Sunday morning the sermon at our church was about how we need to study God's word more. Well, it was really about more than just that--but that was a big part of it. We started off looking at Hosea 4:1-6. Verse 6 says:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
There was more to the sermon, to be sure. But afterward, S and I talked about how we DO need to read...not just read but study...our Bible more.
Let's get practical and think about how that can actually happen. Of course it's easy to say...but do? Much harder.
How can I sit here and say that it is "hard" to read my Bible more? Look at this story. Now come back here and tell me how it is hard for me?
And another verse we read during the sermon Sunday: 1 Peter 5:8-9.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
The devil is walking around like a lion, seeking whom he may devour? Makes me even more determined.
This morning I grabbed my phone and we read Proverbs 15 at breakfast. I don't know how much of it got into their heads or hearts, but we read it. Sweetheart read her assigned reading during school. I read Little Bit's assigned reading out of a Bible storybook. We worked on memorizing scripture. There will be more study tonight.
How can we say we are too busy? Have I been busy today? Yes. We must cook and clean and teach and run errands and do laundry. There are many things to be done during each day. But there is time. There is time to read and study God's word. There is time to get it into our lives.
Folks, we have it so easy here in America right now. Not perfect...but easy. How do you know what kind of world your children will live in when they are adults? How much more will they need to have God's word in their hearts?
Someone is seeking to devour us. And God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Not sinners. Not people "of the world." GOD'S PEOPLE are destroyed because they do not know.
A daily devotional calendar is not enough.
An e-mail devotional is not enough.
An encouraging blog post is not enough.
Listening to Christian music is not enough.
That Little Golden book about Jonah is not enough.
Reading your Bible is not enough!!!!
We must study it. And know it.
How can we do it? How can we fit it in?
1. You have multiple Bibles? Store them around the house. Make it easy to grab one while you are at the dining room table and read it to your family.
2. Make it a part of the school day. No if, ands, or buts.
3. You don't often let your kids skip brushing their teeth? Then set Bible reading as part of the daily routine and do not skip it.
4. Use audio Bibles.
5. Keep one in the car. Read while you are in line for something.
6. Download an app on your phone.
7. Take it to church. Look up the scripture during the sermon instead of relying on the verses on the screen. Trust me, it's not the same.
What else am I forgetting? How can we fit it in?
Because it IS that important.
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
So I Think I Have Been Wrong
Actually, I'm pretty convinced of it.
And in the process, I believe I have probably confused my children for LIFE.
OK. Where do I start?
We've been at our new church for over a year now. Our old church was, shall we say, um...a bit more progressive than we were comfortable with. It was no longer anything like the church where we grew up. I will give more specific examples later. Our new church is very much more in line with our beliefs. (And with the Bible, in our opinion.)
Our new church makes us realize how really progressive our old church was.
Somewhere along the way, I missed learning this. Which would explain why I am just learning it at age 41.
Wow. I don't even know how to start explaining this to you.
So a few years ago, I started noticing a trend of Christians celebrating Old Testament festivals and feasts. Like Passover, for example. You can order things for these celebrations on Christian websites. The way Christians "do" these feasts and celebrations is a bit differently than how the Jewish people in the Old Testament did them, I think.
Honestly I don't know too much about why Christians would observe those days. My first thought was, "Well that's a strange thing to do----those things are part of the Old Testament and that doesn't apply to us as Christians." It has become trendy to do so, however.
And there is more to it than just celebrating something from the Old Testament---which New Testament Christians did not do. There's also the fact that it's all mixed up and crazy. This article I found on google will highlight what I mean....it's the taking of an old Jewish feast and mixing it up with Christian beliefs. It's assigning new "religious" meanings to traditions that may or may not have even been part of the original feast as ordained by God.
Basically, people are making up a holiday here.
The New Testament mentions nothing about Christians celebrating Passover. Or even a hybrid form of it. So should we be doing that?
So just know that those thoughts were swirling in my head.
THEN, I started hearing about how Christmas and Easter should have no religious significance.
What? How sacrilegious! How unheard of! Why would you take Christ out of Christmas? Why would you make the Easter Bunny more important than Jesus Christ?
Seriously, the whole idea of celebrating these holidays with no religious significance at all floored me.
This is the very thing I have fought against for many years!! We, as a new family, with very little thought to the consequences, started off doing things just as they had been done when we were growing up. We hunted eggs. The Easter Bunny left treats. Santa visited. We read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas....on and on. That's how our little family started doing things when Sweetheart was born.
But then, I started to feel guilty. I mean, these traditions have pagan roots for goodness sake! I read. I learned. Hunting eggs? Bad. Christmas trees? Bad. Every single tradition seemed to have a pagan root. I didn't want my children growing up thinking it was all about eggs and candy and Santa and presents! I wanted them to know the "real" reason for the holidays.
I'm telling you what I thought here.
So for many years now (probably 6 years), I have worked to make the "real" meaning stand out while minimizing all the pagan stuff. I got Resurrection Eggs. We stopped dyeing eggs. I gave the girls Bibles and Bible covers for Easter treats instead of "bunny" stuff. We learned the names of Christ and made ornaments out of them and hung them on a tree. We decorated with more nativity scenes and less Santa. We learned all about Christ's final week. We did crafts. We read Bible passages. We made this a part of our homeschool. A part of our evenings. And very much a part of our celebrations.
And now I think that was wrong. I was wrong.
During the time I was working to overhaul our holidays to the "real" meaning, our old church started doing some things I wasn't comfortable with. In our old church, there is a large wooden cross beside the "stage" for lack of a better word. It sits there 365 days a year. It's like part of the building and I really didn't even notice it all that much. Then a few years ago, they started draping black cloth on it on Good Friday. Then it would change to white on Easter Sunday. There was purple in there too. I didn't know where all this was coming from so I came home and researched and found out it was all related to Advent. Advent is not something we grew up doing. Or celebrating. Or whatever. And I don't read about it in the Bible so it's not something we do. It's made up, in my opinion and there's too much symbolism to keep up with!
Then they started "the flowering of the cross." Everyone would bring fresh flowers and they wrapped chicken wire around the whole cross and stuck the flowers in on Easter Sunday during the worship service. Where are we getting this stuff from???? This in NOT in the Bible!! We started going out of town on Easter. It was easier than trying to explain all these things to the girls when we couldn't make sense of them ourselves.
Later they started having "Good Friday" services at the church. We did not attend. Everything was getting really, really religious. But not really biblical.
I stamped my foot (inwardly, of course) and said, "This stuff is not authorized in God's Word! The church should not be doing this stuff!"
But I forgot to look at our own house. I'm sharing this with you, dear blog readers, because I have brought you along on my journey to overhaul our holidays. And now I won't be doing things the same way because I have come to the understanding that these holidays--they aren't in the Bible either.
Just as Advent is not taught to us by Jesus, and we have no record of the apostles or first century Christians doing such things, neither is there authorization for making the birth of Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection into religious days. These holidays are NOT found in scripture.
Of course I have always taught my children that December 25th probably wasn't Jesus' real birthday. But if God wanted us to celebrate that day, that event, He would have given us instruction on how He wanted that done. And when!
Now don't get me wrong....Christ's birth and his death, burial and resurrection are events I am VERY thankful for!! We have been instructed to remember Christ's death, burial, and resurrection on the first day of the week when we meet together. We have not been given instructions about remembering Christ's birth.
It isn't that I think remembering these things is evil...it's that they are not religious celebrations ordained by God in His word.
Folks, we have made some stuff up here. And it's all confusing and mixed up with pagan stuff. It's a mess. Just like those new "Christian Passover" feasts. There is this constant struggle between secular and Christian and it needn't be! Christians don't need to waste their time fighting to "keep Christ in Christmas" because He hasn't asked us to celebrate it anyway!
Now, about celebrating Christmas with no religious significance. How freeing!! I feel a huge sigh of relief coming on. No longer do I need to struggle with this. Christmas is simply a day to get together with our family and loved ones and give each other gifts and enjoy a meal together. And that's it! That's all it needs to be!
I don't have to spend the weeks before Christmas doing a countdown where we read a scripture each night about the coming Messiah from the Old Testament prophets. We don't have to crack out the Resurrection eggs and have a devotional all week prior to Easter.
I can quit trying to make these celebrations all about God because He hasn't asked me to do that anyway!!!
Because these are not celebrations He commanded us to keep.
Do you feel the huge weight lifted off my shoulders?
