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I’ve seen it happen so often. I’ve done it! You read a book, article, watch a video or hear a speaker and something in it causes a problem. Maybe you took advice and misapplied it. Maybe they gave poor advice. Perhaps what works for 95% of Christianity is inappropriate for you. Whatever the scenario, the messenger has a message, the message is good, the message is right, but it’s not right for your circumstance at this time.
Silly example. A twenty-three year old woman reads that she is to respect her husband. She’s devastated. How can she obey this command! She doesn’t have one!!! Rather than say, “hmm that doesn’t apply to me yet but I’ll make sure I train myself to respect authorities in my life and to show it, she says, “This author is stupid! I can’t do this and it’s wrong of him to tell me to! If I try respecting my husband when I don’t have one, then I’ll just end up bitter about my marriageless state (or worse, she tries to respect the husband she doesn’t have and DOES become bitter about her singleness.)
Why can she not take the admonition before the Lord, ask for His wisdom in how to imbed His Word on her heart, and then set aside a command which doesn’t apply to her yet and focus on the many that do.
Why is it the fault of the preacher when you are convicted of your own sin when he teaches what the Word says? Why does the author get the blame when you misapply or do not act/read with discernment? Why is it ok for us to assume motive of one person (the author/speaker) but nobody better DARE assume motive of us?
Why are we so quick to pass blame rather than confess sin? Why is Adam’s poor example (But the woman YOU gave me) still our first resort?
I’d love to see someone finally say, “I heard this speaker at a seminar. What they had to say was really good but they were speaking to home educators and I’m not so when I tried to implement everything they said and I failed, I felt really dumb. I was so mad at the speaker for a while until I realized that I’m the one who misapplied the principle with a method that didn’t fit me.
I really don’t care if someone likes a teacher, preacher, seminar, or video that I do. I truly could care less. I do mind, however, when people cannot accept that what didn’t bless them, what they misapplied, becomes something that people suddenly fight and attack as if the problem was the idea rather than the misapplication of it.
There is a popular website among homeschoolers. I’ve owned many things from this website and I enjoyed what I got. However, as I’ve seen families torn apart trying to be whatever they think this ministry is teaching, I’ve gotten to the point that I have chosen to distance myself. The site isn’t inherently evil. The teachings aren’t all off the wall. There are some that I consider to be a problem but only because they’re not taught as a method anymore but as the principle. However, I’ve tried hard to keep my personal concerns, personal because not everything taught is how others are misapplying it. It’s not the fault of the teachers when the students are twisting things out of context.
Or is it? If almost everyone who reads or hears a certain lesson comes away with the “wrong impression” at what point does the teacher become responsible for their words? That’s a blog for another day. However, if half of learners get one thing and the other half get something else… What do you do? What about 75/25?
Isn’t this why discernment is so important?
I say we stop blaming others for our own poor decisions, misunderstandings, and misapplications. What a refreshing thought.
I’ve never understood the appeal of cloth diapering. I understand that people want to save resources, or even for some, money. It wouldn’t have saved me any but I know in some areas of the country, it does. I understand that. I even understand that for some children, they get rashes with disposables just as other children get rashes with cloth. I understood that.
What I never understood was the appeal of them as a ‘fad’. Mothers go crazy over “cute” diapers. I’m with an internet friend of mine who said, “A fecal recepticle is a fecal recepticle.” I don’t need trendy bum covers. Actually, I don’t want trendy bum covers. I like plain, boring white. I dont’ want to show off my diapers and so I don’t want them showing through clothes either!
But today, however, I saw a facebook comment that made it all make sense to me. The statement was, “I love cloth diapering.”
That’s why I don’t get the whole appeal. I don’t like diapering of any kind. I don’t “like” disposables. I just prefer them to washables. Diapering is a necessary evil to me. It’s something that I try to avoid at all costs. I don’t want to spend any more time dealing with human waste than absolutely necessary. Diapering as something that I enjoy, is absolutely foreign to me.
So, if I LIKED diapering, I’d probably prefer cloth. I mean, if I liked diapering, I’d probably perfer something that let me spend more time at it, more money on it, and who wouldn’t want something “cute” if you’re going to spend time washing, hanging, folding, and changing out of sheer joy of it, of course you’d prefer cloth!
So, if I ever decide to love diapering, I’ll consider cloth. After all, it’s probably more “fun” (I am still scratching my head at the idea of fabric toilets as fun but I’m trying here) to deal with cloth when you’re “into diapering.”
*removes firmly rooted tongue from cheek*
Today I watched the Inaugural Ceremonies.
Today I cried. I’m sure others cried when Reagan was inaugurated back in 1981 so I’m not the first to be caught up in my own disappointment and grief at where I see my country heading.
I’ve heard things that make me cringe, things that make me sad, and things that make me livid. I am tired. I am very tired.
So, I did what I’ve been saying I would do. I humbled myself, I prayed, I’m seeking His face and turning from MY wicked ways. I took a shower and sang at the top of my lungs, God Bless the USA followed by Statue of Liberty by Neil Enloe.
I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and tried to sing Battle Hymn of the Republic. I couldn’t do it… I got to “trampling out the vintage” and broke down completely.
But you know, our God is marching on. He is Marching on. HE. Is. Marching. ON.
I am so thankful that God is bigger than the limits of my comfort zone.
I am still struggling. I am still hurting. But God is still on the throne and I have to rest in the knowledge that for whatever reason, this is His will.
God Bless America. God Bless President Obama. God Bless us one and all.
I found this on Hindsfeet’s blog and thought I’d do it too. It seemed fun!
Just boldface the items that you HAVE done, and leave the rest normal….
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you weren’t ill.
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (does when I was 3 count?)
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45 Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60 Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67 Bounced a check (certainly not knowingly!)
68. Flown in a helicopter (Kevin and Jenna have!)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (I did but it was tossed for me.)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (I actually think I did but I’m not sure anymore. so long ago..
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London
77. Broken a bone (Just two toes twice and a nose twice… never a cast)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the paper. (I heard we did when I graduated but I never saw it.)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (ummm yeah. Definitely that one)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit (gave a deposition…)
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
Wow… outside of the “outside the US” ones and a couple of extreme sports type things, I’ve done much more in my life than I would have imagined. No wonder I feel so content!
