The silly and the sacred...questions that have me thinking! (Part 7)

Is it really OCD of me to "insist" (or prefer!) on even numbered things?  (i.e. families with even numbers, etc) 


Which First Baptist Church was actually the first?


How did Crayola come up with the crayon color names? (um, click on those words you just read for a current list from Crayola)  By committee?  Did/does one person get that job?  I think I might like that job!  Coming up with crayon color names?  C'mon!  How fun would that be?!?  You get to color all day long!  :) 


How many more silly and sacred questions can I ask? :)


If you died today, are you confident of where you would spend eternity?  (I'm being serious.)  And outside of being confident of where you would end up, are you okay with that?  (Again, being serious.)


Okay.  I have to ask.  Forgive me for any offense.  What is up with the condom machine's in gas station restrooms?  I mean really.  REALLY? 


Do all the other First Baptist Churches have insecurity about not being first so they are pretending they are first?  (I can't seem to let go of the questions I have about First Baptist Churches!)

Is there really a need for roundabouts in the middle of nowhere Kansas?!?  

The silly and the sacred...questions that have me thinking! (Part 6)

Where does line between collecting and hoarding get drawn?  And is that line blurred?


Have I ever given God permission to offend MY doctrine?  My doctrine, I am confident, is so different than his and I want to walk and live in HIS doctrine!  So have I given him permission to offend mine so that I can get to his?


Why does my brain think one word and my fingers type a totally different one? 


Is it possible to glean anything from someone that I disagree with the majority of the time?  (i.e. can I glean 1% percent from someone I disagree with 99%?)


At what age does someone begin to feel like a real adult?  Because I'm 36.5 years old and I still don't feel like a real adult!  (I know.  That totally sets me up for comments about how I act but whatever!)


How different would things in my life be if I let fear motivate me instead of stop me? 


If we traveled like the Jetson's would there be traffic issues in the sky?


What am I willing to "pay" to become the person I know I was created to be? 


Why does "white noise" work? How does it work?



Have you ever watched a Peep blow up in the microwave?  SO COOL.  :)

On March 16, 2011 I became a heretic. Who knew?!? :)

March 16, 2011 turned out to be an "interesting" day in the life of me.  By days end I was a heretic.  Man, I never thought I reach that level of insult in my Christian life.  Awesome.  OR NOT. 

I've thought of all sorts of clever Facebook status' to announce my newly declared position.  I called my husband and told him I hoped he didn't mind being married to a heretic.  I told my prayer team that they were friends with a heretic.  None of them seemed to mind.  Hmmm.  Maybe that means they are heretics also since they associate with me!  :)

First of all, just so we are all on the same page. 
A heretic, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is:
1: a dissenter from established religious dogma; especially : a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church who disavows a revealed truth
2: one who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine : nonconformist
Heretic comes from heresy, of course.  Here's that definition:
1a : adherence to a religious opinion contrary to church dogma b : denial of a revealed truth by a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church c : an opinion or doctrine contrary to church dogma

2a : dissent or deviation from a dominant theory, opinion, or practice b : an opinion, doctrine, or practice contrary to the truth or to generally accepted beliefs or standards
These definitions make me curious about the definition of dogma.  Here's that one:
1a : something held as an established opinion; especially : a definite authoritative tenet b : a code of such tenets c : a point of view or tenet put forth as authoritative without adequate grounds

2: a doctrine or body of doctrines concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by a church



Huh.  Well after reading those definitions maybe I AM a heretic!  But maybe I am in the best way possible!  SAY WHAT BETH?!?  Yep.  That's what I said. Maybe I should go back to those that called me a heretic, among other uncalled for and nasty names, and thank them for the compliment.  How crazy would that be?!? 

So I read those definitions and now I'm thinking.  I mean I am really chewing.  The Church has an interesting history.  We certainly didn't shine in the Dark Ages when I believe some true God-loving and God-fearing people were killed for being dissenters of Church doctrine.  And the Dark Ages haven't been our only dark moments.  Just last week when I was being called a heretic I almost thought those involved in the conversation were constructing a stake with which to tie me to.  And no.  I'm not really exaggerating all that much.  They were THAT vicious toward me.  So I think, I wonder if I had lived in the Dark Ages would I have been burned at the stake for my "dissenting" beliefs?  Hmmm. 

