In oranges and women, courage is often mistaken for insanity.
This quote comes from the movie Iron Jawed Angels which we watched in my Social Justice class last week. If you haven't seen it, it is a fantastic flick. The story is about Alice Paul and other suffragists in the early 20th century who finally won the vote for women in the USA. Hilary Swank stars, and while I'm not usually a fan, she was great in this role. The entire cast was excellent and really made the story come alive. If you're a Patrick Dempsey fan, he was in there, too.
These women went to extreme measures to gain their/our full franchise as citizens, including a hunger strike - which is where the insanity part comes in. I was moved by their story, by the sacrifices they made to give their children and friends a voice in the government they live under. I was also reminded of how much I take for granted less than a century later. In our society, we think that if we remember to show up at the polls, we've done our reasonable duty as citizens. It isn't a duty, it is a privilege that countless human beings have suffered and died to give us. Voting is also not enough. We elect representatives, but we don't communicate with them about our wishes. We don't really participate in our own government.
I was also left wondering if I possess the same courage that those women exhibited. I confess that I am a bit like the cowardly lion - I roar a lot, but I often fail to follow through. I'm afraid that I will look insane - that no one will understand, much less join me in the fight.
So I'm asking my sisters to join me - let's look a little crazy for the sake of bringing justice to our world and giving a voice to the disenfranchised. Hold me accountable - ask me what I've done lately and give me a swift kick in the pants if I don't have an answer! Alone I will continue to fall short of the woman God created me to be - please help!
Monday, May 10, 2010
It Is What It is
This post is a rant about a pet peeve of mine - the phrase, "It is what it is." I hear that phrase a lot, so much so that my blood now begins to boil when I hear it. For those of you who are already forming an argument in your heads, zip it until you hear me out. I understand that we live in a fallen world and we will never have perfection and people fail and sometimes we just have to deal with it. Remember I said this is a rant. :)
My issue is that I hear this phrase more and more and it begins to sound like a cop-out in society at large. What it really means is that someone, somewhere didn't do what they should have, and no one held them accountable and made them clean up the mess, and now I have to bear the repercussions. What happened to, "The buck stops here."?
As a Christ-follower, a princess warrior, I am (to be) passionate about goodness and rightness, about bringing up there down here. That doesn't work with, "It is what it is." James 4:17 says, "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." In my opinion, then, "It is what it is" comes from sin, from people not doing the good that they knew to do. Plus, it's just really annoying.
My issue is that I hear this phrase more and more and it begins to sound like a cop-out in society at large. What it really means is that someone, somewhere didn't do what they should have, and no one held them accountable and made them clean up the mess, and now I have to bear the repercussions. What happened to, "The buck stops here."?
As a Christ-follower, a princess warrior, I am (to be) passionate about goodness and rightness, about bringing up there down here. That doesn't work with, "It is what it is." James 4:17 says, "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." In my opinion, then, "It is what it is" comes from sin, from people not doing the good that they knew to do. Plus, it's just really annoying.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Deception
So this blog is supposed to be about my journey to who I am. I've been thinking today about a lot of things, primarily the election and all of the issues and lives at stake. As a follower of Jesus, a disciple, my vote has to account for more than my checking account and my health insurance. I have to realize that God has promised to meet all of my needs according to his wealth, so no matter what the economy looks like, I'm not supposed to worry about those things. Now, that's not to say that I shouldn't be informed and vote for a candidate who will attempt to be a wise steward of our nation's resources. However, it does suggest that maybe the economy shouldn't be my primary concern when larger issues are at stake - like abortion.
I'm concerned that many who claim to be followers of Jesus aren't really in touch with his heart on this issue. Jesus said that love is the bottom line in this life. Abortion is the polar opposite of loving your neighbor as yourself. It is a lie - all about convenience. I happen to believe that abortion is the great human/civil rights issue of our time - perhaps of all history. Yes, I dare to compare it with the Holocaust, slavery, the Crusades, genocide in Africa and every other such event. All of those events happened because someone had the power to take the life of others whose lives, whose value as human beings, they disregarded. Even those who claimed to be Christians were in support of these great tragic human events - events we look back on with great clarity as being supremely evil. To pretend that abortion is not a voting issue is the same as turning a blind eye to those previous historic issues - and many did, to their great dishonor.