Now hear me...we are stil going to celebrate Christmas and Easter around here. Easter has never been a really big one with us anyway. Christmas I love. Thanksgiving I love. We celebrate Independence Day too. There is nothing wrong with having a day set aside to spend with your family and enjoy food and fellowship and gift-giving.
But we will no longer be celebrating them as religious holidays. I hope I have made sense in my explanation of why.
Because now I have to explain this to my girls.
And in the process, I believe I have probably confused my children for LIFE.
OK. Where do I start?
We've been at our new church for over a year now. Our old church was, shall we say, um...a bit more progressive than we were comfortable with. It was no longer anything like the church where we grew up. I will give more specific examples later. Our new church is very much more in line with our beliefs. (And with the Bible, in our opinion.)
Our new church makes us realize how really progressive our old church was.
Somewhere along the way, I missed learning this. Which would explain why I am just learning it at age 41.
Wow. I don't even know how to start explaining this to you.
So a few years ago, I started noticing a trend of Christians celebrating Old Testament festivals and feasts. Like Passover, for example. You can order things for these celebrations on Christian websites. The way Christians "do" these feasts and celebrations is a bit differently than how the Jewish people in the Old Testament did them, I think.
Honestly I don't know too much about why Christians would observe those days. My first thought was, "Well that's a strange thing to do----those things are part of the Old Testament and that doesn't apply to us as Christians." It has become trendy to do so, however.
And there is more to it than just celebrating something from the Old Testament---which New Testament Christians did not do. There's also the fact that it's all mixed up and crazy. This article I found on google will highlight what I mean....it's the taking of an old Jewish feast and mixing it up with Christian beliefs. It's assigning new "religious" meanings to traditions that may or may not have even been part of the original feast as ordained by God.
Basically, people are making up a holiday here.
The New Testament mentions nothing about Christians celebrating Passover. Or even a hybrid form of it. So should we be doing that?
So just know that those thoughts were swirling in my head.
THEN, I started hearing about how Christmas and Easter should have no religious significance.
What? How sacrilegious! How unheard of! Why would you take Christ out of Christmas? Why would you make the Easter Bunny more important than Jesus Christ?
Seriously, the whole idea of celebrating these holidays with no religious significance at all floored me.
This is the very thing I have fought against for many years!! We, as a new family, with very little thought to the consequences, started off doing things just as they had been done when we were growing up. We hunted eggs. The Easter Bunny left treats. Santa visited. We read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas....on and on. That's how our little family started doing things when Sweetheart was born.
But then, I started to feel guilty. I mean, these traditions have pagan roots for goodness sake! I read. I learned. Hunting eggs? Bad. Christmas trees? Bad. Every single tradition seemed to have a pagan root. I didn't want my children growing up thinking it was all about eggs and candy and Santa and presents! I wanted them to know the "real" reason for the holidays.
I'm telling you what I thought here.
So for many years now (probably 6 years), I have worked to make the "real" meaning stand out while minimizing all the pagan stuff. I got Resurrection Eggs. We stopped dyeing eggs. I gave the girls Bibles and Bible covers for Easter treats instead of "bunny" stuff. We learned the names of Christ and made ornaments out of them and hung them on a tree. We decorated with more nativity scenes and less Santa. We learned all about Christ's final week. We did crafts. We read Bible passages. We made this a part of our homeschool. A part of our evenings. And very much a part of our celebrations.
And now I think that was wrong. I was wrong.
During the time I was working to overhaul our holidays to the "real" meaning, our old church started doing some things I wasn't comfortable with. In our old church, there is a large wooden cross beside the "stage" for lack of a better word. It sits there 365 days a year. It's like part of the building and I really didn't even notice it all that much. Then a few years ago, they started draping black cloth on it on Good Friday. Then it would change to white on Easter Sunday. There was purple in there too. I didn't know where all this was coming from so I came home and researched and found out it was all related to Advent. Advent is not something we grew up doing. Or celebrating. Or whatever. And I don't read about it in the Bible so it's not something we do. It's made up, in my opinion and there's too much symbolism to keep up with!
Then they started "the flowering of the cross." Everyone would bring fresh flowers and they wrapped chicken wire around the whole cross and stuck the flowers in on Easter Sunday during the worship service. Where are we getting this stuff from???? This in NOT in the Bible!! We started going out of town on Easter. It was easier than trying to explain all these things to the girls when we couldn't make sense of them ourselves.
Later they started having "Good Friday" services at the church. We did not attend. Everything was getting really, really religious. But not really biblical.
I stamped my foot (inwardly, of course) and said, "This stuff is not authorized in God's Word! The church should not be doing this stuff!"
But I forgot to look at our own house. I'm sharing this with you, dear blog readers, because I have brought you along on my journey to overhaul our holidays. And now I won't be doing things the same way because I have come to the understanding that these holidays--they aren't in the Bible either.
Just as Advent is not taught to us by Jesus, and we have no record of the apostles or first century Christians doing such things, neither is there authorization for making the birth of Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection into religious days. These holidays are NOT found in scripture.
Of course I have always taught my children that December 25th probably wasn't Jesus' real birthday. But if God wanted us to celebrate that day, that event, He would have given us instruction on how He wanted that done. And when!
Now don't get me wrong....Christ's birth and his death, burial and resurrection are events I am VERY thankful for!! We have been instructed to remember Christ's death, burial, and resurrection on the first day of the week when we meet together. We have not been given instructions about remembering Christ's birth.
It isn't that I think remembering these things is evil...it's that they are not religious celebrations ordained by God in His word.
Folks, we have made some stuff up here. And it's all confusing and mixed up with pagan stuff. It's a mess. Just like those new "Christian Passover" feasts. There is this constant struggle between secular and Christian and it needn't be! Christians don't need to waste their time fighting to "keep Christ in Christmas" because He hasn't asked us to celebrate it anyway!
Now, about celebrating Christmas with no religious significance. How freeing!! I feel a huge sigh of relief coming on. No longer do I need to struggle with this. Christmas is simply a day to get together with our family and loved ones and give each other gifts and enjoy a meal together. And that's it! That's all it needs to be!
I don't have to spend the weeks before Christmas doing a countdown where we read a scripture each night about the coming Messiah from the Old Testament prophets. We don't have to crack out the Resurrection eggs and have a devotional all week prior to Easter.
I can quit trying to make these celebrations all about God because He hasn't asked me to do that anyway!!!
Because these are not celebrations He commanded us to keep.
Do you feel the huge weight lifted off my shoulders?
Now hear me...we are stil going to celebrate Christmas and Easter around here. Easter has never been a really big one with us anyway. Christmas I love. Thanksgiving I love. We celebrate Independence Day too. There is nothing wrong with having a day set aside to spend with your family and enjoy food and fellowship and gift-giving.
But we will no longer be celebrating them as religious holidays. I hope I have made sense in my explanation of why.
Because now I have to explain this to my girls.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Why I Keep Thinking About Simplifiying
Too Busy?
Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming intimate, abiding relationship experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" shouted his angels.
"Keep them busy in the non essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work."
"Overstimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive. To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ"
"Fill the coffee table with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogues, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services, and false hopes. "
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted, and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, and movies instead."
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotion. Let them be involved in soul winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."
It was quite a convention in the end. And the evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and rush here and there. Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge. How about this definition of busy:
Being
Under
Satan's
Yoke
Original source unknown--this little story is all over the internet....and it makes me want to change our life even more!!!
Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming intimate, abiding relationship experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" shouted his angels.
"Keep them busy in the non essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work."
"Overstimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive. To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ"
"Fill the coffee table with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogues, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services, and false hopes. "
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted, and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, and movies instead."
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotion. Let them be involved in soul winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."
It was quite a convention in the end. And the evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and rush here and there. Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge. How about this definition of busy:
Being
Under
Satan's
Yoke
Original source unknown--this little story is all over the internet....and it makes me want to change our life even more!!!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Hardest Part
Housework? Challenging, but do-able.
Homeschooling? Work, but fun.
Laundry? Never ending, but mindless.
Cooking? Boring, but necessary.
Training my children? Getting harder every year. Give me toddler fits any day. Toddler fits I know how to handle. Give me potty training again. I was prepared for that.
Guiding my children spiritually? Overwhelming. Hard. Worrisome.
I see how other children have turned out around me. And there are so many pitfalls. And there are so few people around to help. There is so much to avoid and guard against and prepare them for.
Absolutely overwhelming.
So I will do the only things I know to do: pray, study my Bible, and obey.
Homeschooling? Work, but fun.
