Strife

Do you know what really bothers me? Disagreements. People arguing and fighting and being competitive. Maybe it's because my parents never fought. Maybe it's because I don't know how to have normal social interactions. Maybe I'm overly-sensitive (ah, that's it).

Anyway, I think everyone should get along. Especially Christians. With Jesus and the Bible, why would we ever disagree? Unfortunately, we all seem to have trouble getting along. We argue over stupid, pointless things that have no bearing on the Eternal Kingdom.

Now as for me, I have the urge to rebel, to grasp onto the musings of the iconoclasts, to seek out the uncommon, new ideas that offend the status quo. I read liberal newspapers and magazines, I spurn politics, using it only as fodder for purely intellectual discussion (read: not arguing or debating), I wish I had more non-Christian friends, I love science and trust logic.

Unfortunately, so often while defending my viewpoint [Jesus is all that matters], I end up in one of these arguments I so dislike.

I've been praying lately about loving my fellow man and not disagreeing just because I feel like it. If I am led to correct, so be it; but I think that before I can rebuke and correct, I must first love.

Titus 3:9 - "But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless."

What does this mean to me right now? Just because someone thinks something I don't like about something that doesn't matter, doesn't mean I need to speak up. Just keep my mouth shut, and looooove.

Plurals

I like using proper Latin plurals for English words.

Unfortunately, most Americans neither know nor care about Latin or grammar, so it's card to enforce said rules, especially the more archaic usage (as in the case of formulae, which is written as formulas now, with the exception of upper-division math texts). I thought about putting rules for plurals here, but you can see them here instead.

Romans 12:3-8

"...so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

I noticed a new trend among mega-churches last year, and it really bothered me:

Window decals and the branding of church buildings and congregations like some commodity. Some church initials and logo plastered right next to a picture of an apple, and suddenly the body of Christ has been transformed from a bunch of people to a building and its "members."

At some point, some churches decided it would be a good idea to advertise via the window sticker. Whether they wanted a piece of that prime real estate so often reserved for politicians and elementary school honor rolls, or they wanted to boost numbers, or it was under the assumption that it was a good witnessing tool, I'm not sure. But whatever the reason, I have to wonder what that looks like to others, especially non-believers.

To me, it appears that one church, one congregation, is putting itself forward. It's like the pinkie toe is saying, "Hey, check me out! I have a bookstore and a coffee shop and exciting worship!" and has forgotten that it's really a very small completely dependent part of a much larger body.

But going to the verse I quoted at the top, I think that as a part of one body, one Church, it makes more sense advertise the whole thing (if I'm going to advertise at all), and perhaps highlight the pointless nature of this branding. So my project will be to get as many bumper stickers/window decals from as many churches as possible and put them all over my husband's car. [No worries, he's a willing participant.]

Side note: I'm thinking of printing up the above decal, but adding a verse to it - maybe Romans 12, maybe 1 Corinthians 12, maybe something else. I'd like your thoughts on that front as well.

Luke 12

I've been thinking lately about all the stuff we have.

Now that I've crossed a life-threshold, and am at some point to start a family, the inevitable discussions arise - buying a house ("Now's a great time!", they say), life insurance, health insurance (uuggggghhhh), retirement, the future. And as I consider these things, the money, the stuff and planning and worry it entails, I wonder what the point is. I mean, we have one -only one - directive:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

And that has nothing to do with preparing for the future. In fact, Christ guarantees that He has taken care of it [vs. 22-34].

So then I think about how Christians - the Church, the light of the world - live such safe, comfortable lives. Many Christians insist it is wise to invest, to save, to buy a house, to pay off debt, to vote, to give ten percent [no more], to plan retirement. And I doubt that wisdom. It's not a necessary draw on our attention and resources. Not when the fate of eternal souls rides on a terminator between brilliant light and everlasting darkness. Not when the Church is the source of that light.

¹⁶And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. ¹⁷He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

¹⁸"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

²⁰"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

²¹"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

Toeless

I love socks, but I also love flats. They don't usually go well together, because the socks show between the pants and the shoes and I look like the Wicked Witch of the West. But then there was Rachel. She got me socks to remedy that problem.

On the triumph of Grace

Let us now avoid poetic locution and speak plainly: on Sunday I witnessed a great event, one for which I have little to say. For there are those that know the power of what I have seen, and need no description; and there are those who do not, and for whom no eloquence of speech will suffice.

Let me only lay down a bit of history: my dad was married for eight years after my mom, and I rarely got along with my old step-mother - we were polite at best, and at worst I was convinced she was the wicked step-mother of fairy tales. Whose fault that all was rests equally upon many shoulders, but the point is this:

My grandmother (my dad's mom) told me last week she'd heard Carolyn had been saved and was getting baptized. And that's that.

Five Days

I spent all Sunday afternoon playing The Sims.

I went to my grandma's on Monday and Tuesday to choose a pattern and fabric for a quilt.

I watched Hero again on Wednesday.

I worked late on Thursday in the (let us pray jinx-proof) hope that I might leave early on Friday. I really wanted to write something, but my brain hurts. And, I found an exciting band. It's Christian Celtic punk. Flatfoot 56

I am going to work early tomorrow.

At work, I have been accused of being in a bad mood for three days now, all because Dan is not here. They're exaggerating. Mostly.