A Politically Correct Hand Basket

I feel like it is my Christian duty to blog about the landmark ruling that Obama says “came like a thunderbolt”.

 I’ll tell you what I have seen; I’ve seen a picture of the Whitehouse lit up in rainbow colors. I’ve seen people attack others, spewing hate and stereotypes. I’ve seen a friend cry because her younger sister asked her to come to her wedding, a lesbian wedding. And I’ve also seen many, many Christians sit in SILENCE.

But first, like many Christians who are brave enough to speak, I feel like I have to post a plea bargain. I have to explicitly explain myself. Or else, it's off with my head. I do not agree with bullying anybody. I think every single person on God’s green Earth is cherished and loved in His eyes. I have already previously posted my views on casting judgment and allowing individuals the freedom to follow their own convictions. (You can read that post here: A Judge Without A Gavel .) I am not against homosexual people. However, I AM against the homosexual lifestyle. And ya know what? That shouldn’t surprise anyone…that a Christian believes the Bible. I can love people without loving the sin. We’re called to love everyone. I also know that I lived just as a perverse lifestyle before I came to know Christ. No, I didn’t have an intimate relationship with someone of the same sex, but sin is sin.

I have some friends that celebrated Obama’s decision, publicizing their joy and claiming that love wins. I do not agree with them, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to attack them for standing up in what they believe or terminate our friendship. People need to learn to agree to disagree. Rather than attacking someone for standing up for what they believe, you just need to stand up for what you believe. And therein lays the problem: silent Christians-SO many silent Christians. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: shame on you.

It doesn’t surprise me that people who do not have a strong faith or seek to follow Christ support same sex marriage. I can understand their point of view. They see this nation as being one that does not discriminate and offers freedom. They believe this should include the freedom to love whoever you choose and the opportunity for that relationship to be recognized just like heterosexual ones. It’s the people who support the act and claim to be believers; those are the people I get frustrated with. (Also, if you claim to be a believer and you don’t voice your disagreement, then you are supporting the act. It’s as simple as that.)

I know that there are plenty of people who say they are Christian and also say they’re gay. I also know that there are plenty of people who say they are Christian and openly advocate gay rights. I can’t judge you or convict you. That will come from God. But I can and will voice my opinion, which is that it is wrong.

My argument isn’t whether people are born gay or not…quite frankly, we are all born with sin. We ALL possess a wicked nature. That’s a fact. I personally don’t see homosexuality any differently than an addiction, be it to drugs or porn or what have you. I think it is a real feeling. I think many individuals truly do feel tempted by an  attraction to members of the same sex. But I also think it is something they should fight…just like any other sin anyone faces. To act upon it is an abomination to God. Now, I know there are people who would jump to say that “loving” someone shouldn’t be compared to dirty, harmful things. But no matter who you believe created the human race, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to examine our anatomy and determine exactly how we fit together. Without the joining of one man and one woman, our population would go extinct. Some gay advocates would agree with that, but still claim that even though it’s obvious we humans don’t connect like that, it should still be up to the individual to determine the lifestyle he or she chooses. And that’s right. We are all given the freedom to make choices. God doesn’t play puppets with our lives. (We all also will say amen to our own condemnation.) Although I believe in loving LGBT individuals and witnessing to them an example of the Gospel, I do not want to see our country grow so drastically away from the Bible. This shouldn’t upset or shock anyone; I am a Christian.   

   We now live in a society that is obsessed with being politically correct. I say that our nation is going to Hell in a politically correct hand basket. We are so focused on not offending anyone except God. And that’s right, you DON'T have to worship or follow Christ. He doesn’t make you, and I can’t make you. But the Bible says that you’d been better off to never have been born than to deny Him. So my heart does ache for you. I want you to know the true freedom, peace, rest, and love found in the arms of our savior. It is only then that the longing desire you have for love will be completely met and filled.

I also get frustrated with the number of truly indifferent people that have jumped on the LGBT supporter’s bandwagon solely because it is “trending”. For a big majority of people, you’re not emotionally invested at all. You just see it as being the popular thing to do. It gets you the most “likes”. For those of you who fit this scenario, you are weak.