Laundry? Never ending, but mindless.
Cooking? Boring, but necessary.
Training my children? Getting harder every year. Give me toddler fits any day. Toddler fits I know how to handle. Give me potty training again. I was prepared for that.
Guiding my children spiritually? Overwhelming. Hard. Worrisome.
I see how other children have turned out around me. And there are so many pitfalls. And there are so few people around to help. There is so much to avoid and guard against and prepare them for.
Absolutely overwhelming.
So I will do the only things I know to do: pray, study my Bible, and obey.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Fitting It In
Sunday morning the sermon at our church was about how we need to study God's word more. Well, it was really about more than just that--but that was a big part of it. We started off looking at Hosea 4:1-6. Verse 6 says:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
There was more to the sermon, to be sure. But afterward, S and I talked about how we DO need to read...not just read but study...our Bible more.
Let's get practical and think about how that can actually happen. Of course it's easy to say...but do? Much harder.
How can I sit here and say that it is "hard" to read my Bible more? Look at this story. Now come back here and tell me how it is hard for me?
And another verse we read during the sermon Sunday: 1 Peter 5:8-9.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
The devil is walking around like a lion, seeking whom he may devour? Makes me even more determined.
This morning I grabbed my phone and we read Proverbs 15 at breakfast. I don't know how much of it got into their heads or hearts, but we read it. Sweetheart read her assigned reading during school. I read Little Bit's assigned reading out of a Bible storybook. We worked on memorizing scripture. There will be more study tonight.
How can we say we are too busy? Have I been busy today? Yes. We must cook and clean and teach and run errands and do laundry. There are many things to be done during each day. But there is time. There is time to read and study God's word. There is time to get it into our lives.
Folks, we have it so easy here in America right now. Not perfect...but easy. How do you know what kind of world your children will live in when they are adults? How much more will they need to have God's word in their hearts?
Someone is seeking to devour us. And God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Not sinners. Not people "of the world." GOD'S PEOPLE are destroyed because they do not know.
A daily devotional calendar is not enough.
An e-mail devotional is not enough.
An encouraging blog post is not enough.
Listening to Christian music is not enough.
That Little Golden book about Jonah is not enough.
Reading your Bible is not enough!!!!
We must study it. And know it.
How can we do it? How can we fit it in?
1. You have multiple Bibles? Store them around the house. Make it easy to grab one while you are at the dining room table and read it to your family.
2. Make it a part of the school day. No if, ands, or buts.
3. You don't often let your kids skip brushing their teeth? Then set Bible reading as part of the daily routine and do not skip it.
4. Use audio Bibles.
5. Keep one in the car. Read while you are in line for something.
6. Download an app on your phone.
7. Take it to church. Look up the scripture during the sermon instead of relying on the verses on the screen. Trust me, it's not the same.
What else am I forgetting? How can we fit it in?
Because it IS that important.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Applying the Standard
You guys have made me kind of nervous. I thought I would get a lot of feedback (positive or negative I wasn't sure) on these movie/TV posts, but you have been eerily silent. So, I shall continue.
If we all agree that Christians should concern themselves with what is set before their eyes (and the eyes of their children), then we have to figure out how to go about that. It may seem like a very simple thing to do, but I imagine if you were a new Christian, and had previously watched whatever you wanted, this would seem a daunting change to make.
First, some practical things. There are several places where you can go to get good reviews of movies from a Christian perspective. My go-to site is www.pluggedin.com and I look up anything I can there. They even have reviews of video games. Julia also shared a few in the comments section of another post: www.americanvision.org/movieology and www.movieguide.org . Does anyone know of other sites that give reviews?
I have learned my lesson about reviews. We picked out a Mary Kate and Ashley movie from Netflix for the girls to watch called Billboard Dad. It looked cute....it's MK and A for goodness sake....it'll be fine. It was old and Plugged In didn't have a review on it so I read the Netflix reviews people left. AND IT WAS RATED G. So I thought all was well. In one scene, the dad is getting ready to go on a date and the twins ask him, "Dad, do we need to give you the safe sex talk?" Needless to say, this Mama almost choked on her lunch. I will be more careful or pre-screen from now on.
So you might think the answer might be to just watch educational things with your children. Documentaries will save the day, right? Um, I have a sinking feeling that is not true either.
I will say I have found older movies to be better. I'm talking about Shirley Temple old. Roy Rogers old. OLD. Morals were higher back then for the most part I suppose. I would still look into it, but you are probably safer with older movies than more modern ones and some of them are so charming.
Of course ask friends if they have seen a particular movie. Christian friends whom you trust. After all, we don't all have time to sit around pre-screening things for our children. We can help each other out.
The last thing I want to say is this. You will be hard pressed to find a movie or show with no "sinful things" in them. In movies there are bad guys and bad guys do bad things. I think the difference is, does the person doing the bad things get away with it? Or are there repercussions from their actions? For example, if a movie showed someone robbing and lying--I would want them to be caught and punished. Old westerns are great about this. In some movies, the characters act perfectly horrible and life just goes on. We cannot have a flippant attitude about sin. I wasn't allowed to watch The Love Boat growing up. Later my mom told me it was because people slept together who were not married to each other. Mind you when I was growing up, married people on TV shows did share a bed and it was even implied that they were going to....um, really share the bed. But if they were married characters then my parents were fine with that. (I'm talking about prime time TV here-nothing graphic-like Hart to Hart. Oh my word I'm showing my age.)
There are a lot of lessons to be learned from seeing bad guys do bad things on TV. My mom was always really good about making comments like, "Oh that horrible man! He just lied right to her face. That was wrong!" I also think discussing movies and shows afterward is important.
Am I saying it's OK to watch people engaged in all sorts of sinful behavior in movies? No..I'm not saying that. Obviously sexual sins are a bit much. But watching a bad guy who stole something get caught and go to jail? That I can handle. That we can discuss. There is good and bad in the world and I would rather my children learn about alcoholism from an episode of Little House on the Prairie than from real life experience. Especially with time to discuss it afterward.
I would like to wrap up with some thoughts from Erin and her husband. She left a comment on my last post that I thought just beautifully wrapped up this whole topic. I'd like to share part of it here:
"...it came up in our family devotion time, not by me, but by my husband! The point of discussion during family devotions was that it's not necessarily about setting "rules", but more of drawing close to God and seeing His beauty and preciousness so much that this other filth becomes just that in our eyes - filth. Guidelines (rules) and parameters/restrictions are beneficial and helpful, but as Christians, our goal not to be just "moral" people, checking off our "what we do right" list, but instead being transformed by our intimacy with the Holy Spirit so that our hearts no longer desire or are attracted to sin.
Amen! I couldn't have said it any better! So...some practical ways to have guidelines...and a reminder that it's really about loving the Lord.
NOW. I'm done. Any other thoughts?
If we all agree that Christians should concern themselves with what is set before their eyes (and the eyes of their children), then we have to figure out how to go about that. It may seem like a very simple thing to do, but I imagine if you were a new Christian, and had previously watched whatever you wanted, this would seem a daunting change to make.
First, some practical things. There are several places where you can go to get good reviews of movies from a Christian perspective. My go-to site is www.pluggedin.com and I look up anything I can there. They even have reviews of video games. Julia also shared a few in the comments section of another post: www.americanvision.org/movieology and www.movieguide.org . Does anyone know of other sites that give reviews?
I have learned my lesson about reviews. We picked out a Mary Kate and Ashley movie from Netflix for the girls to watch called Billboard Dad. It looked cute....it's MK and A for goodness sake....it'll be fine. It was old and Plugged In didn't have a review on it so I read the Netflix reviews people left. AND IT WAS RATED G. So I thought all was well. In one scene, the dad is getting ready to go on a date and the twins ask him, "Dad, do we need to give you the safe sex talk?" Needless to say, this Mama almost choked on her lunch. I will be more careful or pre-screen from now on.
So you might think the answer might be to just watch educational things with your children. Documentaries will save the day, right? Um, I have a sinking feeling that is not true either.
I will say I have found older movies to be better. I'm talking about Shirley Temple old. Roy Rogers old. OLD. Morals were higher back then for the most part I suppose. I would still look into it, but you are probably safer with older movies than more modern ones and some of them are so charming.
Of course ask friends if they have seen a particular movie. Christian friends whom you trust. After all, we don't all have time to sit around pre-screening things for our children. We can help each other out.
