we do?   We pulled the younger two out of school.    We took the easy route.    WHAT????   You say- the easy route?   Yes we did.    We now get to have these discussions first hand with our kids.     We no longer have to hear about what they already learned in school and have to be fast on our feet in our answers and try to get in our point of view after the fact.    We no longer have to have our kids learn something to regurgitate later and try to put in there virtue or additional information.    Subtly trying to get kids to think and parse what they already “learned” after the fact is hard.     Keeping my kids in school (public or private) is hard.    I believe much harder than taking them out of school.

And let me tell you – there are parents who are stealth homeschool parents whose kids go to public schools.   They do the hardest job.    They know that when they head out, there is no telling what they will come home with and what they will have to undo, understand, defend, correct, or live with….   And they do it so well, I wish sometimes I had the courage to do what they do….     My girl, K is one of those.     My girl CD too.   I homeschool and I still can feel like a slacker next to yall

But here is the most wonderful thing….. Its never too late.   Kids not in K yet?   Not too late.    Kids in JH?    Not to late.    Kids already grown?   Not too late.    Because the beauty of the Socratic method is that learning is a life long endeavor.   Thomas Jefferson never stopped learning.    Always learning.    Learning becomes an avocation.   A beautiful endeavor for a beautiful mind.

There are wonderful organizations out there who put out of copyright print books into e-formats.    FOR FREE.    You can give yourself a world class education – better than you could get at Harvard these days – for free.   Gutenberg Project.    Kindle.   Barnes and Noble.    All have out of copyright books for free download.    Your library.     All you need is a list – a list of books that start with Homer near the beginning and read you through Greek thinkers – Roman – Enlightened – Founding – Modern Thinkers.     It is never too late to learn.    But here is a warning.   Its not going to be easy.    The words are big and the concepts are even bigger.   But you are up for the task.    I know you are.

Pray – Praise – Prepare

Pearls

Choice.

At the same time, New York City is concerned about the Big Gulp.   Apparently, they believe that you should not be able to put into your body what you wish…   But at the same time, will fight to the death for the right for you to take out of your body what you wish.   The hypocrisy is maddening and I doubt they even see it….

CHOICE.

Let me say this right out – I do not like abortion – will not condone or ever encourage such an action – I do think its wrong…. I will also never vote pro-life.   I will/and have abstained from voting.   Because to me, the law is a non-issue.   Gasps and chest clutching is probably going on right now by people who know me.   Let me explain.    I believe its wrong, but its not a legal issue, but a heart issue.   You will not stop people from doing this with a law.   You will only stop people if they CHOOSE differently, if their hearts are turned.   Its a Christian issue, for me,  as well – if the baby inutero does have a soul, I believe it goes straight to heaven… That leaves the mom – the wounded woman.   What is done to reach her?   Not much – she is scorned, ridiculed, told how evil she is….   How will she have her heart turned by Jesus when those that say they speak for Him treat her as such?   The “right” I do not think is right on this political issue…   They have lost the propaganda war.     But back to choice….

Its also a LIBERTY issue.    If the “right” get their way and abortion is outlawed – if they can control a body – then at some point, that right to control the body will be used against them.   As seen in this Big Gulp, salt, smoking, transfat anti-laws.   The “left” have already gone after the body.  Seriously.    People arent able to determine what to put in their bodies?   Really?   I can have a million kids – I can abort a million kids,  but I cant buy a Big Gulp in NYC?    Does this make any kind of sense?

It makes sense because the Government has already determined they are in absolute control of you.    They pay you when you are off work.   They buy you groceries, supplement your rent, pay for your medical, give you back a “refund” when you didnt pay taxes to begin with….   Then by goodness, they can determine what you put in their…er….your body.   Dont you see?

Choice is all or nothing.    Choice is freedom.    Choice is being allowed to do as you see fit and ignoring what your neighbor does that doesnt have anything to do with you.    Choice.     Choice is minding your own business.     Choice is being able to have a Diet Coke.

And the fact that we are discussing whether or not we CAN have a Diet Coke kind of shows how far we have to fight back…  Both the Left and the Right need to come together to realize that they are on the same side….   The side that wants the Government or your neighbor out of their business….

Choice.    Its the only chance Freedom has….

Pray – Praise – Prepare

Pearls

First – The food is fine.   I mean, there are some stuff I could add to my little concoction, but honestly, its just fine.    And as I think about the flavors, I wonder how my palette will change these 40 days.   What will my body crave?   What withdrawals will I have from crap I have allowed my body to become accustom?   Will I make it the entire 40 days being faithful?

Second – What will happen to my heart?   What have I allowed my heart to grow accustom?   What will God clear out, make room to grow, down right rip out?

Lord – as I go through all this time, help me to see what I am supposed to see the first time.   Let me keenly aware of what You are doing.   Let me be sensitive.   Please also bring to my attention when I have turned the focus off of You.

This is also an excellent time to stretch my patience.   To control myself and not allow myself the sin of lashing out or just being short because I am jealous of the fam’s food, my lack of coffee or “just because I can/want to”….    This is a maturing and a refining time.

Fast times are sweet times.    It is hard to truly appreciate the extraordinary opportunity afforded us in this country in regards to what we have the availability to eat.   We are blessed beyond what we can even understand or adequately enjoy.

Ecclesiastes 6:7   “All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough.”

Most of the world lives by the above verse…. Scratching for food….

Ecclesiastes 2:24   “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and find satisfaction in work.   Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.”

With each bite, may I realize the gift that is from God….

Pray – Praise – Prepare

Pearls

PS – The Politics will start shortly….   Just let me get in the habit of posting again    And NO – I will not be detailing this every single day…. And if I do, well then, I may not hit “publish”, but I may keep a record of what I thought/learned/experienced….   So there….

Yes – that was total judgement.   It was and I own it.   But you see, the first church didnt meet in “big, sexy churches”.    They didnt have “staff”.    They had servants and it wasnt limited to PAYED positions.   Christ was pretty clear that everyone was supposed to be a servant and we werent supposed to just serve ourselves – we were to reach the poor, the fatherless, the orphaned, the widows…. you know, the marginalized.      And we werent just supposed to tell them Jesus loves them.   Seriously, do they care they much about Jesus when their entire focus is staying alive?   No – they can hear about Jesus when that fear and focus have been satisfied by those that KNOW Jesus.

And so on Monday, we begin a journey through the book 7 by Jen Hatmaker.   A book that challenges you to step outside yourself – to think of how you live in a global context.   To view the abundance that we have in America as a gift to take care of others.    As my precious friend, Nat said, “The American Church should be Sugar Daddy to the rest of the world.”

We have been lied to – separated – indoctrinated, honestly.    How many churches are in this country?    We are divided and when divided, poverty is a huge issue.   How can my 1 little church make a difference?    But its a lie.   The Church is massive – how many churches are in your town?   What if for one day, one week, one time a month, each and every month, we didnt ask what every single other believer believed?   What if it was just enough that they believed?   What if we could unite as believers and serve?    How small does poverty become when we see the Bride in all Her glory and not just a bunch of parts?    The Body is made up of parts.   But the parts make up one HUGE Body.

We had a bunch of people over last Saturday night.    And as I remarked to The Hubs as we were retiring that night, that wonderful night, I didnt hear anyone ask  “So, where do you go to church?”    If I count, we had at least 6 churches represented and they werent all the same denomination – at least 4 different ones there, probably more….   It was enough that we were all believers.   It was enough that we want to go where Jesus called.   Jesus was more than enough for us….   Imagine that.