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Rapture: May 21st 2011

May 21, 2011 in Current Affairs, Faith, Ministry, Prayer, Religion with 13 Comments

So, the much anticipated Judgment Day has come and gone… and we haven’t heard from Harold Camping.

I’ve seen the joking and jabbing. I won’t lie. I laughed at a bunch of them (I can’t help it. You guys are just so quick witted)… my heart is also VERY sad for Harold Camping (who has gone silent) and his followers. There have been many sad stories of how people have reacted out of fear to the end of times.

So much damage has been done. Not only is this another area for the world to make fun of Christians, but the reality is many passionate people were misled and are now left heart-broken and confused. I’m praying this doesn’t turn them away from preparing for Christ’s return, but that it’s drives them to dig into God’s Word even more and more importantly… for themselves.

Everyone has their opinions. That’s what I love so much about HOW God created us.

My opinion?

The end is gonna happen someday. Not today. And I don’t believe we can mathematically calculate when that’s going to happen. God is SO much bigger than that… however… we should live every day like Jesus is returning tomorrow. I am not afraid. I look forward to living eternity with my Jesus.

Till then, I will continue my best to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.

Now, to Harold Camping (let’s just pretend he’ll see this even though we all know he won’t).

Dear Mr. Camping and all those who followed his teachings…
I can only imagine how disappointed you must feel. I’m sorry. You meant well. You have passion and you truly want the best for people. I appreciate that. With that said… I’m here if you need a hug. No judgment here (no pun intended).

Now, how about YOU?
What’s YOUR opinion?

Stained Glass Masquerade

September 23, 2010 in Faith, Ministry, Religion with 17 Comments

“Stained Glass Masquerade” by Casting Crowns

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

*********

Church isn’t for the unstained perfect Christian. It’s for the broken.

You don’t have to pretend that everything is ok in your world if it’s not.

Do you ever feel like you have to pretend?

Trick or Treat?

October 28, 2009 in Chance, Faith, Motherhood, Religion, Weblogs with 25 Comments

Ok… I grew up without the option of trick or treating.

My mother didn’t “celebrate” Halloween and didn’t want us three girls out there asking for candy either.

My mom was a single mom… three young daughters… English as a second language… scary day… threats of poisoned candy. As a grown adult, that makes sense to me. It was about safety, security and saving money on three costumes. To be fair, she usually bought us a bag of candy and let us have at it… but no dressing up. Of course, as a child, I just felt like it was another thing we didn’t get to do.

Finally, when I was 12 or 13, my mother finally let us get dressed up and get candy at the local mall. And after about a half hour of begging, she also reluctantly let my sister, Renee, and me go through the haunted house that was there. It was FAN-stinkin’-TASTIC!!! I can still remember the thrill of it all. Maybe it was independence. Maybe it was some strange kind of bonding with Renee. Maybe it was the mere sick scariness of it all. I still don’t know.

What I DO know is that Halloween and trick-or-treating is still a pretty big controversy in the Christian circle.

I’ll be honest.

Brian and I take our kids trick-or-treating. They get dressed up… in whatever Holly’s kids were the year before (why buy a new costume when they don’t care what they are yet, right?) and we walk with them and their friends around the neighborhood asking for candy for about an hour. We then check through the candy bag, give them a few “safe” pieces of candy, let them run off a sugar high together, eat a few pieces ourselves, then throw away the rest.

What do you do? … and why?

The Golden Compass

December 26, 2007 in Religion with 0 Comments

So… I’ve gotten a few inquiries regarding my thoughts of The Golden Compass.

I thought I’d post my personal thoughts… so here goes:

It was pretty difficult to pick up the anti-Christian theme in the film… and I was looking pretty critically at it. I really don’t think kids will pick that up. However, I wouldn’t recommend this film for young kids. It’s pretty intense (it’s rated PG-13). There were some young children in the theater watching it the same time we were and they were crumpled up in their seats. A LOT of anticipation and suspense… we jumped out of our seats a couple of times.

The books are another story though. I haven’t read the books yet (though I plan to), but I understand that as you read into the series, it gets a lot more blunt.

IMHO, I think the movie had a good moral behind it:

to seek the truth.

I think we should always be doing that anyway. And if this story truly pushes people/kids to seek the truth, I believe they will find it. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life… they will find him.

Getting off my soapbox now…