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Folks there's an old saying around these parts: "If you want to know how a Christian should be living, go in any honky-tonk and ask someone there." Pure and simple, if you grew up around Christianity, church, religion at all you probably have a pretty clear idea of what is expected by and large from someone professing the faith. And the other point is that most sinners know they are a sinnin'. There's an old country song that goes about like this: "Goodbye, Mrs. Johnson. You self-righteous biddy. I don't need your loud mouth and I don't need your pity. So can go back to whatever you hypocrites do and when I speak to Heaven be nice and I'll put in a good word for you."
Now have I got everyone good and stirred up? Let's simmer down and I'll tell you what I'm up to. A dear friend of mine sent me a note today. Talking about the vast differences she sees in Christians and how so many times they seem not to do the things Christ did, and to do the things he didn't.
And that got me a thinkin' about my own walk with the Lord. And the many changes and, I hope, growth over the years. And I want to share a little of what I discovered as I pondered, here, with you all today. Reason being two-fold: to explain some of the discrepancies between us Christians to non-Christians and to give brothers and sisters in Christ a little eye opener as to what stage they may or may not be in. I'm not gonna sort out who's who. I'll leave that up to the Holy Spirit as He is significantly capable.
More often than not when someone accepts the Lord Jesus as their Savior they are floating on a supernatural high for some time afterward. This can make new converts extremely willing to share their experience with anyone and everyone. They are thrilled and, by golly, you should be too! They'll hound you to go to church with them. You'll find there is not a topic under Heaven they can't tie into needing to be saved. Now all of this may make them very annoying. But it's only right and natural as they have just found their One True Love. It's an exciting time! Try to be patient and just let what you don't want to hear go in one ear and out the other.
After one has been a Christian for a time, some sooner than others, the Holy Spirit will begin His reconstructive work in their lives. (Although a few fall away before ever getting here or once it starts.) See Jesus loves us all as we are but He does love us too much to leave us that sorry old way. This time can be very painful, because the crux of it is to get the person to see sin as God sees it. OUCH. Not pleasant. God Almighty can't even look upon it. It's vile and revolting. But necessary to see it. Why? So that we can recognize it in our lives, confess it and allow him to take that filth away and replace it with some good pretty stuff. The problem area is that while we are becoming more sensitive to sin of our own, we are also becoming much more sensitive to all sin. And like a child who has just learned a thing is bad to do, we go around trying to correct or stop everyone we see doing it. So that person who always just took you as you were may suddenly seem down right fed up with you. And no one wants to be around anyone who finds them disgusting. So the best you can do is try to avoid these sin policemen and be on your best behavior when you do by chance encounter them. God have mercy on the man trapped with his wife at this time. (Pete said AMEN)
Oh, but after God is through sweeping up the dirty old house of a soul He's now indwelling, He begins to teach the disciple all about love. Real love. God's love. If you are a Christian please don't miss this step! You'll begin to see those around you as He sees them. He has John Conlee's rose colored glasses in one hand and mercy in the other. He looks at folks with love. He understands why and how they went astray. What's wrong grieves Him as he only wants the best of them, expects the best of them. Motivated by love and mercy He wants to lift them up and fix all that is wrong. He wants to show them kindness and compassion. At this stage the Christian may be strangely quiet. As they know God cares more for everyone they know more than they ever could. As they realize that it is God's Holy Spirit who reaches men and women, not our contrivances. You may not be talked to nearly as much about spiritual matters, but you can bet you are being talked about a lot! In prayer. In intercession. That aggravating Christian is on their knees in front of their Heavenly Father crying and praying for your soul. Loving you more than you may ever know. This is the time of sowing. Every Christian is missing the most beautiful burden they will ever bear if they do not get here. So, enjoy the peace and allow them to reconnect to you. You'll be glad you did.
On down the road a Christian comes to realize they are mostly tending their own garden. Busy working on and refining themselves. They are kind without thinking. They are giving without reason. They occasionally have to put their foot down and say not in front of me or we don't do that here. But over all they are welcoming. Inviting. Pleasant to be around. They are trustworthy. They hesitate to say anything harsh, but when they do they try to temper it in love. They are doing the things God has been refining in them without effort, without pondering. Above all they are acutely aware of how far they have come and that it is only by the grace of God that they have. This makes them very humble about it all, not proud. These are those people who have the "glow". The very glory of Christ seems to rest upon them. If you have some in your life treasure them! Oh, that I would be there. Oh, that I will get there by His grace! Have no fear of these Christians. They are leaving it all up to His Holy Spirit. Trusting God to do all He can to call you to Him while there is still time. And lovingyou deeply in the meantime.
Remember, Jesus spent His time here among the sinners. That's part of what led to him being cruxified. The "Mrs. Johnson's" of his day didn't like the company he kept. And the only harsh words he ever spoke or hollering he ever did was at those "snakes and vipers", the chief priests, sadducees and pharisees who should have known better.