The last thing I want to say is this. You will be hard pressed to find a movie or show with no "sinful things" in them. In movies there are bad guys and bad guys do bad things. I think the difference is, does the person doing the bad things get away with it? Or are there repercussions from their actions? For example, if a movie showed someone robbing and lying--I would want them to be caught and punished. Old westerns are great about this. In some movies, the characters act perfectly horrible and life just goes on. We cannot have a flippant attitude about sin. I wasn't allowed to watch The Love Boat growing up. Later my mom told me it was because people slept together who were not married to each other. Mind you when I was growing up, married people on TV shows did share a bed and it was even implied that they were going to....um, really share the bed. But if they were married characters then my parents were fine with that. (I'm talking about prime time TV here-nothing graphic-like Hart to Hart. Oh my word I'm showing my age.)
There are a lot of lessons to be learned from seeing bad guys do bad things on TV. My mom was always really good about making comments like, "Oh that horrible man! He just lied right to her face. That was wrong!" I also think discussing movies and shows afterward is important.
Am I saying it's OK to watch people engaged in all sorts of sinful behavior in movies? No..I'm not saying that. Obviously sexual sins are a bit much. But watching a bad guy who stole something get caught and go to jail? That I can handle. That we can discuss. There is good and bad in the world and I would rather my children learn about alcoholism from an episode of Little House on the Prairie than from real life experience. Especially with time to discuss it afterward.
I would like to wrap up with some thoughts from Erin and her husband. She left a comment on my last post that I thought just beautifully wrapped up this whole topic. I'd like to share part of it here:
"...it came up in our family devotion time, not by me, but by my husband! The point of discussion during family devotions was that it's not necessarily about setting "rules", but more of drawing close to God and seeing His beauty and preciousness so much that this other filth becomes just that in our eyes - filth. Guidelines (rules) and parameters/restrictions are beneficial and helpful, but as Christians, our goal not to be just "moral" people, checking off our "what we do right" list, but instead being transformed by our intimacy with the Holy Spirit so that our hearts no longer desire or are attracted to sin.
Amen! I couldn't have said it any better! So...some practical ways to have guidelines...and a reminder that it's really about loving the Lord.
NOW. I'm done. Any other thoughts?
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Standard Is High
In my last post, I talked about how I realized that our standard for what we watch and read should be very high. The Bible is very clear about the Christian's relationship to sin....we should have no part of it.
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
We are not the same as we once were. We have been washed, sanctified, and justified...we cannot continue to walk as we once did.
Now let me take a moment to step aside and add something to my discussion on conviction. If God's Word is unchanging, then how are there possibly Christians who do NOT feel convicted to ________ or to not _____________? I do not think there are as many choices as we think there are. It cannot all be "I'm OK, You're OK." If a Christian is content to watch movies or TV full of sin and all the things we are supposed to not have anything to do with, then I think there is a problem!
The folks who raved about the awful movie on Facebook are young Christians at best. Perhaps they do not know? Perhaps they have not read and understood God's Word? Maybe they need to be taught. I certainly know that I was a young Christian once who watched things I should not have. I remember all too well. I am not trying to stand on a soapbox and look down my nose at others who are not doing as good as I am. (please read that with all the sarcasm you can muster) That is not what I am trying to say. I realize that convictions come at different times in people's lives.
What I am saying is that many American Christians have lowered their standards as far as the entertainment world goes. The entertainment world has lowered its standards after all, and I'm afraid that many of us have bent a little too far.
But I'm not participating in these sinful behaviors....I'm just watching fictional characters do it.
It's a movie. It's not real life.
I can hear those words and not start saying them. After all, I'm an adult. I know right from wrong.
It was a really good movie. I just wish they had left out _________. Could have done without that.
It's fine for grown-ups but it's not good for the kids.
What else do we say about TV and movies? What excuses do we make? How much sin have we let into our homes through the television set? How desensitized have we become to the things that God detests?
I am talking to myself here too! I think we really, truly need to ask ourselves these questions. And even if, by some miracle, we truly were NOT affected in any way by what we see (which I doubt), how much good have we missed out on?
Am I saying that watching TV or movies is a sin? Absolutely not! I am saying that we need to think very, very hard about what we have been watching and if it lines up with the standard in God's Word.
Next up: We'll discuss the really practical part of deciding what to watch.
Any thoughts so far?
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
We are not the same as we once were. We have been washed, sanctified, and justified...we cannot continue to walk as we once did.
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| Little Bit watching TV a few years ago... |
Now let me take a moment to step aside and add something to my discussion on conviction. If God's Word is unchanging, then how are there possibly Christians who do NOT feel convicted to ________ or to not _____________? I do not think there are as many choices as we think there are. It cannot all be "I'm OK, You're OK." If a Christian is content to watch movies or TV full of sin and all the things we are supposed to not have anything to do with, then I think there is a problem!
The folks who raved about the awful movie on Facebook are young Christians at best. Perhaps they do not know? Perhaps they have not read and understood God's Word? Maybe they need to be taught. I certainly know that I was a young Christian once who watched things I should not have. I remember all too well. I am not trying to stand on a soapbox and look down my nose at others who are not doing as good as I am. (please read that with all the sarcasm you can muster) That is not what I am trying to say. I realize that convictions come at different times in people's lives.
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| I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me. Psalm 101:3 |
What I am saying is that many American Christians have lowered their standards as far as the entertainment world goes. The entertainment world has lowered its standards after all, and I'm afraid that many of us have bent a little too far.
But I'm not participating in these sinful behaviors....I'm just watching fictional characters do it.
It's a movie. It's not real life.
I can hear those words and not start saying them. After all, I'm an adult. I know right from wrong.
It was a really good movie. I just wish they had left out _________. Could have done without that.
It's fine for grown-ups but it's not good for the kids.
What else do we say about TV and movies? What excuses do we make? How much sin have we let into our homes through the television set? How desensitized have we become to the things that God detests?
I am talking to myself here too! I think we really, truly need to ask ourselves these questions. And even if, by some miracle, we truly were NOT affected in any way by what we see (which I doubt), how much good have we missed out on?
Am I saying that watching TV or movies is a sin? Absolutely not! I am saying that we need to think very, very hard about what we have been watching and if it lines up with the standard in God's Word.
Next up: We'll discuss the really practical part of deciding what to watch.
Any thoughts so far?
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Standard
Face book shocks me sometimes. I have learned a lot about people that I maybe did not want to know. As I shared with you last week, some folks (who I happen to know are church go-ers) had raved about a movie they had seen that I, personally, did not think Christians should be seeing at all.
And so I ranted a bit to a friend via e-mail. And we got into a really good e-discussion about just what is the standard. I mean, sure...I thought these people should not have seen that movie, but maybe I've seen movies that other people think I should not have seen. How are so many different Christians coming up with so many different ideas about what is OK? Is it really all up to us to decide? Can we really all walk around saying, "Well, that may be OK for you, but I have felt convicted to ______________" ?
Will the Lord convict us all of different things? Isn't He the same yesterday, today, and forever?
I'll tell you, that was a lot to think about! But think I did, because that very night in church (two different churches by the way) my friend and I both heard messages that pertained to our very conversation.
So, you want to know what I decided, right? Well, first I had more questions than anything. Questions I think we should ask ourselves.
John 16:8
Titus 1:7-9
Jude 1:15
In all these cases, it is the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin. And how does He convict? God's Word. The Gospel. Look at 1 Corinthians 14:23-25....
23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus[c] the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
How is the unbeliever convicted? By hearing the Word of God. How does the bishop (in Titus) exhort and convict those who contradict? By sound doctrine. God's Word.
Therefore, I do not want to hear about how someone "felt led" or what "the Spirit told them" to do or not do. I care what God's Word says. Because His Word, my friends, is our standard.
(I'm not saying the Spirit of God cannot prompt people. I just think the "Holy Spirit excuse" might be over-used.) It matters what God's Word says. God will not prompt you to do anything differently than His Word says. And yes, the Holy Spirit reminds us of all we have been taught (God's Word).
Therefore, I went to God's Word.
That night in church we studied Ephesians 5 which starts out, "Therefore be imitators of God..." Then it goes on to list some bad, worldly things and says, "let it not even be named among you." Later on it says, "...have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness." Another version says, "But among you there must not be even a hint of....(sinful things)" and "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness..."
So. Let it not even be named among us. Have no fellowship with. There must not be even a hint. Have nothing to do with it.
Friends, our name and sin should not even be mentioned in the same sentence! We are to be imitators of God. That is a pretty high standard!
The Bible also tells us what we are to be about. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."
