This week has been an interesting week to say the least. At least in the life of a certain celebrity chef. I have been following the news releases and trying to make sense of it all. One thing that stands out above all else is once upon a time Paula Deen used a derogatory word, a very long once upon a time ago. And now she is being crucified for it.
In our “love is key” world, this woman is not feeling the love. In fact, this type of behavior is what I would expect of the world. No grace, no mercy, no forgiveness and a long notebook that keeps track of all wrongs committed. In fact, I believe we are seeing the world’s true colors.
In a world that preaches tolerance and getting along we must question the motives behind the preaching. In other words, tolerance is expected for some circles, but others are left out in the cold. Paula Deen is near frozen.
I immediately saw the injustice of it. Because Paula is white and she used the “N” word over twenty years ago, she is presently a racist and intolerant. Because of course we are all exactly what we were twenty years ago. Yeah, and if you believe that I’m pretty certain I have an ocean front property to sell you in Arizona and by all rights I should be wearing a size 10. Okay, so that’s a farce.
Fired from the Food Network, no longer the spokesperson for Smithfield products, the future looks dim for the celebrity foodie. Or do they? Her fans are crawling out of the woodwork and screaming foul play. Boycotts of Food Network are in progress and subscribers are leaving the network in droves. I’m sure there will be plenty of repercussions for Smithfield as well.
Both the Food Network and Smishfield are looking for accolades for standing up for the oppressed. When in fact they are hypocritical goons that look like fools in the eyes of the masses. Sure, there are a few clapping their hands at such stupidity. But most see such behavior for what it is and do not condone hanging someone out to dry for something that happened years ago. So, is the Food Network going to ask their African American chefs if they have ever used derogatory descriptions of white people and fire them too? That’s a big no. Like I said, a bunch of hypocrites.
Sorry, I was rambling there. BTW…having a blog is kind of fun. Ranting is completely allowable. But, back to my point.
It is never okay to speak ill of anyone. I don’t care what color you are, the rules should be the same for everyone. We should all be held to the same measuring stick. All of us. We have become such a politically correct world that many are asking Paula to pay for the sins of generations past. Is that really fair? No, it’s not.
Hasn’t that already been done for us? Oh yeah, it has. Christ took care of it all on the cross. Now get over it.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Don't Judge Me! (Even Though I'm Secretly a Wolf!)
Who are you afraid of offending more? God or man?
Most of us would automatically answer God. But, would that be the right answer according to how we live our lives? How would someone close to us answer for us? Would they testify to the fact that we live our lives to please God rather than man?
I believe if most of us examined ourselves carefully, and if we were truthful with ourselves, we would have to admit that we struggle in this area. More often than not, it’s man’s approval we are yearning for.
Maybe it’s being on social media that makes this more obvious. We see many things that we shouldn’t see, read many things we shouldn’t read. For some reason, people don’t think when they post on these sites. They allow their tempers to flare and being on the other side of a computer screen gives them courage they’d never have otherwise. Then again, when a nation who calls itself “Christian” elects a man that blatantly supports the murder of millions of babies and publicly congratulates a famous basketball player on his “coming out” I’d say it is a whole lot worse than seeing our “bad” sides. We look more like the world each and every day.
As a matter of fact, if you compared some “Christians” with non-believers it would be difficult to tell them apart. What happened to “knowing them by their fruit” as told to us by Jesus in Matthew 7:16? I mean, this is Jesus saying “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Most Christians and non-Christians alike can quote Matthew 7:1. “Judge not, that you be not judged.” What I’d like to know is why we don’t hear more about the verses farther down the page, the ones I quoted above? Well, that question is rhetorical, of course. The answer is, who wants to be held accountable? Who wants to answer for their sin? It’s not fun, but taking responsibility will make you a better person and more like Christ.
What troubles me most? The churches’ tendency to succumb to this trend. Today’s church no longer calls sin, sin. They no longer preach truth. They don’t want to offend, even if that means sacrificing the church. I have found whole portions of scripture, warnings to believers and sinners alike that are wholly forgotten passages. I can’t remember the last time I heard holiness preached. Has God changed his mind? Are we no longer called to holiness? Is everything about the love? Or is there something sinister and destructive going on?
Does this frighten you too? Does it make you sad? I’d love to know your thoughts.
Most of us would automatically answer God. But, would that be the right answer according to how we live our lives? How would someone close to us answer for us? Would they testify to the fact that we live our lives to please God rather than man?
I believe if most of us examined ourselves carefully, and if we were truthful with ourselves, we would have to admit that we struggle in this area. More often than not, it’s man’s approval we are yearning for.
Maybe it’s being on social media that makes this more obvious. We see many things that we shouldn’t see, read many things we shouldn’t read. For some reason, people don’t think when they post on these sites. They allow their tempers to flare and being on the other side of a computer screen gives them courage they’d never have otherwise. Then again, when a nation who calls itself “Christian” elects a man that blatantly supports the murder of millions of babies and publicly congratulates a famous basketball player on his “coming out” I’d say it is a whole lot worse than seeing our “bad” sides. We look more like the world each and every day.
As a matter of fact, if you compared some “Christians” with non-believers it would be difficult to tell them apart. What happened to “knowing them by their fruit” as told to us by Jesus in Matthew 7:16? I mean, this is Jesus saying “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Most Christians and non-Christians alike can quote Matthew 7:1. “Judge not, that you be not judged.” What I’d like to know is why we don’t hear more about the verses farther down the page, the ones I quoted above? Well, that question is rhetorical, of course. The answer is, who wants to be held accountable? Who wants to answer for their sin? It’s not fun, but taking responsibility will make you a better person and more like Christ.