   

The heart of my message is that I will not be a “closet Christian”. I think that just as much as there may be a war against homosexuality there is also a war against Christianity. And if you can feel compassion and pity on a homosexual who feels bullied or pressured to be silenced, then you should feel it too for the Christian. There is just as much hate projected upon believers as there are LGBTs. And NONE of it is okay. But Christians need must speak up. Others need to realize that name-calling and stereotyping those of us who stand for what we believe is exactly what you don’t want done to LGTBs. We have a right to speak what we believe, same as anyone. And it’s a shame that so many Christians don’t take advantage of that right. 

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I believe the Bible from cover to cover. No one can take that belief away from me. I stand on it. I live by it. I’d die for it. Whether my nation does or not, I fear the Lord. You mock Him with the rainbow that He gave us as a promise. You do not tremble at the thought of His return, because you have stony hearts that do not care to read ,let alone believe, His word. You try to redefine marriage when you didn’t define it in the first place.

But no matter what, no matter how far we stray, it is still well with my soul. Yes, the state of our nation saddens me. Yes, I get depressed thinking about the world my children will grow up in. Yes, I get frustrated with weak, lukewarm Christians. Yes, I am bothered by the amount of hate I witness towards all parties. But, Jesus is still on His throne of mercy. He is still in the saving business, and THAT is good news. There is still hope for all sinners: your soul can be set free.

I do not expect everyone to get along with one another or to live in world where sin does not exist. If that was so, we would not have needed Jesus to go and prepare a place for His children. I know that we live in a fallen world and this is the wages of sin. But by the grace of God, I have found forgiveness. Christ died for me. He had my very name in mind. What’s more, is that he ROSE from the DEAD. You tell me, who among us has done that? And yes, it’s true. If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t know His name today. When I believed this and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, my eternal destiny was sealed. I strive to live for Him and I try to use my understanding of the Bible to guide me in doing so. No, I’m not perfect, but there is an outline provided in the Bible of the way Christians should live. And that means something to me.

 You see, love DID win. Love won on Calvary 2,000 some years ago. Love didn’t win because Obama and 5 lawyers wanted to make history. Love won when Christ hung on the cross with you in mind.  It won the day He rose from the dead. Either death will come to you or the Lord will come back, but one way or the other you’re going to cease to exist in your natural state. And when you do, you will answer for the choices that you did or didn’t make. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue will confess. One day, God’s judgment will come and it will be a far greater thunderbolt than Obamas. Jesus will come like a thief in the night, and on that day you will either wish to hide and not be able to or run into the arms of your savior.

So although my heart aches for my country, it rejoices in my salvation.

 I hope that I have not offended anyone. It was not my intention. However, spreading the Gospel can step on toes. If offended, it’s possible that the Holy Ghost is pricking at your heart. If so, that’s a good thing.   

I pray that Christians everywhere will not feel defeated. We may lose battles, but Jesus won the war. I pray that we always, no matter the cost, profess the goodness of the Lord and validity of His word. I pray that we can be a light- showing love, forgiveness, and compassion. We need to love one another, despite our differences. I pray that we can run our race with endurance.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Love won on Calvary, walk in it.

10 Things My Dad Taught Me

When I think about my Dad, I think of 1, 238 good things. He was my first love. He is the rock of our family. He hung the moon. I believe a daughter thinking that is just evidence of a job well done.

Here is a list of the first 10 words that come to mind when I think about what I've learned from my dad.

