In an attempt to be clever I took a self portrait yesterday while in the back pasture. I'm waving hello. Evaluating things with that first of a new year almost my birthday ruminative mindset. Still working through issues about church, unsure about the directions it is going but not feeling any pull to go elsewhere. One of the blogs I check on has been discussing issues within the Southern Baptist Convention and tensions over baptism, private prayer languages and who can or can't do what. While an internal denominational issue, since they are one of the largest protestant denominations they influence many people. Seems to me - we as 21st century Christians are not seeing a clear outline of our faith (like calling my goofy picture a self portrait- you didn't think I'd be able to tie this to anything did you? HA!) because we obscure scriptural commandments, direction and admonitions with man made rules. A person can take from scripture and decide "hey - you aren't allowed to wear braids"because of 1 Timothy 9:9. Problem comes when interpretation ignores context -Paul was directing women to clothe themselves with good deeds as is appropriate for women of God. He wasn't giving fashion instruction - be decently covered but primarily cover yourself up with what is good.
I am perplexed at how we take the love of Christ and turn it into an industry, marketing system, and scale for judging everyone else. Finished reading McManus'"The Barbarian Way" and still digesting that - my basic reaction is we become church ladies (Dana Carvey's cutting character on SNL)too easily. Certainly we should use discernment but that isn't even in the ballpark with being judgmental. Our love of God allows us to be free, less worried about tomorrow. We know how things will turn out but we continue to fret the small stuff. OK this is a big 180 away from my pets and recipes - I said in the beginning I was working through spiritual issues in my life, the blog was to serve as a discipline.
Counting down to the 100th blog - this is number 98 if I didn't get confuzzled about when this post will appear. I don't think there are 100 things about me worthy of putting in writing but I might include the ingredients for bread or something.
In my rantings - I have to conclude 1 Corinthians 13:13 means "love trumps everything"
In Buhlaland the current plan is to love extravagantly it is never wasted.
5 comments:
You can never go wrong with love!
Thank you Beth - I agree - I hesitated to write that since I'm of an age where we mistakenly turned to "all you need is love" (ala the Beatles and Woodstock etc.) instead of being a conduit for God's love in a fallen world. Again with the soap box she goes! Thank you for stopping by!
Enjoyed your comments on the church and your picture! I've read the end of the book too and know we win! Bless you and keep up the good writing.
III John 2 KJV
There is little more "confuzzling" than church issues. Been there, done that, never want to do it again, thankyouverymuch.
Hello Linda Sue. Just read your "100 profile" and we have many things in common. Some differences, I'm older, 67, and have three kiddos. One of our sons and his family live in San Antonio. Keep up the blog, I really enjoy it!
Rosie
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