I know.  You are thinking, "Beth, what in the world?  What could you possibly believe that would prompt this?"  Okay. I'll tell you.  Are you ready?  Get the ropes, stake, and matches out.  Heck, while you're at it throw in all the ingredients for s'mores. I might be able to get one in before I go completely up in flames. :)

Here goes nothing...
I am inspired by Mother Theresa AND I have grown spiritually from a couple of Rob Bell's Nooma videos AND I suggested to some people that before they pass judgement on teachers of God's Word that they first do the biblical thing and be a "Berean" (i.e. they do their own research and homework on the person and make sure all claims they are hearing second and third hand are true and not false or embellished). 

GASP. 

Tie me on and light the match, let's get this stake burning going! 

I know.  Sounds like I'm exaggerating right?  Guess what? I'm NOT.  Those reasons are truly why the stake was being prepared. 

I need to return to the definitions above.  They make me think of something a bestie of mine and I have been throwing around lately. "God, I give you permission to offend MY doctrine for YOURS."  See, God's doctrine is 100% accurate.  Mine, yours, theirs is not.  It's not!  And so according to the definitions above I just might be a heretic because I don't, I can't adhere to "dominant theory, opinion, or practice" or "generally accepted beliefs or standards" and I don't see where God is asking me to conform (in one of the definitions above it mentions that a heretic is a nonconformist), in fact I see quite the opposite - he asks us to be nonconformists!  "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)

Here's my take on this.  And mind you, I haven't worked this all out prior to typing these words.  I'm working it out RIGHT NOW, while typing.  This is hot off the press, fresh off my brain stuff going on.  So here's my take.  Just because it is generally accepted doesn't mean it is right and/or biblical!  But the Church has made some generally accepted things as good as Gospel when it fact they are not.  Just because some belief is a dominant one doesn't mean it is right and/or biblical!  But the Church has made it seem so. And if someone dares to question the generally accepted or dominant belief then light the match.  

REALLY?!?  

Are we that judgemental?  Are we that tied to our own doctrine?  Are we that sure of our accuracy?  Are we that threatened by someone who voices a different perspective?  Voices a doubt?  Voices a question?

REALLY?!? 
(You'll note that I can't help but ask that several times because I'm dumbfounded, just absolutely dumbfounded at the behavior of the Body of Christ and how they - on the whole - are choosing to represent Christ.  No wonder people are plugging their ears and walking the other way.  Were I not a believer in Jesus Christ already I'd be walking the other way as well.  Hey, I'm just being real and honest here.) 

Apparently "we" are all that and more.  Darn it. 
See, I've been "working" hard at not being like that and more. But unfortunately the yahoo's that act that way are a lot louder than those of us who choose to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. (Yes I just name called by calling them yahoo's.  I have other names I could use but I'm choosing to be the better person here. Cut me some slack!  Yahoo's is actually pretty nice of me.  Again, real and honest.) 

Above I made the suggestion that maybe I am a heretic in the best way possible.  Based on the definitions given I would say that the best way possible would mean that I don't blindly accept "generally accepted ideas or practices" and I don't blindly follow the "dominant opinions and theories" but I do what God asks me to do and I study his Word and his doctrine for myself!  According to the definitions and to the people who called me a heretic by being a "Berean" I am, in fact, a heretic!  So I'm choosing to say that I am a heretic in the best way possible because I'm choosing God over man, over myself!  I'm saying to God that I'm willing to have him expose my wrong thinking, my judgemental thinking, my unbiblical patterns and whatever else he needs to rid me of for the sake of his doctrine.  Because when it comes right down to it my heart really does want God's doctrine over my own or someone else's.

Maybe I'm delusional for choosing to "embrace" (okay I'm not really there yet - face it, the word or rather label 'heretic' stings a bit.  Not to mention the other names I was called.) the label "heretic". Maybe I'm choosing to read into it to ease my hurt heart.  Maybe I'm in denial about the definitions and don't want to see it for what it really is. 

Or maybe, just maybe, I'm on to something. 

Maybe, just maybe, I'm not the only heretic in my circles of influence.  Maybe this will start a revolution of heretics.  People willing to say to God, "God, I give you permission to offend MY doctrine for YOURS."  Maybe those kind of people are heretics in the best way possible. 

Maybe heretics won't be a dirty Christian word and insult anymore.  Maybe it can become a compliment.