• The Gospel

This was hands-down the very first thing I think about when considering lessons my dad has taught me. My dad is a preacher, so it happens to be his life's calling to spread the Gospel. Here's the thing, though, he didn't teach me the Gospel by thundering about it behind a pulpit. He taught me the Gospel by living it every day. He practices what he preaches. He extends love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. My dad never forced me to go to church, to read my bible, or make any spiritual commitments. Rather, I witnessed my dad going to church, reading his bible, and keeping spiritual commitments-- faithfully. No matter what. Growing up, I knew that every morning (if I woke up early enough), I'd find my dad reading  his Bible in his chair. Every Sunday, I'd see him on his knees. I can remember being a little girl and gravitating toward him when he would go down in prayer. I'd sit next to him and watch in awe as he went to another place, unaware of anything. I'd listen as he poured his heart out so passionately, so fervently...so honestly. I'd listen to those prayers, and I'd start thinking about who it was he was praying to. Of course my curiosity was peaked because the man I respected so much invested his life in his faith, but because my dad did not demand I seek Jesus, I came to realize you don't follow Jesus because someone else does. It's a personal thing.

• Work ethic

Be 10 minutes early. Give it 110% 100% of the time. Stay 10 minutes late. Before I was born, my dad was a foreman in the mines. Today, it never fails that if we run into someone that used to work for my dad they comment on the type of boss he was. There have been many times that someone has made such comments to me in the absence of my dad's presence. (Which is when a compliment counts most, I believe.) I'm sure my dad was hard to work for...he has high standards. Growing up, dad wanted the bed made before we left the house each morning, and he wanted the dishes done as soon as dinner was over. He keeps his truck spotless and the yard mowed. It's more than just doing something that needs to be done. He looks for things that need to be done. He spoiled Momma and us girls growing up by taking care of any car problem, leaky faucet, squeaky door, or broken anything. Many times he fixed things choosing duct tape and ditching the manuals-- but it got fixed. He found a way. He showed me, by his example, that the only way to go through life is choosing not to give up, not to make excuses, and not to complain.

• Reputation

I can sum this one up into just a few sentences: A man is as only as good as his word-- so keep it. Don't be in debt to anyone. Extend your hand to help whenever it's needed without expecting anything in return. I learned these lessons of character by observing my dad handle people and situations and through the guidance he would offer me when I was handling people and situations. Living in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, I think it is fitting that this is our code of conduct; it represents the mountain way.  My parents never told us that it doesn't matter what other people think. Don't get me wrong-- we weren't told to follow the crowd or be a "people pleaser". But we were taught to consider the image that we were creating, the message that we were sending. It does matter if you care about your appearance and keep your place tidy. It does matter who you hang out with and fall in love with. It does matter what you say and where you go. We live in a world today where young people are given a sense of entitlement. Do what you want with who you want. Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind...that's the saying, right? Well not in my house. Those who care about you do mind and their opinion does matter and out of respect you take heed to it. That's what I was taught, and that's what I'll teach my children.

• Leadership

I took a leadership class in college only to learn that I already knew all the characteristics of a good leader. I'm not saying that I could lead as good as my father-- I couldn't, but I do see what it takes. My dad has always lead by example. I know, from watching him, that a good leader makes plenty of sacrifices. They have to be strong enough and willing to take the weight of a problem, to shoulder the responsibility, and to take blame even if it isn't theirs. A good leader doesn't seek to glorify himself but strives to lift others up. A good leader is a peacemaker, a moderator, and a confidant. A good leader shows mercy and freely forgives with or without being offered an apology. A good leader is positive and speaks hope and raises spirits. Also, a good leader is mature, wise, and humble enough to know when it is time to step down.

• Awareness

This is a huge ongoing lesson that I am very weak in. My dad often gets annoyed at my shortcomings in this area. But, nonetheless, he has succeeded in teaching me a thing or two. As you go through life, put forth the effort to notice what is going on around you. Be observant. Pay attention to the details. Listen more than you speak. I know that my sister and I could not sneak a single thing pass him in high school. But it's even more than that. Be present in the moment. Know what's around you. When someone speaks, listen to what they are saying. Pay attention to the details of the conversation- their body language, their expressions, their tone. Notice what they aren't saying. If something is going wrong, be it a washing machine or a relationship, observe the problem.  You have to know exactly what to fix.  I've seen that practicing being observant can save you a lot of trouble and hassle as you go through life.

