A thought outside of the box

It has always infuriated me when people who call themselves Christians act the polar opposite of any way Jesus himself would have acted.  Yes, we all know, he is the perfect one, but seriously, there are some sins that have premeditation.  Take for example the "christian" who bombs an abortion clinic.  Do I think abortions go against the standards set in the bible?  Absolutley!  But, I also believe that bombing an abortion clinic does as well.  Take the priest, pastor, bishop, etc that abuses a child.  That goes against biblical teachings as well.  Such extremists or people who really aren't Christians, but call themselves that put such a warped, tainted view of Christianity that we all get a bad wrap.  These scenarios have bothered me for years, and just recently I read a book that put my thoughts into something easy to articulate and accept.  Please see below:


"In a recent radio interview I was sternly asked by the host, who did not consider himself a Christian, to defend Christianity. I told him that I couldn't do it, and moreover, that I didn't want to defend the term. He asked me if I was a Christian, and I told him yes. 'Then why don't you want to defend Chrisitianity?' he asked, confused. I told him I no longer knew what the term meant. Of the hundreds of thousands of people listening to his show that day, some of them had terrible experiences with Christianity; they may have been yelled at by a teacher in a Christian school, abused by a minister, or browbeaten by a Christian parent. To them, the term Christianity meant something that no Christian I know would defend. By fortifying the term, I am only making them more and more angry. I won't do it. Stop ten people on the street and ask them what they think of when they hear the word Christianity and they will give you ten different answers. How can I defend a term that means ten different things to ten different people? I told the radio show host that I would rather talk about Jesus and how I came to believe that Jesus exists and that he likes me. The host looked back at me with tears in his eyes. When we were done, he asked me if we could go get lunch together. He told me how much he didn't like Christianity but how he had always wanted to believe Jesus was the Son of God."  Blue Like Jazz,  by Donald Miller - page 115

I'm Diving In . . . . . . again!

I'm diving in to the book arena again.  A little over a year ago, I wrote a children's book and haven't ever attempted to get it published.  I really want a publisher to pay me for my book rather than me pay the publisher this time.  Maybe that sounds greedy - but that's ok.  I just don't want to go into debt again getting my book published.  :)  

We'll see what happens!  I know nothing will happen if I don't try, so here I go again!  

Splash - did you hear me jump with both feet?!

ARGUING WITH IDIOTS

Yes - I realize I've stolen this title from a Glen Beck book, but that's exactly what I've been doing today - arguing with idiot mentality. 

So, I went on a trip to Haiti to explore a few orphanages that our church wants to "adopt".  By adopt, we mean support with food, train & educate them to be self-sufficient, share the gospel, etc.  Missions isn't exactly something that I've been a big proponent of, simply because I'm not into welfaring people.  I believe in a "help up" not a hand out and previously, this is how I've viewed mission work. 

So, in returning from my trip I am pretty stoked about the orphanage we've chosen as my paradigm has shifted after listening to the CEO of C3 Global - the organization that is partnering churches with orphanages, and listening to the pastor at this specific orphanage.  The pastor there is a visionary who is totally living by faith.  And by that, I don't mean, waiting for money to drop on his doorstep.  He has a plan, he is working the plan, and asking God to lead the way.  His orphanage currently has 56 boys whom he is pouring life into.  However, he is actively building a facility that will house 120 so he never has to turn anyone away.  He is teaching these boys integrity, character, the gospel, and a work ethic.  They go to school and a couple of them are in university.  I'm proud of this man and I'm proud of these boys.  He is doing extraordinary things in an unconventional way that the Haitian people are not used to.  He has the potential to change a generation, one boy at a time.  And, now our church has the opportunity to partner with him to catapult his program to a higher level. 

Now, that I've finally stretched myself and opened my eyes to what really is going on with the organization we are partnering with, I have a certain family member basically telling me we are dumb and using our money unwisely - like purchasing the lottery tickets he bought me for Christmas were a fabulous investment!  Which, by the way, only turned into a pile of trash.  Nice gift! 

Yes, I'm a angry and my sarcasm rages, so I apologize.  Bottom line, don't judge what other people are doing when you don't have all the facts - especially when you don't even give a rip what the facts really are.  Shut your yap and do what God is asking YOU to do.  Don't criticize what He is calling others to do. 

I've said my peice, now I'll shut my yap!

Jumpin' off in it!

