Am I Alone?

I have noticed this quite often lately. It seems to be reaching epidemic proportions.

Christians don't call sin what it is anymore. Or maybe be I'm being too generous with the word Christian.

Why don't we want to call it sin? And why do we look for ways to rationalize what the Bible says and it say "That's not what God meant".

I choose to believe that if God's Word says something is sin, then it is. And if I'm doing it, it's still sin and I should confess and turn from it.

Recently I was in a conversation where a Christian disagreed with a pastor's stance against a sin, attacked him via email, called him judgmental and other not so nice words, because he called it like the Bible says it is.

I do believe we are called to love our fellow humans. Love our neighbors. I have been thinking quite a lot about the story of the Good Samaritan. Samaritans hated Jews, Jews hated Samaritans. Luke 10:25-37

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”


I intend to try this. Love God with all my heart and soul and strength and mind. When I think about loving this hard, I'm certainly not there yet. And love my neighbor as myself. I can improve that too. And my neighbor includes the sinner, the judgmental, and the preacher that preaches against the sin.

Does that make me crazy?

I got a new couch. It's beautiful. (Anything would be after having the same one for ten years beat down by 5 teenagers and all their friends). But it really is. And it's comfortable.

I have this terrible dilemma. I got a new mattress before I got the couch. The mattress is so awesome. SO AWESOME. I've yet to nap on the couch. And this is bothering me a little. How can you know if you got the right couch if you have never napped on it? Nate has, and he says it's good. Whitney has slept the whole night on it, and she agrees.

I reserve the right to nap my own decision.

30 hours

30 hours ago I left my house. Went to Kansas City with Steve. Ate at Oklahoma Joe's Bar B Que, one of Anthony Bourdain's 13 places to eat before you die, very delicious.

From there to the Rend Collective, Tenth Avenue North and Chris Tomlin concert. One of the best worship events I've been too.

After the concert was over we drove to Springfield, Mo, stayed the night in a hotel. Searched for donut shops for breakfast and found St. George's Donut Shop where I ate the best twist donut of my life. It would make Patsy's Top 13 places to eat before you die. (I'll work on the other 12).

We then headed to the other side of Branson to the Mark Twain National Forest on Table Rock Lake to see my friend Rebecca. We spent the day with her and her husband and two kids in Branson, after seeing the new home they are building on the lake. We plan to spend more time back there in July. It was a beautiful home in a beautiful location.

After a 5 hour drive home, I understand all the viral videos of road trips, if I had video'd Steve and I singing along to Mike F.M.'s everything 80's weekend radio...well, you all would laugh till you peed.

I still know all the words to Cameo's "Word Up", and Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine" and Steve belted out Chicago's "Look Away". We enjoyed Milli Vanilli and Flock of Seagulls.

I had to google "Talk, Talk" because I had never heard that one.

I am glad we got to go visit lifelong friends and attend the concert, but I'm so happy to be home tonight.

The same kind of different as me

For the last 8 months at work I have sat by myself. In a building that makes jet airliner assemblies, in the office area that has over 160 cubicles, there were 16 of us. I had a row, 10 cubes, all to myself. That may sound lonely, but it was not. It was quiet, it was semi-private and I got a lot done.

This week, two of my co-workers moved aisles to consolidate us all to the same area. They now sit one directly facing me in the next desk and one across, facing me catty wampas. I love both these women. It struck me yesterday how different we are.

One is my daughter Kari's age. They went to middle school together. One is 30.

One is in grad school with a cute boyfriend
One is married with 3 little ones, ages 9 months to 8 years old
One travels and goes out of the country several times a year
One can't stay overnight in a hotel because the little one turns in tasmanian devil
One knows all the latest dance moves, is in wedding parties every weekend, and is current with pop culture
One knows all the latest Taylor Swift songs and disney radio, is in school holiday parties and is current with cartoons
Both are liberal, democrats, live and let live people.


And then, there is me

I have the husband, but my kids are grown.
I travel, not as much as the youngster, but way more than the 30 year old
I know all the 80's music, my generation; all the 90's and 2000's, because of my kids; I go to grown up parties, Chris Tomlin concerts, Fleetwood Mac concerts and Professional Bull Riding, whenever I want to.
Daughter of a baptist minister

On the surface, you would never put us together as friends. But we are.

We all have our own attitudes, our own struggles, our differences of opinion, but we definitely find a way to make the work day more fun.

I find myself more and more as I get older celebrating our differences. Not just accepting them, not tolerating them, but appreciating them. Wanting them. Loving the uniqueness in God's creation.

We're all different. We're all special, wonderful, unique, originals. And in that, we all find our sameness.