Having said all that, I don't believe that the Christians who don't vote pro-life are evil, I believe that they have been deceived. The Bible is clear that our enemy - Satan, the devil, whichever name you prefer - is a deceiver by nature. He and his minions deceive us all on a more regular basis than we would like to admit. We all sin and then wonder what came over us. Why did I tell that lie? Why did I omit that truth? Why did I say that hurtful thing? The truth is, because we are selfishly deceived into doing what's easiest and most convenient in the moment - but it's only in the moment. My mom used to tell us kids all the time that sin would take us farther than we wanted to go, cost us more than we wanted to pay and keep us longer than we wanted to stay and I have always found that to be true in my own life.
I fear that our country will have to find out the same thing. We fall for charming speakers and feel-good rhetoric and ignore the things that God looks at - integrity and uprightness, concern for life.
My own deception has been long-lived - I have long believed the lie that who God made me to be is not who he wants me to be. I tend to see that world through different eyes than the people around me, and I also tend to be a bit blunt in my delivery of the picture. I have tried in vain to change my perspective and to be more eloquent - but it's never the truth. I'm not making excuses for ungodly meanness or harshness, which I do have to guard against when I'm acting out of selfishishness instead of love and truth. However, at the encouragement of my wonderful husband, Bobby, and a few good friends who see me perhaps more clearly than I see myself - I am determined to be myself. I will speak the truth that I see, and if you disagree, I enjoy a good debate. Please come armed with facts and Biblical perspective and we'll duke it out and leave friends!
I'm concerned that many who claim to be followers of Jesus aren't really in touch with his heart on this issue. Jesus said that love is the bottom line in this life. Abortion is the polar opposite of loving your neighbor as yourself. It is a lie - all about convenience. I happen to believe that abortion is the great human/civil rights issue of our time - perhaps of all history. Yes, I dare to compare it with the Holocaust, slavery, the Crusades, genocide in Africa and every other such event. All of those events happened because someone had the power to take the life of others whose lives, whose value as human beings, they disregarded. Even those who claimed to be Christians were in support of these great tragic human events - events we look back on with great clarity as being supremely evil. To pretend that abortion is not a voting issue is the same as turning a blind eye to those previous historic issues - and many did, to their great dishonor.
Having said all that, I don't believe that the Christians who don't vote pro-life are evil, I believe that they have been deceived. The Bible is clear that our enemy - Satan, the devil, whichever name you prefer - is a deceiver by nature. He and his minions deceive us all on a more regular basis than we would like to admit. We all sin and then wonder what came over us. Why did I tell that lie? Why did I omit that truth? Why did I say that hurtful thing? The truth is, because we are selfishly deceived into doing what's easiest and most convenient in the moment - but it's only in the moment. My mom used to tell us kids all the time that sin would take us farther than we wanted to go, cost us more than we wanted to pay and keep us longer than we wanted to stay and I have always found that to be true in my own life.
I fear that our country will have to find out the same thing. We fall for charming speakers and feel-good rhetoric and ignore the things that God looks at - integrity and uprightness, concern for life.
My own deception has been long-lived - I have long believed the lie that who God made me to be is not who he wants me to be. I tend to see that world through different eyes than the people around me, and I also tend to be a bit blunt in my delivery of the picture. I have tried in vain to change my perspective and to be more eloquent - but it's never the truth. I'm not making excuses for ungodly meanness or harshness, which I do have to guard against when I'm acting out of selfishishness instead of love and truth. However, at the encouragement of my wonderful husband, Bobby, and a few good friends who see me perhaps more clearly than I see myself - I am determined to be myself. I will speak the truth that I see, and if you disagree, I enjoy a good debate. Please come armed with facts and Biblical perspective and we'll duke it out and leave friends!