Well, I've contacted a potential illustrator and handed my children's book off to a friend for editting to get it in the best possible shape to submit to potential publishers.  In the back of my head I hear the enemy telling me I'm stupid to think this could really get published, but I know God has told me to move forward with this project and to continue writing. 

I learned in Bible study the other day that the enemy tears you down in genralities, but that the Lord will correct you and encourage you in specific ways.  If you are ever wondering if it's God or the enemy, think about how specific or general the thought or comment is. 

I know I'm not stupid to reach for a goal - it may never come to fruition, but I have to do my part and leave the rest in God's hands.  I continue to walk forward hoping to hear more from my God and hope that He will trust me with more revelation from Him. 

Lead me on, Lord - I am trying to follow the best I know how.  .  . 

Answers

I love it when God speaks through my kiddos! Two posts ago I wrote about wandering and not knowing what to do about my next book. Well, I wrote (quite awhile ago) a children's story that has been sitting in my computer and at the back of my mind. Yesterday afternoon, out of the blue, Caleb says, "Mama, when are you going to get that book, ___________________ published?" (I'm keeping the title secret for now). It was the children's story I had written. So, I am taking that as a sign from God that publishing that bad boy is my next project. The Children's Book industry is said to be pretty brutal and tough to get into so I am doing some beginning research trying to figure out what direction to go. I am praying for wisdom and favor for this project as I am lost as a mud duck! Thank you God for speaking and I am believing for cool things to come from this project.

Apologies

Have you ever had to apologize for something that you really didn't feel you owed an apology for? That may sound weird, but I remember growing up my dad telling me about "guilt by association." That pretty much meant if I chose to hang with a crowd that was doing wrong - even if I chose not to participate in whatever it was they were doing - that I was guilty just the same. There was one time I remember having to apologize for just being with the wrong people at the wrong time even though I hadn't done what the rest of the crowd was doing. I pretty much decided from that point on I was not going to make that mistake again. It was hard to apologize, but it made a distinct impression I haven't forgotten.

So, you might wonder, what it is I've done (or not done) that I am now aplogizing for. Well, it wasn't for hanging with the wrong crowd or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This time it is for words I spoke that were misunderstood and taken completely wrong. The person on the receiving end of my words interrupted a sentence and then took what I said out of context. She then proceeded to verbally tear me apart and pretty much tell me how bad I suck. Not exactly what every person wants to hear!

This conversation has been bothering me for over a week. I've been hurt. I'm angry. I pretty much want to rip this person's head off and then use it as a soccer ball. . . . . but then that wouldn't be the Christ like thing to do now, would it? ;)

Instead, God had me write this person a letter today apologizing for my lack of communication skills and for hurting her feelings. Did I say anything wrong in our initial conversation? I honestly don't think so. However, God has lead me to write this letter and I am trusting it will heal the unintended wound I gave this person. In turn, I am also trusting that God will use this process to heal my hurt heart so I don't hold a grudge against this person. I'm pretty good at carrying a grudge. Sometimes I can carry it so long, I forget why I have the grudge. Now that's BAD! I don't mean to carry the grudges around. I honestly try to let most of it roll off my shoulders, but what really ends up happening is I usually brush it under the rug, but the problem is that it (whatever it is) is still really there. It's just hiding under the surface waiting to be released at the next deep cleaning.

I know if I hadn't addressed the issue that I had with this person, the dirt under the rug would have come out again later on down the road. Ignoring an issue is sometimes an ok way to deal with things. Other times, the issue needs to be addressed so we can move forward.

So today, I apologized to someone who has hurt me deeply. Will this person accept the apology? I don't know. That's between her and God now. I've done my part and pray that God will continue healing my hurt and allow my act of forgiveness to become a true feeling of forgiveness. Right now my forgiveness is a verbal choice with no emotion involved what so ever.

Faithin' it 'til I make it!

Lara

Wandering . . . .

I know I am supposed to write another book. But, just like God, He isn't working in me the same way twice. I am having the hardest time pulling my thoughts together! I think I have a topic and then I start writing only to find myself "wandering off" in a different direction. So, then I think, hmmmmm, maybe I'm supposed to write about _____________. So I give that a shot and then end up wandering again.

I sure hope all this wandering on the pages comes together in some orderly fashion! I feel like the Israelites wandering through the dessert. I know the Promised Land is just over the hill, but instead I keep going in circles like a dog chasing its tail!

What to do . . . . What to do!