It is a tragedy to me that there is even a bumper sticker like the above. It is a tragedy to me that hatred so often typifies the actions of many religious people, even some outspoken Christians. I know that many Christians feel that the media wrongly portrays them, or at the very least jumps on stories that show the bad side of the Church. But we should at least take an honest look at ourselves and at what they are seeing and listen to what they are saying.

Judgement, condemnation, haughtiness, hatred - none of these attitudes are family values. Worse still, none of these are Christlike. And when we use these as means to win our arguments of what a marriage should consist of, or the evils of one thing or another, we are missing something essential.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor. 13)

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through LOVE. (Gal. 5:6)

Why is the Church known more for its hatred than its love? Or at least more for its moralizing that for its love?

Thoughts?

The other night, as our family was going through its usual bedtime routine of snacks, brushing teeth, storytime, and hugs, I made my rounds and stopped in to see our middle child Anna.  She had something really important to tell me, and she was desperate that I understand how important it was.  She wanted me to help her make a card and a song for “Dada.”  She went on to explain that “He built me my big dollhouse and bought it for me, and he does so many other things for me, I really want to be nice to him.”  The interesting thing about this particular evening is that I had been out with some friends for a night of bunco, and my husband told me he had had to discipline Anna while I was gone for being mean to her little sister.  Still, or maybe even because of that, when I went to see her, she had a heart overflowing with love and thankfulness for her daddy, and she could not wait to express that to him. 

So, I snuggled up beside her and wrote out the words she dictated to me, for a special song and card for her beloved daddy.  By the time we finished, her dad, worn out from double duty that night, had drifted off to sleep.  She simply could not let it rest.  We absolutely had to wake him to express this love.  And after we did, you should have seen the joy emanating from her little face and entire body as she skipped back down the hall to her bed.

What Anna captured for me that evening is something so simple we often miss it or just forget it.  This is how it is supposed to be in our relationship with our heavenly Father.  We have an encounter or a moment of realization, and we are filled with gratitude, and our worship and service overflows, like music pouring out of us.  We can’t stop it.  We have to sing.  We overflow with love, and it overjoys us.  Duty and moralism can’t touch that.

I received this forward from a dear friend today, and it so echoed the way I think about eating and exercise that I wanted to share it. Plus it made me laugh. This is not original, but I don’t know to whom to give the credit. Not a stitch of seriousness here, and it made me feel a lot better about my chocolate habits, lack of exercise, and love of Chic Fil A.

Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it… don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

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Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

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Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain…Good!

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Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU’RE NOT LISTENING!!!…. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

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Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

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Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It’s the best feel-good food around!

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Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

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Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! ‘Round’ is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

AND……

For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health.

It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION

Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

This month I’ve enjoyed reading a captivating story about the 16th century Mughal Empire’s empress Nur Jahan, also known as Mehrunnisa or “Sun of women.” Our book club read The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan. The novel is captivating, and it tells the historically accurate account of this woman’s life in ancient Persia/ Pakistan. She was the twentieth and favorite wife of Emporer Jahangir. She grew to great influence, eventually ruling the empire through trusted men, due to her husband’s Jahangir’s incapacitating addiction to opium and alcohol. (Don’t forget she lived under a veil and behind a silk screen when she was anywhere around men.) She also ran her husband’s zenana, or his large establishment of wives, concubines, and servants. After her husband’s death, she was isolated in a palace in Lahore by the new emperor, Jahangir’s son Kurrham, the builder of the Tah Majal. I’m hoping to soon read the sequel The Feast of Roses.
To learn more about this fascinating woman, read a bit more here.