Friday, February 1, 2008
A Small Plate
No, I'm not talking about dinner - I usually prefer a big plate! I'm talking about life. At staff retreat back in the fall we talked about managing everything on our plates, what we give our time to. I told the crew that I have a small plate. They teased me about it and Bryan said that somebody needed to get me a platter - but teasing aside, it's important to know the size of your plate. A healthy self-awareness is very important in plate balancing. I know from experience that God has just given me a small plate. I have tried to pile it full to keep up with the people around me who seem to be able to "do it all" many times over the last ten years or so, but it always goes awry. I mean, I can't even cook multiple dishes at once without having a disaster of some sort! I focus on one thing, maybe two, and whatever else is up in the air comes crashing down.
So, I have learned to only take what I can eat and not let my eyes be bigger than my stomach - okay, so I'm still working on that! But I have learned that I can only do a few things well - and I no longer (usually) feel like I am not as "good" as all those crazy people who take on the world all at once. I have to remember that God has put me in my own journey, my own adventure, and all that matters is following him as far as he directs me, a step at a time.
This last year has been a whirlwind for me, almost a year to the day since Bobby proposed to me. It was Superbowl Sunday, the Sunday before Leslie left for Kenya, and he came up with a good reason to go to the farm after lunch with Leslie and her family, and he got down on one knee in the snow by the lake and asked me to be his wife. That crazy man! I didn't even get to watch the Superbowl because I was trying to call everyone and show off my beautiful ring! Eight months into marriage I finally feel like we are "settling in" to life together. But this year has been crazy stressful for me - my plate has felt very full and some days I'm afraid I'm going to drop it and make a big mess. I'm thankful that God is bringing a little peace into our lives and we are able to spend some quiet evenings together at home.
My plate is going to get rearranged again this year - no, I'm not pregnant. (I know some of you were thinking that!) I am planning to go back to school to start my master's degree in social work. I believe God is leading me get a degree that will help me use the gift of listening that he has given me, and have something of value to add to the conversation.
So, I have learned to only take what I can eat and not let my eyes be bigger than my stomach - okay, so I'm still working on that! But I have learned that I can only do a few things well - and I no longer (usually) feel like I am not as "good" as all those crazy people who take on the world all at once. I have to remember that God has put me in my own journey, my own adventure, and all that matters is following him as far as he directs me, a step at a time.
This last year has been a whirlwind for me, almost a year to the day since Bobby proposed to me. It was Superbowl Sunday, the Sunday before Leslie left for Kenya, and he came up with a good reason to go to the farm after lunch with Leslie and her family, and he got down on one knee in the snow by the lake and asked me to be his wife. That crazy man! I didn't even get to watch the Superbowl because I was trying to call everyone and show off my beautiful ring! Eight months into marriage I finally feel like we are "settling in" to life together. But this year has been crazy stressful for me - my plate has felt very full and some days I'm afraid I'm going to drop it and make a big mess. I'm thankful that God is bringing a little peace into our lives and we are able to spend some quiet evenings together at home.
My plate is going to get rearranged again this year - no, I'm not pregnant. (I know some of you were thinking that!) I am planning to go back to school to start my master's degree in social work. I believe God is leading me get a degree that will help me use the gift of listening that he has given me, and have something of value to add to the conversation.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Breaking the Silence
King Solomon wrote that there is a time for everything - that includes silence. I have discovered that in life there are times when God is silent - testing my faith and my faithfulness. There are also times when I am silent - because I have nothing of real value to add to the conversation. Speaking would only prove the point. The book of Proverbs has a lot to say on that subject. I have learned, through my own folly and humiliation, that great wisdom is often reflected in silence. I often think of the quote from Bambi when Thumper said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all." I'll take a little creative license and say, if you can't say something of value, don't say nothin' at all.