(Remember, we're thinking about movies here.)
So if these are the things God's Word says, then is that the barometer we've been using to help us decide what to watch? What our children watch? What we read? What plays we go to? (In historical times the theater was considered raunchy and horrible!)
What barometer have we been using?
Next up: We will discuss this a bit more (you didn't think I could do it all in one post, did you?) and hash out some practicals of this whole movie/TV business.
And so I ranted a bit to a friend via e-mail. And we got into a really good e-discussion about just what is the standard. I mean, sure...I thought these people should not have seen that movie, but maybe I've seen movies that other people think I should not have seen. How are so many different Christians coming up with so many different ideas about what is OK? Is it really all up to us to decide? Can we really all walk around saying, "Well, that may be OK for you, but I have felt convicted to ______________" ?
Will the Lord convict us all of different things? Isn't He the same yesterday, today, and forever?
I'll tell you, that was a lot to think about! But think I did, because that very night in church (two different churches by the way) my friend and I both heard messages that pertained to our very conversation.
So, you want to know what I decided, right? Well, first I had more questions than anything. Questions I think we should ask ourselves.
- How close can we be to sin without sinning? Just observing it? Accepting it? Watching it? Talking about it? Spending time with those who participate in it?
- How can we know if we are doing things right? One person has one idea and another person has a different idea. Can we all be right?
- What does the Bible say about convictions? Can we be led to do one thing while someone else is led to do another?
- What is the standard?
John 16:8
Titus 1:7-9
Jude 1:15
In all these cases, it is the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin. And how does He convict? God's Word. The Gospel. Look at 1 Corinthians 14:23-25....
23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus[c] the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
How is the unbeliever convicted? By hearing the Word of God. How does the bishop (in Titus) exhort and convict those who contradict? By sound doctrine. God's Word.
Therefore, I do not want to hear about how someone "felt led" or what "the Spirit told them" to do or not do. I care what God's Word says. Because His Word, my friends, is our standard.
(I'm not saying the Spirit of God cannot prompt people. I just think the "Holy Spirit excuse" might be over-used.) It matters what God's Word says. God will not prompt you to do anything differently than His Word says. And yes, the Holy Spirit reminds us of all we have been taught (God's Word).
Therefore, I went to God's Word.
That night in church we studied Ephesians 5 which starts out, "Therefore be imitators of God..." Then it goes on to list some bad, worldly things and says, "let it not even be named among you." Later on it says, "...have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness." Another version says, "But among you there must not be even a hint of....(sinful things)" and "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness..."
So. Let it not even be named among us. Have no fellowship with. There must not be even a hint. Have nothing to do with it.
Friends, our name and sin should not even be mentioned in the same sentence! We are to be imitators of God. That is a pretty high standard!
The Bible also tells us what we are to be about. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."
(Remember, we're thinking about movies here.)
So if these are the things God's Word says, then is that the barometer we've been using to help us decide what to watch? What our children watch? What we read? What plays we go to? (In historical times the theater was considered raunchy and horrible!)
What barometer have we been using?
Next up: We will discuss this a bit more (you didn't think I could do it all in one post, did you?) and hash out some practicals of this whole movie/TV business.
Monday, June 6, 2011
The Movies
I have something to say tonight. I will NOT be watching Mr. Popper's Penguins when it comes out later this month. I am so disgusted. Have you seen the trailer? If you want to go watch it...go for it. I refuse.
If you have read the book, you know that Mr. Popper is a poor house painter who dreams of the Arctic and loves all things Polar exploration. He is delighted to get the penguins in the book. It seems in the movie, Mr. Popper is a businessman who is pretty well off in a slick apartment who spends at least part of the movie trying to get rid of them. And let's just say his family is not eating beans all winter.
And the names? In the book the penguins are named Captain Cook, Greta, Columbus, Victoria, Nelson, Jenny, Magellan, Adelina, Scott, Isabella, Ferdinand, and Louisa.
In the movie, they are named Captain, Nimrod, Stinky, Loudy, Bitey, and Lovey.
How intellectual are today's movie-goers?
Can I stand outside the movie theater and interview people and ask them about the names of the penguins in the book? Do you think they could come up with even a few of references? Huh? Can I?
Look, if I had never read the book I am sure this movie would be perfectly entertaining. I understand the need to modernize old books. I thought they did a pretty good job with Ramona and Beezus. I don't mind that it's been modernized--but Mr. Popper was POOR! And he was well-read. And he was delighted about those penguins.
Which is probably why it is such a delightful book.
I'm skipping it. That is all.
Now, while we are on the subject of movies...I have a question and tomorrow I'll answer it.
What is our standard for deciding which movies we watch as Christians? (annoying made-over-book movies are not the issue here)
And lastly, I just wanted to give God the glory. My friend in real life was hit while driving her van last week. She is pregnant.
And both she and the baby are fine. FINE. A little sore...but safe. Praise God! (The driver who hit them is fine too.)
If you have read the book, you know that Mr. Popper is a poor house painter who dreams of the Arctic and loves all things Polar exploration. He is delighted to get the penguins in the book. It seems in the movie, Mr. Popper is a businessman who is pretty well off in a slick apartment who spends at least part of the movie trying to get rid of them. And let's just say his family is not eating beans all winter.
And the names? In the book the penguins are named Captain Cook, Greta, Columbus, Victoria, Nelson, Jenny, Magellan, Adelina, Scott, Isabella, Ferdinand, and Louisa.
In the movie, they are named Captain, Nimrod, Stinky, Loudy, Bitey, and Lovey.
How intellectual are today's movie-goers?
Can I stand outside the movie theater and interview people and ask them about the names of the penguins in the book? Do you think they could come up with even a few of references? Huh? Can I?
Look, if I had never read the book I am sure this movie would be perfectly entertaining. I understand the need to modernize old books. I thought they did a pretty good job with Ramona and Beezus. I don't mind that it's been modernized--but Mr. Popper was POOR! And he was well-read. And he was delighted about those penguins.
Which is probably why it is such a delightful book.
I'm skipping it. That is all.
Now, while we are on the subject of movies...I have a question and tomorrow I'll answer it.
What is our standard for deciding which movies we watch as Christians? (annoying made-over-book movies are not the issue here)
And lastly, I just wanted to give God the glory. My friend in real life was hit while driving her van last week. She is pregnant.
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| The inside of her van. She jumped out of the passenger side door. |
And both she and the baby are fine. FINE. A little sore...but safe. Praise God! (The driver who hit them is fine too.)
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Deep Thoughts and Thursday
I have many deep thoughts today but it's Thursday and my house is a mess all around the edges. Seriously, the kitchen table is clean, the living room floor is clean.....but all around the edges there are stacks and piles and mess and sacks to be donated or sold.
I don't have time to be deep today. Plus, I'm still thinking on it. I e-mailed Carrie to rant about people (who go to church) raving about seeing a certain movie that did not sound....um, inspirational. I read the review for said movie at pluggedin.com and wow. I was floored. So I e-mailed Carrie about it and we got into a conversation about TV and movies and modesty and just where is the standard? Then we both went to church last night and guess what was talked about at both churches??? Weird. And then I got home and read a blog post that fit so I sent it to her and S and I spent all evening talking about these things.
And I'm still mulling it over in my mind. I have to do that for a while before I can write it all down for you.
But it's Thursday right now and my house is only clean in the middle. Also, I have to clean out the TV cabinet today so we can move the TV to the toy room and the cabinet to my homeschool room. Not that it will fit in there right now. We are finishing up school in the middle of a war zone in there, I'm tellin' ya. At some point we will probably have to finish the year at the kitchen table because I started on this rearrange a bit early. Oh well.
Hoping to remove mass amounts of stuff from my house today.....and mulling deep thoughts in the process....
What are you doing on this fine Thursday?
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| Piano practice with a partner. |
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| Little Bit slept in the living room for weeks when her tics were so bad. She slept ALL over the living room! |
And I'm still mulling it over in my mind. I have to do that for a while before I can write it all down for you.
But it's Thursday right now and my house is only clean in the middle. Also, I have to clean out the TV cabinet today so we can move the TV to the toy room and the cabinet to my homeschool room. Not that it will fit in there right now. We are finishing up school in the middle of a war zone in there, I'm tellin' ya. At some point we will probably have to finish the year at the kitchen table because I started on this rearrange a bit early. Oh well.
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| I love sewing these dolls! Aren't they cute? |
Hoping to remove mass amounts of stuff from my house today.....and mulling deep thoughts in the process....