• Attitude

I think that my dad's attitude can be bottled into this: not why me, but try me. All my life, my dad  has told me to pull myself up by my bootstraps. "Cowboy up," he would say. I would insist, "But dad I'm a girl." My dad never had a son to raise, but I know he would've raised a good one. We girls sure put him through the wringer with our tears and hormones and sensitivities. I think it'd be safe to say that we taught him a thing or two as well, especially in regards to patience. My dad is tough, determined, persevering, motivated, disciplined, and genuine. He is also humble. He has a servant's heart. One day, nearing my wedding, dad and I were walking to lose some pounds. We approached a hill and he offered me his hand. I took it and kept rambling on about whatever I was talking about-- until I realized I couldn't talk anymore, because I was out of breath. He had picked up the pace and wasn't backing down. My legs and sides were burning. I wanted so badly to stop and take a breather, but he wouldn't let go of my hand. The steeper the hill got, the tighter his grip. Just when I was sure that I was going to fall on my knees, we reached the top. I've learned that if we quit our "bellyaching" and push ourselves, we'll realize that we're capable of a lot more. Dad always says that limitations come from your own mind. When the climb gets higher, you push harder. Attitude is the key to having happiness in this fallen world.

• Jokes

Now, here's a category I learned well. Make jokes, take jokes, and play jokes. My dad is a practical joker. He's constantly hiding to pop out from behind things, throwing snowballs into mom's shower, and playing all sorts of pranks. I couldn't imagine how boring my childhood would have been without all of his jokes. That's part of life, finding the laughter. And being the laughter. You have to be okay with being laughed at. It's good to laugh and make people laugh...it's the best medicine. My dad has crow's feet creased around his eyes as a result of the laughter he filled my childhood with.

• Chivalry

My dad belongs to a dying breed. He wears his camo proudly, has a gun hanging near the backdoor, and a skoal ring etched in his jean pocket. He has a firm handshake and loves to be outdoors. Because of my dad, I know that men should respect women. They should open doors, mind their language, and make them feel safe. My dad would pick a flower from the rosebush and bring it inside to Mom often. He tells her that she's pretty. He apologizes when he's wrong. I've watched them be a team, and I've watched as he delicately draws a line. He stands beside her, not over her, yet manages to lead.

• Humbleness

I've talked about how humbleness is woven into many of these lessons. It is an important quality to strive to have. It isn't achieved easily. It's the nature of man to be full of himself. In the flesh, we battle being conceited on a daily bases. It's more than just physical appearances, though. Humiliation is the absence of pride. It leads to a state of lowliness or submission. It has negative connotation in today's world. Today's young people are growing up with no respect for authority of any kind. They are being brainwashed that it is never okay to be submissive or acknowledge a personal lack of importance or worthiness. The lack of humbleness is playing a huge role in the fall of our nation. My dad has taught me that there is whole, huge, entire universe of people in the world beyond my mountains. And that Christ died for all of them, too. Christ died for and loves the murderers as much as the martyrs. He died for and loves the fornicator as much as the saint. I also have learned to realize that Jesus doesn't rescue or save the flesh. He isn't concerned with the flesh. It is a deeper level, the inner man, that Jesus works on and cares about. Humbleness enlightens you on that level.

• Legacy

I used to think that I wanted to be just like my dad. I used to think that I wanted to marry someone just like my dad and raise sons to be just like my dad. Dad lives his life to represent his faith. He is constantly pointing people towards Jesus. I don't meant to make him sound like he's perfect...he isn't. He can be hardheaded, impatient, and quick tempered. He's human. I realize now that the best qualities I see in my dad, the ones I want for myself, my husband, and my children...aren't really my dad's at all. I realized that my dad makes an effort every day to pray for the guidance and the strength to be Christ-like. And that's the desire that I have for me and mine...that we can press on towards the mark of the high calling. As you go through life, you learn a lot about people. Many times they aren't who you thought they were or they let you down. Dad says you prove your character until the day you die. And hopefully, when you're gone, you've left a legacy of love.

"A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way."

Happy Father's Day to all men who dedicate their life to raising a child. It is the most important job you will ever have. May God bless you!