Our culture is full of people who would prove their wisdom by not speaking of things they do not have understanding of or solutions for. Unfortunately, many of those people hold positions of authority and influence. Sadder still is that many of them claim the name of Christ and offer their own understanding instead of the truth and wisdom of God. God forbid that I should become one of them. I am thankful for his correction, and that he gives wisdom to all who ask. "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:5 (NASB)
During the Imagine Campaign we have discussed that God is concerned with our spiritual growth and he doesn't need our money. Well, the truth is, most people don't need my two cents, either. My times of silence often come after I have failed on this point and God reminds me that I need his wisdom or I have nothing to say. So, I spend some time watching, waiting, listening - until God gives me something of value to add to the conversation again.
Our culture is full of people who would prove their wisdom by not speaking of things they do not have understanding of or solutions for. Unfortunately, many of those people hold positions of authority and influence. Sadder still is that many of them claim the name of Christ and offer their own understanding instead of the truth and wisdom of God. God forbid that I should become one of them. I am thankful for his correction, and that he gives wisdom to all who ask. "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:5 (NASB)
During the Imagine Campaign we have discussed that God is concerned with our spiritual growth and he doesn't need our money. Well, the truth is, most people don't need my two cents, either. My times of silence often come after I have failed on this point and God reminds me that I need his wisdom or I have nothing to say. So, I spend some time watching, waiting, listening - until God gives me something of value to add to the conversation again.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Words of Encouragement
"The pen is mightier than the sword." (Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Richelieu) Words are powerful. I believe an honest look at history reveals this. Wars and revolutions are begun before a weapon is ever brought to play. Words, written or spoken, have the power to provoke wars and inspire revolutions. Words have the power to change history, to change lives. They can cut someone to the quick, dashing all hope, or they can empower dreams and renew hope.
During lunch with some friends one day, I was asked, "Can you pass the ketchup?" I teasingly replied, "I can do anything." One good friend then commented that she thought I was the one person she knew who that was probably true of. The comment was made in passing, but her words have stayed with me. She reminded me that God has given me the gift of perserverance. I might not enjoy everything I could do, but God has given me the strength, ability and intelligence to pull off pretty much anything I could desire to try. That thought leaves me with a huge feeling of responsibility that I often try not to live under. The point is, her words made an impact.
The most powerful words are those of Jesus. They give life. During Jesus' ministry there came a point when many of His followers decided they couldn't hack it and they left Him. He asked His best friends if they, too, were going to leave him. "Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.'" John 6:68 (NASB) Jesus sent me as His follower on a mission with the words of eternal life.
My big question, what impact do my words make? I find that people encourage me all the time. I hear people encouraging others around me quite frequently. I too often say things I shouldn't, but God has reminded me frequently of late that I don't say what I should often enough. I have opportunity to influence at least one person with the words of Jesus every week. I think lots of positive things about the people I am privileged to work and serve with, but I rarely voice them. Maybe I think they don't need it. Maybe I am afraid of sounding fake - I'm not an effusive person by nature.
Words have power and I am going to perservere until I use that power well. I am determined to become an effective encourager - to those who are along for the journey of faith and for those who have yet to leave the darkness and join the fight to overcome it.
During lunch with some friends one day, I was asked, "Can you pass the ketchup?" I teasingly replied, "I can do anything." One good friend then commented that she thought I was the one person she knew who that was probably true of. The comment was made in passing, but her words have stayed with me. She reminded me that God has given me the gift of perserverance. I might not enjoy everything I could do, but God has given me the strength, ability and intelligence to pull off pretty much anything I could desire to try. That thought leaves me with a huge feeling of responsibility that I often try not to live under. The point is, her words made an impact.
The most powerful words are those of Jesus. They give life. During Jesus' ministry there came a point when many of His followers decided they couldn't hack it and they left Him. He asked His best friends if they, too, were going to leave him. "Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.'" John 6:68 (NASB) Jesus sent me as His follower on a mission with the words of eternal life.
My big question, what impact do my words make? I find that people encourage me all the time. I hear people encouraging others around me quite frequently. I too often say things I shouldn't, but God has reminded me frequently of late that I don't say what I should often enough. I have opportunity to influence at least one person with the words of Jesus every week. I think lots of positive things about the people I am privileged to work and serve with, but I rarely voice them. Maybe I think they don't need it. Maybe I am afraid of sounding fake - I'm not an effusive person by nature.