Maybe. 

All I know is on March 16, 2011 I became a heretic.  And who knows?  Well God.  He knows! Awesome?  Maybe!

Stories

Have you ever looked at someone and wondered about their story?


Have you watched people tell their stories as they live their lives?


Do me a favor.  Take a minute to look at each person below.  Really look at them.  Some of them you will recognize, some of them you won't. 

Be honest: 
As you looked at each person did you assume their story? 
Did the way they look create a story in your mind? 
Or perhaps you recognized them and because of what you have heard through media sources you think you know their story.  Do you think you know the full story? 
Take for example picture 2, the drug addict.  What was your first thoughts about his story as you looked at his picture? 

We may not agree or like the story people tell through their lives but we all are storytellers. 


What's this all about you may wonder.  Where's Beth going THIS time?  :) 


When was the last time you made eye contact with a homeless person?  A cashier?  The janitor at your workplace or school?  Someone who is disabled?  A person with a deformity?  A person you pass on the street?  Someone you don't like?  Someone you know doesn't like you? 


I've noticed that the way people live their lives and tell their stories can make us really uncomfortable, so much so that we choose to pretend they don't exist, so much so that we won't make eye contact with them.  We choose to forget that they have a story.  I'm thinking about homeless people as I type this.  Have you EVER wondered why someone is homeless or have you assumed why they are?  There's a difference.  Wondering why will lead you down roads of compassion, assuming why leads you down one road - judgement.

Here's one more picture.  I'm thinking all of you will recognize this person. :)  

So let me ask the questions I did above with people you didn't know but now they point toward someone you do know on some level. 

Be honest because I don't want or need to hear the answers!  :)

As you looked at me did you assume my story?

Does the way I look create a story in your mind?
Or perhaps because you know me on some level you think you know my story. Do you think you know the full story?
What was your first thought about my story as you looked at my picture?

Seriously Beth.  What's up? 

Here's my point.  We all have a story we are telling.  And we all assume we know the story others are telling based on the way they look, or sound, or portray themselves to the world around them.  But I think most of our assumptions are wrong.  I'm willing to bet that even the story you think I am telling isn't correct on several levels.  And I'm about to prove that to you!  Yep, I'm about to reveal a little more of my story so that we can all understand that people aren't who they are just by public appearances alone.  :)  Most people are able to put on a public face and persona for a time and by that we assume we know their story.  Need I point out what assuming does?  :) 

Just who is Beth anyway?

What you see, experience, and hear from me is only part of who I am.  Are they true parts of me?  Yes.  Are they all of me?  No. 

Most of you see me as the person in the picture above.  Laughing, seemingly outgoing, sociable.  Want to know the truth?  I make myself be that because the reality is I am an introvert.  No. No arguing and telling me I'm not because I know who I am!  Remember, you are basing what you think you know about me based on your interactions with me.  Think about our interactions.  Have they been in social situations?  :)  Then you have perceived me as an extrovert because I can be one, albeit for a short time, when necessary.  People at my workplace think I am an extrovert because of how I present myself.  I actually had one person argue with me that I was not an introvert and they told me I didn't know myself!  Um.  I do know myself.  I am an introvert.  Ask my husband and ask my counselor! :)  Here's the lowdown on most introverts.  Depending on the level of hesitation to be in social situations we can all be social for spurts of time but it drains us.  And because of that drain we need to retreat and recharge in order to go out and do it again.  I retreat on weekends; I don't like to answer my phone, I don't even like to be on Facebook or email much, I find it hard to agree to getting together with friends, even grocery shopping is hard because it forces me to interact some.  Some weekends I am more active than others, it really depends on how drained I feel from the work week of interacting with so many people.  Some people at my workplace will go to be with Jesus thinking I'm an extrovert.  That's okay. It means I am doing my job to make them feel comfortable and welcome. 

