"All the Way Down to the 'Amen' Pew, Where Sat Sister Bertha-Better-Than You"...
Yes there is a point to quoting a Ray Stevens song-but it comes much later in the post. Be patient.
I love blogs. And blogging. I can't exactly explain it, but I shall try. My blogging feels alot like scrapbooking-only better. I am not only recording the daily and mundane, but I am also getting to know myself better, becoming closer to God, giving a real testimony of how powerful God's grace is (some say it is way too real in fact), and just generally sharing my life with others who are interested because: they know me in real life, they relate to me, or they want to understand crazy people a bit better.
The blogs I read are so wide and diverse, it is a bit insane.
I read blogs of people I know. I love those best. I have gotten to know some of my friends so much better from blogging that it is comical. Sandy and I nursed our youngest children together and have been in church together for what seems like forever-but blogging is what helped me know her better. Many of my other friends live far away and our blogs keep us in touch-even though none of them update enough to make me feel truly connected-I'll take what I can get!
I read blogs of Christians I respect and admire(of course there is some overlapping here!). Some of them I read daily because they help me keep on keepin' on. They help me keep my perspective about my life and the mission God has for me. This is a very important thing. Some of those Christian blogs are funny and help me not to take it all so serious that I REPEL the lost with my RIGHTEOUSNESS. If I am so perfect(at least in my own thinking) that I cannot even relate to a fallen world, it won't make me better soldier for the kingdom. IF I have not seen an "R" movie or heard a secular song in 10 years, I am not gonna reach anyone. Of course, if I fill my life with "R" movies, drinking, and all things wordly-I am not gonna reach anyone that way either!
For inspiration on relating to the world, I give you the folowing references: In Acts chapter 10, Peter took great pride in the fact that he had never eaten anything unclean. God spoke to him and told him to eat and through doing so, God allowed him to reach people he would not have reached otherwise.
Romans 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
1 Corinthians 9: 19-23
19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
All those parentheses encourage me, by the way!!
Of course, this does not give us a right to become sinful to win the lost- there is a balance. They certainly did not puff themselves up into "super" Christians to win the lost. That even repels other Christians. I digress.
The last group of blogs I read are others that I really enjoy. They are people with whom I have little in common, many are not Christians. And so what. They are God's children too. I want to relate to others not exactly like me. I want to know them and love them. Maybe God might use me and my silly little blog to reach someone for Him. If not, I will just exchange pleasantries with them and make our stay on this Earth a little brighter. I might change the stereotype of Christian in their head. (Most of them have been hurt really badly by a Christian or two.)(Me too!)(I've also done the hurting a time or two-I hate admitting that!) I definitely have learned how to be a better person from them. I also have gleaned a parenting tip or two.
I guess, I just love to read about people and what makes them tick. I love to read blogs where all the pretense is stripped away and there is real sharing of flaws and shortcomings. In a world full of the superficial "Bertha-better-than-you's", blogging is a breath of fresh air.
Yes there is a point to quoting a Ray Stevens song-but it comes much later in the post. Be patient.
I love blogs. And blogging. I can't exactly explain it, but I shall try. My blogging feels alot like scrapbooking-only better. I am not only recording the daily and mundane, but I am also getting to know myself better, becoming closer to God, giving a real testimony of how powerful God's grace is (some say it is way too real in fact), and just generally sharing my life with others who are interested because: they know me in real life, they relate to me, or they want to understand crazy people a bit better.
The blogs I read are so wide and diverse, it is a bit insane.
I read blogs of people I know. I love those best. I have gotten to know some of my friends so much better from blogging that it is comical. Sandy and I nursed our youngest children together and have been in church together for what seems like forever-but blogging is what helped me know her better. Many of my other friends live far away and our blogs keep us in touch-even though none of them update enough to make me feel truly connected-I'll take what I can get!
I read blogs of Christians I respect and admire(of course there is some overlapping here!). Some of them I read daily because they help me keep on keepin' on. They help me keep my perspective about my life and the mission God has for me. This is a very important thing. Some of those Christian blogs are funny and help me not to take it all so serious that I REPEL the lost with my RIGHTEOUSNESS. If I am so perfect(at least in my own thinking) that I cannot even relate to a fallen world, it won't make me better soldier for the kingdom. IF I have not seen an "R" movie or heard a secular song in 10 years, I am not gonna reach anyone. Of course, if I fill my life with "R" movies, drinking, and all things wordly-I am not gonna reach anyone that way either!
For inspiration on relating to the world, I give you the folowing references: In Acts chapter 10, Peter took great pride in the fact that he had never eaten anything unclean. God spoke to him and told him to eat and through doing so, God allowed him to reach people he would not have reached otherwise.
Romans 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
1 Corinthians 9: 19-23
19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
All those parentheses encourage me, by the way!!
Of course, this does not give us a right to become sinful to win the lost- there is a balance. They certainly did not puff themselves up into "super" Christians to win the lost. That even repels other Christians. I digress.
The last group of blogs I read are others that I really enjoy. They are people with whom I have little in common, many are not Christians. And so what. They are God's children too. I want to relate to others not exactly like me. I want to know them and love them. Maybe God might use me and my silly little blog to reach someone for Him. If not, I will just exchange pleasantries with them and make our stay on this Earth a little brighter. I might change the stereotype of Christian in their head. (Most of them have been hurt really badly by a Christian or two.)(Me too!)(I've also done the hurting a time or two-I hate admitting that!) I definitely have learned how to be a better person from them. I also have gleaned a parenting tip or two.
I guess, I just love to read about people and what makes them tick. I love to read blogs where all the pretense is stripped away and there is real sharing of flaws and shortcomings. In a world full of the superficial "Bertha-better-than-you's", blogging is a breath of fresh air.
2 comments:
Okay,janjanmom, I'll confess. I'm one of those who has been hurt by Christians. If only they could all be as tolerant as you...although you surpass tolerant, you not only tolerate, but you appreciate. I've appreciated your kind and funny comments over the past few months. Thanks.
I hate to hear that Jason. I have too. God loves you (and them) anyway. It is so unfair that all these people run around proclaiming His name by hating other people.
They just don't know any better. When they know better, they will do better.
God is still working on them, and well, all of us really.
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