What are you doing on this fine Thursday?
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Guarding Our Children
This morning S sent me an article he'd run across. This one made me mad. (Not at S!) I spoke yesterday about how we need to guard against the lies that are out there and stick with what God's Word teaches. It's true. But in light of that article, I think we need to be even more purposeful about guarding our children.
This is subtle, and yet, not so subtle. I guess it depends on how much you are paying attention. While it may appear to just be "two days out of the whole school year", you have to know this is being taught/promoted more than just on these scheduled days. And only 3 children were kept home that day. Three. Out of 350 students. And it isn't like those 3 students aren't going to get filled in by their friends.
We need more than just teaching our children, "God made 2 distinct sexes." This is all being taught to our children (it's NOT just California....and it WILL be in many other places in a few years) in the name of "acceptance" and "anti-bullying." That word acceptance is a buzz word. Watch for it. See what things fall under the word acceptance. (That book was part of the 2 days of lessons.)
I wrote about this trend in public schools a long time ago. (The first year I blogged actually.) We used to do a "multi-cultural" unit in December when I taught 3rd grade. We studied Christmas Around the World and each child was put in a group and assigned a country and at the end of 2 weeks they had to give a presentation on how people in that country celebrated the holidays, complete with food, costumes, etc. Multi-cultural was a big, big thing in the early 90s when i was a teacher. The music teacher had the 3rd graders do a multi-cultural musical. A preacher friend of ours was at the performance because his wife was a teacher and his son was in 3rd grade. After it was over, I remember him muttering about how he was sick of this "one world thing." I remember being totally clueless about what he meant. I got it later.
Community. Acceptance. Diversity. Anti-bullying. Differences. Non-discrimination. Safe schools. Oh people, SO MUCH is being slid under the door under these names. If your child goes to public school, please investigate. Pay attention. I would like to believe, like many seem to, that your children are JUST learning math, reading, writing, etc. at school. But it isn't true. They are parenting your children. And it might not jive with your beliefs. (And even if it DOES jive with your beliefs, I do not think it is their place to teach.)
How can Kindergarten students be expected to see this teaching for what it is? How can elementary students hear this from their teachers and not begin to believe it? How can homeschooled students be prepared to deal with this when they are out from under our care?
How much teaching is required of us in the home to counter-act this? To prepare our children for a world where this is normal? What do we do?
This is subtle, and yet, not so subtle. I guess it depends on how much you are paying attention. While it may appear to just be "two days out of the whole school year", you have to know this is being taught/promoted more than just on these scheduled days. And only 3 children were kept home that day. Three. Out of 350 students. And it isn't like those 3 students aren't going to get filled in by their friends.
We need more than just teaching our children, "God made 2 distinct sexes." This is all being taught to our children (it's NOT just California....and it WILL be in many other places in a few years) in the name of "acceptance" and "anti-bullying." That word acceptance is a buzz word. Watch for it. See what things fall under the word acceptance. (That book was part of the 2 days of lessons.)
I wrote about this trend in public schools a long time ago. (The first year I blogged actually.) We used to do a "multi-cultural" unit in December when I taught 3rd grade. We studied Christmas Around the World and each child was put in a group and assigned a country and at the end of 2 weeks they had to give a presentation on how people in that country celebrated the holidays, complete with food, costumes, etc. Multi-cultural was a big, big thing in the early 90s when i was a teacher. The music teacher had the 3rd graders do a multi-cultural musical. A preacher friend of ours was at the performance because his wife was a teacher and his son was in 3rd grade. After it was over, I remember him muttering about how he was sick of this "one world thing." I remember being totally clueless about what he meant. I got it later.
Community. Acceptance. Diversity. Anti-bullying. Differences. Non-discrimination. Safe schools. Oh people, SO MUCH is being slid under the door under these names. If your child goes to public school, please investigate. Pay attention. I would like to believe, like many seem to, that your children are JUST learning math, reading, writing, etc. at school. But it isn't true. They are parenting your children. And it might not jive with your beliefs. (And even if it DOES jive with your beliefs, I do not think it is their place to teach.)
How can Kindergarten students be expected to see this teaching for what it is? How can elementary students hear this from their teachers and not begin to believe it? How can homeschooled students be prepared to deal with this when they are out from under our care?
How much teaching is required of us in the home to counter-act this? To prepare our children for a world where this is normal? What do we do?
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Something to Guard Against
I read an article on yahoo yesterday that I could not get off of my mind all evening. You may have seen it. It was about some parents who are not revealing the sex of their 4 month old baby. They are attempting to raise the child in a gender neutral (GN) fashion.
I don't know why that article stayed on my mind so much. Are they radical? Yes. Many people would not go so far as to do what they are doing--or to allow their sons (they have 2 other children) to shop from either the boys or girls section in clothing stores and decide if they want their hair long or short. But that doesn't mean that many people do not agree with these parents at some level.
So I kept reading and googling. Apparently, some folks think a GN world would be just about perfect. They can't wait for the day when society stops placing biases and limits on people and when others stop drawing a line and saying "choose." I don't think they just want a "third category".....I think they'd like there to BE no categories.
Anyway, as a Christian this topic gets my attention and it should yours too if you are a Christian. I'll tell you why in a minute.
As I googled and read, I began to see some major categories popping up where GN is becoming main stream. In case you haven't thought much about this, perhaps these links will be eye opening.
Fashion. I already have thought about this several years ago. Children go to school wearing standardized dress of khaki or blue bottoms and a polo style shirt on top all their lives. Then, they get a job at Target, or the bank, or wherever and guess what? They wear khaki pants and a polo style shirt! There is precious little difference in how the men and women look at many places of business. The styles of military uniforms have also changed. I spoke about all this here.
But it seems to be going a step further now. Fashion designers are actually designing clothing that is intentionally GN. This means it is designed to be for EITHER sex to wear. Especially where children are concerned as there isn't as much difference in their bodies. Check out the store sign on this article. Here is a slide show that was interesting. If you need help figuring it all out, there is help available.
Dorm rooms. I don't remember which college started it, but it has caught on. Now it is PC to offer GN living arrangements. Many colleges are offering this type of dorm. And if you are going to offer living arrangements that are GN, then of course restrooms will follow suit. High schools are already dealing with this. As well as prom situations, homecoming situations, etc. All this is being done in the name of anti-bullying. These students must have a "safe" place. So, we must offer these arrangements. Oh, and they cannot be discriminated against.
Can you follow this path further down the road in your mind? Where does this lead? What will your local elementary school look like in a few years? What will be taught? It's already being taught in many places.
Which reminds me: children's books. Be careful at the library because there are a lot of children's books being written to address these issues. They are also being read to classes in many elementary schools.
Another major category is GN language. You know, we must say actor instead of actor/actress, etc. This, of course, moves us into GN Bible translations. Oh, don't even get me started. Read. Be aware. Be informed. The version you love may have been edited recently. Research before you buy because this one is serious. Altering the Word of God to be more "inclusive" and PC??? Not good.
So it seems this is the way our world is going. I cannot even imagine how things will be in 20 or 30 years. Obviously, we must teach about this to our children. God's word says:
"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Genesis 1:27
God created two sexes. Distinct and different from one another. Plain and simple. And because my Lord did this, and said that it was good, I will continue to believe that there should be a distinction. Especially among Christians because if the world is going GN, then we should stand apart from that. What does this mean? It means my girls and I will be wearing a lot more skirts and even when we wear other things, we will make sure to look as feminine as we can. As much NOT GN as possible. It means men should look like men. I know this varies from culture to culture, but there should be a distinction--both in our dress and our behavior!
And I will pray. I do not hate people who are confused about their gender, but I do hate that it is common in our world. Children are hurting, they are committing suicide. They are miserable. They have been lied to and the Liar is deceptively confusing many people. God is not a God of confusion. These people need to know the Lord and Savior. They need prayer.
So as a Christian, I will guard against the rising tide of GN in our world, I will teach my children the truth, and I will continue to speak the truth. God did not mess up. He did not make a mistake.
What do you say about all of it? What should our reaction as Christians be?
I don't know why that article stayed on my mind so much. Are they radical? Yes. Many people would not go so far as to do what they are doing--or to allow their sons (they have 2 other children) to shop from either the boys or girls section in clothing stores and decide if they want their hair long or short. But that doesn't mean that many people do not agree with these parents at some level.
So I kept reading and googling. Apparently, some folks think a GN world would be just about perfect. They can't wait for the day when society stops placing biases and limits on people and when others stop drawing a line and saying "choose." I don't think they just want a "third category".....I think they'd like there to BE no categories.