What troubles me most? The churches’ tendency to succumb to this trend. Today’s church no longer calls sin, sin. They no longer preach truth. They don’t want to offend, even if that means sacrificing the church. I have found whole portions of scripture, warnings to believers and sinners alike that are wholly forgotten passages. I can’t remember the last time I heard holiness preached. Has God changed his mind? Are we no longer called to holiness? Is everything about the love? Or is there something sinister and destructive going on?
Does this frighten you too? Does it make you sad? I’d love to know your thoughts.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Submission, It's Not for the Weak!
Perhaps one of the most feared, hated words in society today is the word submit.
Often times this word is misconstrued or used improperly. Because of this, both Christian and secular women avoid it like the plague.
We women want to be known for our independence, our intelligence and our ability to do anything a man can do, only better. Submission throws a well-aimed road block in our well thought out road map which wasn’t part of the travel plan.
I say it’s time to take another look at submission. Not in the negative light this word so often gets, but in the light in which it was meant. A light that reveals a woman’s strength, not her weakness, a light that exposes her for her intelligence, her independence and her abilities.
First off, let me tell you that every woman struggles with submission. It is not only the baby Christians, or the young Christians. Regardless of your age in Christ, at times you struggle with submission. Therefore it is with a grinning heart that I admit every time I would think about writing this post, my husband would do something to make me question my sanity. (Or at least my ability to acquiesce to the idea of submitting to that man.)
I remember well the first time this word was brought up in my marriage, well it was actually a word that is sometimes substituted for submit. It was the day of our wedding. We were standing at the altar, hand in hand, facing one another. Excited and encouraged, we willingly repeated the words that our pastor asked us to repeat. We were vowing our love and allegiance to one another. That is until our pastor threw the word obey in without telling me. You should have seen my head jerk. Pastor Rod was grinning ear to ear. I gave him a dirty look, crossed my toes and repeated the horrible word.
To this day when my husband reminds me of my vow, I tell him that part didn’t count cause it was sneaky and low down. I also remind him I had my toes crossed and I will not obey him. Submit, yes, but obey, no.
And that brings us to the heart of the submission.
A mature woman of God will submit to her husband.
What does that mean?
Let me tell you what it does not mean. It does not make you a doormat, or a punching bag. It does not mean you are of less value than your husband. It does not mean that all men are better than you, or that you need to submit to every man who walks the earth. It does not mean you are less intelligent or lacking in ability.
In our home this is what submission means. My husband and I have a partnership. We work together. We play together. We respect one another. He loves me. I love him. I respect his opinion and know that his ways of looking at things often vary greatly from my own. I respect him enough, and value his opinion enough that I willing ask him his thoughts. I want to know what he is thinking.
When I write a book, I will not publish until he has had a chance to read it and tell me what he thinks. Is this because he is a better writer than I? No. It’s because I value him so much, I want him to be a part of everything I do. He completes me.
Submission is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a good thing and mature women of God know that submitting does not diminish their relevance. In fact, submitting elevates a woman and shows her strength and self control.
Are you a mature woman of God?
Often times this word is misconstrued or used improperly. Because of this, both Christian and secular women avoid it like the plague.
We women want to be known for our independence, our intelligence and our ability to do anything a man can do, only better. Submission throws a well-aimed road block in our well thought out road map which wasn’t part of the travel plan.
I say it’s time to take another look at submission. Not in the negative light this word so often gets, but in the light in which it was meant. A light that reveals a woman’s strength, not her weakness, a light that exposes her for her intelligence, her independence and her abilities.
First off, let me tell you that every woman struggles with submission. It is not only the baby Christians, or the young Christians. Regardless of your age in Christ, at times you struggle with submission. Therefore it is with a grinning heart that I admit every time I would think about writing this post, my husband would do something to make me question my sanity. (Or at least my ability to acquiesce to the idea of submitting to that man.)
I remember well the first time this word was brought up in my marriage, well it was actually a word that is sometimes substituted for submit. It was the day of our wedding. We were standing at the altar, hand in hand, facing one another. Excited and encouraged, we willingly repeated the words that our pastor asked us to repeat. We were vowing our love and allegiance to one another. That is until our pastor threw the word obey in without telling me. You should have seen my head jerk. Pastor Rod was grinning ear to ear. I gave him a dirty look, crossed my toes and repeated the horrible word.
To this day when my husband reminds me of my vow, I tell him that part didn’t count cause it was sneaky and low down. I also remind him I had my toes crossed and I will not obey him. Submit, yes, but obey, no.
And that brings us to the heart of the submission.
A mature woman of God will submit to her husband.
What does that mean?
Let me tell you what it does not mean. It does not make you a doormat, or a punching bag. It does not mean you are of less value than your husband. It does not mean that all men are better than you, or that you need to submit to every man who walks the earth. It does not mean you are less intelligent or lacking in ability.
In our home this is what submission means. My husband and I have a partnership. We work together. We play together. We respect one another. He loves me. I love him. I respect his opinion and know that his ways of looking at things often vary greatly from my own. I respect him enough, and value his opinion enough that I willing ask him his thoughts. I want to know what he is thinking.
When I write a book, I will not publish until he has had a chance to read it and tell me what he thinks. Is this because he is a better writer than I? No. It’s because I value him so much, I want him to be a part of everything I do. He completes me.
Submission is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a good thing and mature women of God know that submitting does not diminish their relevance. In fact, submitting elevates a woman and shows her strength and self control.
Are you a mature woman of God?
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