Words have power and I am going to perservere until I use that power well. I am determined to become an effective encourager - to those who are along for the journey of faith and for those who have yet to leave the darkness and join the fight to overcome it.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
A Leap of Faith
After a month of marriage, and a little prompting from my friend, Michael, I am ready to update the story. Married for a month. Wow! It doesn't seem like it has been that long already. Time really does fly when you're having fun! The honeymoon, planned entirely by my husband, was fantastic - a carefree week in beautiful Jackson Hole, Wyoming driving a red covertible mustang.
On the one hand, marriage is normal - pretty much everybody does it. It's also a sure thing when you do it God's way. On the other hand, it is a leap of faith. Lots of marriages fail - even among Christ followers divorce is shockingly common. Couples who everyone thinks have the "perfect marriage" go under all too regularly. One person or the other just decides to give up. Sometimes circumstances feel overwhelming and it's just too hard to be responsible for taking care of another person. Whatever the reason, everyone has a choice. Martina McBride's song Anyway talks about this. "You can love someone with all your heart, for all the right reasons, and in a moment they can choose to walk away. Love them anyway." That's powerful. Marriage is the ultimate vulnerability.
This past month, which has been crazy - trying to settle in at home, getting the hay in on the farms and still spending quality time together - has only increased my love for this wonderful man God has given me. He is truly a prince among men - a rare find. I know myself all too well and I know that I don't deserve how God has blessed me, but I do believe that He has honored my waiting. There are a lot of things that I have not done well in life, but in this one thing I have been very intentional and patient and have pursued God's best by actively waiting on His plan.
In this month of marital bliss, I have discovered the princess in me in new ways. A wise woman once told me that a godly husband would work to bring out the femininity that God put in my heart, and I have found this to be true. I also have found something that my warrior heart can fight for passionately - my husband. What does the battle look like? Sometimes it's washing his work shirts or fixing his lunch, sometimes it's listening to his frustration over the hay crop that wasn't as good as he wanted it be and sometimes it's just telling him that I love him.
So, this leap of faith called marriage - it's a good one! With the vulnerability also comes security - the knowledge that we won't be one of the shocking stories of failure. He knows all my dirt and he loves me. He's a lot like God. Actually, he is a daily reminder of how God loves me - unconditionally. Wow!
On the one hand, marriage is normal - pretty much everybody does it. It's also a sure thing when you do it God's way. On the other hand, it is a leap of faith. Lots of marriages fail - even among Christ followers divorce is shockingly common. Couples who everyone thinks have the "perfect marriage" go under all too regularly. One person or the other just decides to give up. Sometimes circumstances feel overwhelming and it's just too hard to be responsible for taking care of another person. Whatever the reason, everyone has a choice. Martina McBride's song Anyway talks about this. "You can love someone with all your heart, for all the right reasons, and in a moment they can choose to walk away. Love them anyway." That's powerful. Marriage is the ultimate vulnerability.
This past month, which has been crazy - trying to settle in at home, getting the hay in on the farms and still spending quality time together - has only increased my love for this wonderful man God has given me. He is truly a prince among men - a rare find. I know myself all too well and I know that I don't deserve how God has blessed me, but I do believe that He has honored my waiting. There are a lot of things that I have not done well in life, but in this one thing I have been very intentional and patient and have pursued God's best by actively waiting on His plan.
In this month of marital bliss, I have discovered the princess in me in new ways. A wise woman once told me that a godly husband would work to bring out the femininity that God put in my heart, and I have found this to be true. I also have found something that my warrior heart can fight for passionately - my husband. What does the battle look like? Sometimes it's washing his work shirts or fixing his lunch, sometimes it's listening to his frustration over the hay crop that wasn't as good as he wanted it be and sometimes it's just telling him that I love him.
So, this leap of faith called marriage - it's a good one! With the vulnerability also comes security - the knowledge that we won't be one of the shocking stories of failure. He knows all my dirt and he loves me. He's a lot like God. Actually, he is a daily reminder of how God loves me - unconditionally. Wow!
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