Anyway, as a Christian this topic gets my attention and it should yours too if you are a Christian. I'll tell you why in a minute.
As I googled and read, I began to see some major categories popping up where GN is becoming main stream. In case you haven't thought much about this, perhaps these links will be eye opening.
Fashion. I already have thought about this several years ago. Children go to school wearing standardized dress of khaki or blue bottoms and a polo style shirt on top all their lives. Then, they get a job at Target, or the bank, or wherever and guess what? They wear khaki pants and a polo style shirt! There is precious little difference in how the men and women look at many places of business. The styles of military uniforms have also changed. I spoke about all this here.
But it seems to be going a step further now. Fashion designers are actually designing clothing that is intentionally GN. This means it is designed to be for EITHER sex to wear. Especially where children are concerned as there isn't as much difference in their bodies. Check out the store sign on this article. Here is a slide show that was interesting. If you need help figuring it all out, there is help available.
Dorm rooms. I don't remember which college started it, but it has caught on. Now it is PC to offer GN living arrangements. Many colleges are offering this type of dorm. And if you are going to offer living arrangements that are GN, then of course restrooms will follow suit. High schools are already dealing with this. As well as prom situations, homecoming situations, etc. All this is being done in the name of anti-bullying. These students must have a "safe" place. So, we must offer these arrangements. Oh, and they cannot be discriminated against.
Can you follow this path further down the road in your mind? Where does this lead? What will your local elementary school look like in a few years? What will be taught? It's already being taught in many places.
Which reminds me: children's books. Be careful at the library because there are a lot of children's books being written to address these issues. They are also being read to classes in many elementary schools.
Another major category is GN language. You know, we must say actor instead of actor/actress, etc. This, of course, moves us into GN Bible translations. Oh, don't even get me started. Read. Be aware. Be informed. The version you love may have been edited recently. Research before you buy because this one is serious. Altering the Word of God to be more "inclusive" and PC??? Not good.
So it seems this is the way our world is going. I cannot even imagine how things will be in 20 or 30 years. Obviously, we must teach about this to our children. God's word says:
"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Genesis 1:27
God created two sexes. Distinct and different from one another. Plain and simple. And because my Lord did this, and said that it was good, I will continue to believe that there should be a distinction. Especially among Christians because if the world is going GN, then we should stand apart from that. What does this mean? It means my girls and I will be wearing a lot more skirts and even when we wear other things, we will make sure to look as feminine as we can. As much NOT GN as possible. It means men should look like men. I know this varies from culture to culture, but there should be a distinction--both in our dress and our behavior!
And I will pray. I do not hate people who are confused about their gender, but I do hate that it is common in our world. Children are hurting, they are committing suicide. They are miserable. They have been lied to and the Liar is deceptively confusing many people. God is not a God of confusion. These people need to know the Lord and Savior. They need prayer.
So as a Christian, I will guard against the rising tide of GN in our world, I will teach my children the truth, and I will continue to speak the truth. God did not mess up. He did not make a mistake.
What do you say about all of it? What should our reaction as Christians be?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Update on Dad
I had asked for prayers for my dad several months ago. If you remember that far back! Anyway, he had his check up last week and got the results this week. They said his cancer had grown a bit, but not enough to warrant starting treatment right now. They said come back in 4 months. That was very good news! Also, next month a new pill will be approved for his type of cancer. It is the first new treatment for this cancer in over 30 years. The side effects sound small and so in four months if he has to begin treatment, it will probably be that.
Now, Dad was up all last night with stomach cramps. He's headed to his regular doctor this morning to see what's going on. So....he still needs prayer. I hope it's nothing major at all and of course, unrelated to his cancer. He was planning on going out of town this weekend, so I pray that the doctor knows for absolute sure what is going on so dad can make the best decision about leaving town or not. Not many docs where he's headed....
Thank you, bloggy friends, for praying for complete stranger!
Now, Dad was up all last night with stomach cramps. He's headed to his regular doctor this morning to see what's going on. So....he still needs prayer. I hope it's nothing major at all and of course, unrelated to his cancer. He was planning on going out of town this weekend, so I pray that the doctor knows for absolute sure what is going on so dad can make the best decision about leaving town or not. Not many docs where he's headed....
Thank you, bloggy friends, for praying for complete stranger!
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Princess Party
We've been involved in a "Carrie Co-op" lately. She's good at coming up with these. She invited some other girls around her daughter's age to participate. It was fun. Today was our last class.
Each week we watched the DVD, which is where the main lesson is found, and where the girls learned parts of a song each week including the sign language to go along with it. Then we went back to the table and did some activities and crafts and had a snack. But THIS week....was the grand finale.
Oh, HOW many times did Little Bit ask to go to the final princess class? I lost count. She could not wait!
Before we left....had to show this picture. I made this dress a few years ago from a tutorial and it finally fits her right!
I know you can't tell in these pics, but the dress is made from a man's dress shirt. Also, LOOK how long her hair is!!!! It only took 7 years to get here people.
We worked on their foam castle kits at the beginning of class. Carrie is weilding the hot glue gun--watch out!
Sweetheart joined the class one week when we had a few girls out, so she made a castle as well.
During the video--the girls are praying. So sweet.
Then we played a quick game together from the activity book, then sent them upstairs to change.
And then each girl came down the stairs and were presented with a flower and a tiara.
Do you love their dresses? We got them at thrift stores. :)
The princess banquet!
Four lovely little girls who now know that being a true forever princess doesn't mean wearing fancy clothes or living in a castle. Fancy clothes and tiaras are fun, but a true princess (daughter of THE King) shows God's love to others.
Meanwhile, Sweetheart and Kate (can you see her back there in the flowerbed?) dug up lizards and snails. So, let's just say they were enjoying the King's creation shall we?
Thank you Carrie, for organizing such a fun class!
Each week we watched the DVD, which is where the main lesson is found, and where the girls learned parts of a song each week including the sign language to go along with it. Then we went back to the table and did some activities and crafts and had a snack. But THIS week....was the grand finale.
Oh, HOW many times did Little Bit ask to go to the final princess class? I lost count. She could not wait!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Peaceful
Sunday afternoon S declared we were picking up the house. We all worked together and got the girls' room, their bathroom, the homeschool room, and living room cleaned up. What a difference!
Today I got groceries for the week and got a lot of laundry done. The girls have the day off of school (we are taking 2 days of Spring break this week and 3 another week.) so their job is to clean the toy room.
But even before we got all that done, my husband said, "We have such a peaceful house."
Looking around at the chaos and disorder around here sometimes would make you wonder. Knowing the worry and swirling thoughts in my head sometimes might not make you think of peace. Looking at our family calendar might not either.
But it's true. S grew up in a home that wasn't all that peaceful. In our house, there is no fighting. There is no yelling or slamming of doors. There is not uncontrolled anger or alcohol or many other things that make a home un-peaceful.
Why? Because we have arranged our lives in such superior ways? Because we are not busy? Because I am so organized and on top of things that there is never a moment's concern?
Please. You must know me better than that.
Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. It is given from God. We cannot manufacture it ourselves. It is not a feeling. I don't believe it is solely dependent on our circumstances either. God is bigger than that.
Can our brothers and sisters in Japan feel peace right now? I pray that they will, even though their circumstances are anything but peaceful right now. God can give peace to His people. It is a fruit of the Spirit, if we are walking in the Spirit. And no matter what circumstances we are in....we are at peace with God because of the sacrifice our Lord made on the cross for us.
That is maybe the best peace of all.
So if you are in an unpeaceful circumstance today---house is a mess, kids are sick, bank account is empty, not sure what you are going to do about supper, loved one in the hospital, marriage on the rocks, etc. know that peace does not come from those things anyway.
Peace comes only from God.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
Today I got groceries for the week and got a lot of laundry done. The girls have the day off of school (we are taking 2 days of Spring break this week and 3 another week.) so their job is to clean the toy room.
But even before we got all that done, my husband said, "We have such a peaceful house."
Looking around at the chaos and disorder around here sometimes would make you wonder. Knowing the worry and swirling thoughts in my head sometimes might not make you think of peace. Looking at our family calendar might not either.
But it's true. S grew up in a home that wasn't all that peaceful. In our house, there is no fighting. There is no yelling or slamming of doors. There is not uncontrolled anger or alcohol or many other things that make a home un-peaceful.
Why? Because we have arranged our lives in such superior ways? Because we are not busy? Because I am so organized and on top of things that there is never a moment's concern?