Please take note that some of this is tongue in cheek. And whether you be calling yourself Christian or not, I hope you see the love I have for each of you. I know this is not the entry I promised you next, but Someone had a change of plans.
Love,
Barbara
Seattle, Washington.........1,904 miles from Caneyhead.....SALUTE!!!
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Old Man, A Boy And A Donkey...
An old man, a boy and a donkey, were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked.
As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding.
The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.
Then, later, they passed some people who remarked, 'What a shame, he makes that little boy walk.'
So they then decided they'd both walk!
Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride.
So, they both rode the donkey.
Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.
The boy and man figured they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey.
As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.
The moral of the story?
If you try to please everyone, you might as well...
...Kiss your ass goodbye!
(Found the precious picture on a photobucket public album.)
My friend and long time neighbor, Lloyd, sent me that little joke. A whole lot of truth wrapped up there. Makes me think of all the political correctness run amuck these days. Brings to mind all the musical philosophers that have hit upon this chord.
Like Ricky Nelson said, you can't please everyone so you got to please yourself. And then there was Aaron Tippon's wise counsel that "you've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything." And American Poet Laureate, Merle Haggard, "I take a lot of pride in what I am."
Please folks. Take wise counsel. Cover it in prayer. Decide what is right and best and God's will for you. Plot a course. And remain true to it. Don't blow with the wind.
Hats off to my last visitor...from Kerrville, Texas...........298 miles from Caneyhead. SALUTE!!!
**Newsy type entry coming soon.**
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Geez, louise! When AOL finally gives you something, they really give it!! We have asked for more mood choices for how long?!? And now I come today and find a list so long I can't even make up my mind!!!
Pam, at Almost Forty has bestowed upon me a precious . I'm flattered. And would love to pass it on. But as I was reflecting upon doing that, I couldn't think of anyone who blogs here and comments here that I wouldn't pass it on to. You have all become very special to me for verious reasons; kindness, humor, friendship, prayers, information, helpfulness, etc.
And as I considered the dauntless task of naming each one, I was much too fearful I'd leave someone out. So please, consider youself as special to me!! And consider yourself awarded!
Want to share with each of you a picture of Blaze's colt. Bug took this with her disposable camera not long after she was born.
She's filed out now. And bouncy and happy. Blaze is super protective of her, after having that still born colt last year.
Bug and her Prissy horse are getting along great. She's been seperated from her mama now. She's so calm! Bug pets and loves all over her. Looking forward to and dreaming of the day she can ride her.
From SE Texas, Bridge City........just 32 miles from me....SALUTE!!
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I couldn't resist jumping in on this one. Krissy asks:
Where did you first find out about AOL blogs/journals, and what made you want to start one?
Truth be told, I must of discovered AOL Journals very near the beginning of thier existance. We were newly online for the first time. I followed a link from the welcome page. I set up a journal under the screen name I had then. Not sure how it all worked. Uncertain of what I was doing. But I wanted to connect with other Christian women. The statement at the top of the journal read: "A place to share our thoughts, feelings, experiences, testimonies, trails, etc." Only made two entries. Never got a comment. This was Nov. 2004.
The only journal I found at the time, read and commented in was Jackie's Deployment Diary. The journals were formatted very different then. Then we encountered a trojan that was impersonating AOL. We were very new to the internet and very green. Too scared to do otherwise, we canceled our AOL service and went with another company for awhile until we could get our PC cleaned up.
We lost our original screen names. I could never update that journal again or delete it. So, in about 6 months when we came back to AOL I started this journal under my new screen name.
I still had a desire to connect with other Christian women, but had a broader goal to also reach out to those who were not Christian and to share more of my rural lifestyle with others. The title of my journal sums it all up perfectly.
Thanks for asking Krissy!
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What is it to you, this holiday called Memorial Day? Has it become another three day weekend to escape to the lake or the beach? Is it all Bar-b-que's and sales spectaculars? Time off to get a jump on home improvement?
"Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan."
The fairly recent resolution of 2000 asks us all "to pause for one minute at 3:00 p.m. (local time) on Memorial Day, to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to provide freedom for all."
We can visit grave sites and lay flowers and place flags upon the graves of the fallen.
If you have a flag at your home or place of business you can fly it at half mast until noon.
You can visit a memorial.
Aid or honor their widows, orphans or a disabled veteran.
Personally, I plan to pick some of my flowers and take to the cemetery or memorial in town and place there. Spending some time to reflect upon their names and their sacrifice.
Don't live in the USA? Chances are you may live in a country where some of our service men and women have died. Join us in honoring them. Or pause with us at 3:00 p.m. your local time Monday and honor them and your own.
Whatever method you choose, please take the time to remember and to pass on the significance of the day.
Thanks to Sugar for the beautiful graphics to honor them.
Manchester, United Kingdom 4,636 miles from Caneyhead SALUTE!!
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