Strong Women

I watched So You Think You Can Dance last night and was pretty frustrated with all the hoopla and standing ovation for the two girls dancing together.  I really didn't see anything that spectacular about Sasha's and Melanie's dance. Don't get me wrong, it was a good piece and they danced very well (although I did feel that Melanie was having to keep up with Sasha) but I really felt like it was just a "praising" just to try to get people to accept two women together not being women but being strong.  Why this need to portray women as fierce and manly and strong and androgenous?  What's wrong with a woman being a woman!  People are really being duped.  What God created in men and women is a beautiful thing.  There is nothing inferior or less about a woman.  Both male and female have very important and powerful roles and positions and responsibilities and we all need to accept who we are, male or female, and be our best.  Marriage is not for two women or two men - it is for one man and one woman.  People can have friends that are the same sex and can enjoy doing things together but they can not experience marriage as it was created to be.  What they have should be considered friendship.  Intimacy as it was designed can not be experienced by two people of the same sex.  When people say things like "I'm just being myself" in relation to their sexuality it's a lie.  If you were created as a male and you try to be a female you couldn't be any further from being yourself - you are a male!  I feel that we as a society can help with some of these, to me, inaccurate feelings by not making someone who enjoys sewing or dancing or something that seems opposite of what society says is masculine or feminine feel that they can't enjoy those things and be male/female.  I'm sure this doesn't make a lot of sense and many would argue otherwise but these are just my thoughts and feelings and how I felt at the end of the show last night.  I like being "a weaker vessel" that is loved, adored, honored, respected, needed, etc. and I know the strength I have in the relationship I have with my husband.  Together we make each other stronger!

The Cake

I'm going through a box of stuff filled with all kinds of things and came across this little story and thought I would share it because I really like it and I guess if it's on my blog I can throw away the little piece of paper which would be a good thing since I seem to keep all kinds of stuff.  I was laughing at myself as I am going through this box because I've even kept some dryer lint.  Before you commit me, let me explain - it's pretty lint - some of it is a nice dark pink and some of it is blue - I was going to make some handmade paper out of it and I still might some day so I'm hanging on to it.  Okay, I guess you can commit me now. lol
Back to the story I want to share.
The Cake
Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?"  Here is a wonderful explanation!  A daughter was telling her Mother how everything was going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her, and her best friend was moving away.  Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."
"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.  "Yuck" says her daughter.
"How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Mom!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"  
"Mom, those are all yucky!"
To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves, but when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!"
God works the same way.  Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times.  But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good!  We just have to trust Him and, eventuallly, they will all make something wonderful!
God is crazy about you.  He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen.  He can live anywhere in the universe and He chose your heart. 
(author unknown)

SHARK

In my ABF (Adult Bible Fellowship) at church we are doing a personal evangelism study and the leader has been pointing out various statistics from polls of people today and how they perceive Christianity. It's been pretty interesting and thought provoking in many ways. How do we go about reaching people today with all their skepticism and mistrust of "Christians" with all the negative publicity out there in our day? Is it just another ploy of the evil one to shut us down?

I remember when I was a teen someone saying something to the effect of our not sharing our faith because we don't want to offend or scare or turn someone off being like us not yelling "SHARK" to that person out in the ocean when we see a shark swimming towards them. Pretty profound I thought.

We are all here on this earth, "playing at the beach," together. I'm on the shore with my fellow Christ-followers building sandcastles, flying kites, sunbathing, enjoying life and the security of knowing I'm safe - (heaven is mine!). Yes, sometimes my sandcastle gets washed away by the waves or my kite comes crashing down or the sun burns my skin badly but my fellow Christ-followers and God are there to help me rebuild, send more wind, heal my skin, continue "playing on the beach." The Outsiders are at the beach as well out surfing in the ocean being tossed around by the waves - some big, some little - seeming to enjoy themselves but for the occasional wipeout. I'm on the shore and look out and see sharks, enormous, insurmountable waves, and other dangerous things things lurking all around them - the devil, eternal death. What do I do? I won't bother them - they're having so much fun - they're content - they don't want to be bothered.

The shark might not get them this time or the wave might not wipe them out this time and they might just be floating along lying on their surf board with arms and legs hanging off and not even realize that little bits of toes or fingers are being nibbled away by smaller things in the water and all of a sudden it will be too late. No getting to shore - eternal life with God. I could have warned them. But I didn't because they might have laughed at me and thought me foolish to even think there could be a shark anywhere in the area.

I think you can get the idea.

Yes, all analogies have flaws but I was just thinking about this and thought I would write it down. Do we really care about those around us? How do we get over ourselves and see the danger the others around us are in?

It's Okay to Obey

A friend shared that her 4 year old stated something to the affect of "Mommy, you're not listening to me. You need to obey!" The mother didn't really know how to respond. Afterwards I got to thinking about it and thought what a great teaching opportunity. I feel like today's society has lost a lot of the authority roles and respect that were put in place by our Creator for our good - everyone is so "self-important" oriented that we can't be subject to anyone. I think it is perfectly fine to tell that small child that she doesn't tell mommy what to do. She is the daughter and she gets to play and grow, and learn, and know she is loved and that mommy wants only the best for her and that obeying is one of the biggest ways that that little girl can honor her father and mother which is the first commandment with promise. Just like the little girl needs to obey her parents and other adults that are responsible for her, the mommy and daddy obey others. Mommy, though she can share thoughts and wishes with daddy, still listens and obeys Daddy because she knows Daddy loves her and wants only the best for the family. And Daddy is responsible to listen to God by reading his bible and praying and obeying God. Mommy and Daddy might also have jobs where they have a boss or supervisor over them that they have to obey and not talk back to. And we all obey rules of law. Even in church there is an order of authority that is to be respected. None of these roles and relationships are meant to make anyone less important or more superior but are set in place to provide order and a loving environment to learn and grow in. That mommy lets that little girl know that there will be times when she will need to love and teach her little sister things but she needs to know that for now, mommy loves her and mommy makes the rules not her and it's all so she can just enjoy being a little girl playing and growing and learning. Just my thoughts and I hope they makes sense.