Please. You must know me better than that.
Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. It is given from God. We cannot manufacture it ourselves. It is not a feeling. I don't believe it is solely dependent on our circumstances either. God is bigger than that.
Can our brothers and sisters in Japan feel peace right now? I pray that they will, even though their circumstances are anything but peaceful right now. God can give peace to His people. It is a fruit of the Spirit, if we are walking in the Spirit. And no matter what circumstances we are in....we are at peace with God because of the sacrifice our Lord made on the cross for us.
That is maybe the best peace of all.
So if you are in an unpeaceful circumstance today---house is a mess, kids are sick, bank account is empty, not sure what you are going to do about supper, loved one in the hospital, marriage on the rocks, etc. know that peace does not come from those things anyway.
Peace comes only from God.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
I Looked It Up
Isn't that what you are supposed to do when you want to know something?
Last week or maybe the week before that, who can remember, I asked you all "What does reverence in worship look like?"
We had a little conversation in the comments section about it. It's still been on my mind. Maybe part of it is because we visited at a church on Sunday with a much different "worship style" than our own church. The difference was stark.
No, it's been on my mind for weeks and weeks now. Reverence in worship. Are we reverent in the way we act/behave/approach the Lord during church?
Well, it turns out I was asking a redundant question.
Merriam-Webster defines worship (n) this way: Reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power.
For Bible words, we like to use Webster's 1828 dictionary. Just to see if meanings have changed. Here is what the old Webster's said about worship (v): To adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration.
Everywhere we looked, the word worship was directly tied to reverence. In fact, one might argue it is the definition of it.
So it turns out I was asking a dumb question. And yes, worship is a way of life. It is how we live. It is not a song service.
I think these definitions really drive that home.
Any thoughts?
Last week or maybe the week before that, who can remember, I asked you all "What does reverence in worship look like?"
We had a little conversation in the comments section about it. It's still been on my mind. Maybe part of it is because we visited at a church on Sunday with a much different "worship style" than our own church. The difference was stark.
No, it's been on my mind for weeks and weeks now. Reverence in worship. Are we reverent in the way we act/behave/approach the Lord during church?
Well, it turns out I was asking a redundant question.
Merriam-Webster defines worship (n) this way: Reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power.
For Bible words, we like to use Webster's 1828 dictionary. Just to see if meanings have changed. Here is what the old Webster's said about worship (v): To adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration.
Everywhere we looked, the word worship was directly tied to reverence. In fact, one might argue it is the definition of it.
So it turns out I was asking a dumb question. And yes, worship is a way of life. It is how we live. It is not a song service.
I think these definitions really drive that home.
Any thoughts?
I Looked It Up
Isn't that what you are supposed to do when you want to know something?
Last week or maybe the week before that, who can remember, I asked you all "What does reverence in worship look like?"
We had a little conversation in the comments section about it. It's still been on my mind. Maybe part of it is because we visited at a church on Sunday with a much different "worship style" than our own church. The difference was stark.
No, it's been on my mind for weeks and weeks now. Reverence in worship. Are we reverent in the way we act/behave/approach the Lord during church?
Well, it turns out I was asking a redundant question.
Merriam-Webster defines worship (n) this way: Reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power.
For Bible words, we like to use Webster's 1828 dictionary. Just to see if meanings have changed. Here is what the old Webster's said about worship (v): To adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration.
Everywhere we looked, the word worship was directly tied to reverence. In fact, one might argue it is the definition of it.
So it turns out I was asking a dumb question. And yes, worship is a way of life. It is how we live. It is not a song service.
I think these definitions really drive that home.
Any thoughts?
Last week or maybe the week before that, who can remember, I asked you all "What does reverence in worship look like?"
We had a little conversation in the comments section about it. It's still been on my mind. Maybe part of it is because we visited at a church on Sunday with a much different "worship style" than our own church. The difference was stark.
No, it's been on my mind for weeks and weeks now. Reverence in worship. Are we reverent in the way we act/behave/approach the Lord during church?
Well, it turns out I was asking a redundant question.
Merriam-Webster defines worship (n) this way: Reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power.
For Bible words, we like to use Webster's 1828 dictionary. Just to see if meanings have changed. Here is what the old Webster's said about worship (v): To adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration.
Everywhere we looked, the word worship was directly tied to reverence. In fact, one might argue it is the definition of it.
So it turns out I was asking a dumb question. And yes, worship is a way of life. It is how we live. It is not a song service.
I think these definitions really drive that home.
Any thoughts?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Faith on Tuesday
We've been talking a lot in church about how God's plan is bigger than us. About how every single minute detail of our lives may not work out to our advantage. About how God sees the big picture and He is working to accomplish His will...not ours.
After much discussion the last 2 weeks in our small group, one of the ladies asked, "OK. But what does this look like on a Tuesday?"
I thought that was an excellent question.
What about it? What if, on Tuesday, you are in a bad place? What if things are NOT going the way you've been hoping and praying they would go? What if you cannot for the life of you see how God is going to work out your situation? What if things have spun totally and completely out of (your) control? How does "I understand God is up to bigger things than me" look on a regular day?
We didn't have time to dive into scripture when she first posed that question. My immediate response was, "It looks like obeying anyway." We know God is in control. We know the things He has asked of us. Even on Tuesday when things are looking bad, will we continue to obey?
I think of the old hymn Trust and Obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
But that isn't scripture.
So what do you think? How does our understanding that God is in control and we aren't look on a day to day basis? How are we to act or react when things are looking bad and we can't understand how any of it will work out?
What does faith on Tuesday look like?
After much discussion the last 2 weeks in our small group, one of the ladies asked, "OK. But what does this look like on a Tuesday?"
I thought that was an excellent question.
What about it? What if, on Tuesday, you are in a bad place? What if things are NOT going the way you've been hoping and praying they would go? What if you cannot for the life of you see how God is going to work out your situation? What if things have spun totally and completely out of (your) control? How does "I understand God is up to bigger things than me" look on a regular day?
We didn't have time to dive into scripture when she first posed that question. My immediate response was, "It looks like obeying anyway." We know God is in control. We know the things He has asked of us. Even on Tuesday when things are looking bad, will we continue to obey?
I think of the old hymn Trust and Obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
But that isn't scripture.
So what do you think? How does our understanding that God is in control and we aren't look on a day to day basis? How are we to act or react when things are looking bad and we can't understand how any of it will work out?
What does faith on Tuesday look like?
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Thankful
The kitchen needs to be cleaned.
But I am thankful.
The living room is kind of a mess.
But I am thankful.
It's rainy and dreary outside. And cold.
But I am thankful.
I am thankful to be home with my family. I am thankful that today, we are all healthy. I am thankful that I can hear my girls playing in the next room. I am thankful my husband is home. I am thankful for the way God provides for us. I am thankful that we have salvation because of what Jesus Christ did for us. I am thankful that God sees fit to hear our prayers.
And tomorrow I will be thankful too. There are many problems in this life. Our creation is broken and our world does not run the way God first intended it too. But I will still be thankful.
I will be thankful because God is good. He is SO good that it overshadows all the bad.
Romans 8:18: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
It's hard to realize that sometimes. Sometimes the present sufferings seem just about as bad as anything can get. God's Word says the sufferings are not even worth comparing.....to the glory that is to come.
I don't think we can imagine how good things are going to be one day. That is why bad seems so bad right now. But God's Word says they aren't worth comparing.
I will choose to believe that. And be thankful.
But I am thankful.
The living room is kind of a mess.
But I am thankful.
It's rainy and dreary outside. And cold.
But I am thankful.
I am thankful to be home with my family. I am thankful that today, we are all healthy. I am thankful that I can hear my girls playing in the next room. I am thankful my husband is home. I am thankful for the way God provides for us. I am thankful that we have salvation because of what Jesus Christ did for us. I am thankful that God sees fit to hear our prayers.
And tomorrow I will be thankful too. There are many problems in this life. Our creation is broken and our world does not run the way God first intended it too. But I will still be thankful.
I will be thankful because God is good. He is SO good that it overshadows all the bad.
Romans 8:18: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
It's hard to realize that sometimes. Sometimes the present sufferings seem just about as bad as anything can get. God's Word says the sufferings are not even worth comparing.....to the glory that is to come.
I don't think we can imagine how good things are going to be one day. That is why bad seems so bad right now. But God's Word says they aren't worth comparing.
I will choose to believe that. And be thankful.
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