Let's talk a bit more about the laughing I am doing in the picture of myself.  That picture was taken in the middle of January 2010.  See me laughing?  I look like I'm in a good place emotionally right?  That's what one would think, that's what I would think if I didn't know me.  Guess what?  That was about the same time that I started crying, without explanation, and couldn't stop no matter what I did.  About a month after that picture was taken a couple of my Pastors, my husband, and myself all came to the conclusion that I had entered into a deep depression.  HUH.  Beth, are you sure?  'Cause that picture tells a different story.  Yep, I know.  Starting to see my point about people and their stories?  :)  That was the last picture of me laughing for a long, long time.  I'm glad to have the picture because it gives me a snapshot of hope, it tells me that I can and will exit this deep depression.  For the most part, by the way, I'm better.  I laugh again, I'm living again, I'm interacting with life once again.  But I walked through a season, a deep dark season in which I could do nothing but lay on my couch and cry and watch TV.  I had no interest in participating in life.  It was all I could do to get up each day and get my girls to school.  But if all you ever saw of me was that picture you never would believe that would you?  Could it be that behind the smiles (or frowns) of people are stories untold? 

I think that's probably enough about my story to convince you that what we see on the outside of people, what we assume by what we hear from them or others, isn't the full story and might not even contain any truth about who that person is!  We are so quick to assume, judge, deny, and ignore a person because of what we observe on the surface.  We do it with friends, with co-workers, with people at our churches, with family members.  There is a principle I have been slowly (I mean so slowly I feel like a turtle for heavens sake!  Thank goodness for God's patience with me!) learning and assimilating into my life.  It goes like this, "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor."  We are quick to judge because we don't want to take the time to find out the real story. 

Remember the drug addict from up above?  What's his story?  What did you assume his story is?  Have you changed your mind after reading about my story?  Could it be that he has deep hurts that he doesn't know how to numb except through drugs?  Yes, it could be.  Most addicts are simply using the thing they are addicted to as a cover up for deep wounds and hurts.  If only we would take the time to listen to their heart cries instead of judge them for their surface actions.  But we judge by the surface and in doing so become hypocritical because we are the same as them, just using a different method to numb.  We lose our compassion when we don't take the time to wonder why and simply assume.  Assuming leads to judgement. 

I've walked through a lot of judgement from people in the past year.  My depression led me, as I said, to withdraw from life.  That included church.  I couldn't deal with all the people!  Too many people, it led me to several panic attacks.  So the longer I have been away from church the more I have been judged by some Pastors at our church and by a lot of members.  I don't even care because I know what I know about me.  And the people that need to know about me know and that's all that matters. But I find it funny when I do walk into church, the people who have judged me behave one of two ways.  Either I get a weird look and then a refusal to acknowledge my existence or I get an overly enthusiastic response like I am back from the pit of hell!  AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  Praise God I can laugh about it.  That would have bothered me a year ago but I've learned a lot in the past year and now I just laugh and think to myself, "Someday they will get it.  Someday they will find themselves in some sort of similar position and they will get it."  And if they don't?  I'm not worried about it, they don't have to answer to me but to God.  :)  There's freedom in that also!  See the people judging me have assumed.  They haven't bothered to wonder why because that takes a commitment to enter into someones story, even for a brief time.  Those who have taken the time to come to me one-on-one and ask why have listened and then lent a hand, a shoulder, a ear, their hearts.  They committed themselves to my story.  And that has made a world of difference. 


We can make a difference in the lives of people when we choose to quit assuming and pick up some compassion and see beyond the surface to their real story.  It doesn't have to be a major commitment, it may just mean for 5 minutes we set aside assumptions and listen to what they have to say.  We will walk away with compassion instead of judgement and they will walk away feeling valued because someone chose to listen instead of lecture. 

The question for you and for me is, am I willing to hear the stories of people even when their stories may make me uncomfortable?  Am I willing to set aside my assumptions, which make me feel safe and better about myself, in order to find compassion for someone?

Everyone has a story to tell. Listen to others and let others listen to you.

The silly and the sacred...questions that have me thinking! (Part 5)

You know the bikes that look like this? 

Well do their arms get tired?!? 

Do we realize that everyone has a story?

Why, as a 36.5 year old, am I breaking out as if I were a teenager?  ARG! 

I've been scratching my head over the whole issue of tolerance.  Why do I, as a Believer in Jesus Christ, have to be tolerant of all other beliefs but those other beliefs don't have to be tolerant of my belief?  Doesn't that present an incomplete definition of tolerance? 



I wonder this daily:  How does Lanny put up with me?  (No seriously, this is a daily question for me!)

Why do I do what I don't want to do and don't do what I want to do?  (I'm not the first person to ask this question but I ask it of myself daily)

How much am I willing to pay to have the last word?  Because having the last word always costs something...ALWAYS.