Day Tu

   Okay, first off, I'm really surprised with the response I've gotten to this blog.  Don't get me wrong, it's a good surprise.  Thank you to all who have already expressed interest in this.  (To those who aren't sure, don't worry, it's only 363 more days.)

   Today BFF and I were talking about that concept of annoying Christians.  She and I were trying to get to the core of why we can't stand a lot of Christians and don't understand why people put up with us as a group.   A lot of this isn't directed at people I personally know, but this mindset that I see a lot in Christianity.   Also, even though I don't like them, I do love people. It's more of a "Oh sweet Jesus, please, please tell me that's not what I'm like.  Please tell me I'm more real."

   One point was that most Christians do not like admitting that they are sinners. Yes, we are sinners made perfect by grace, but we are people in rebellion against the Creator of the Universe.  Do we admit that though? No.  We like to think of ourselves as good people who go to church, and as Chonda Pierce says, "We don't cuss and we don't chew and we don't go with boys that do."  That's not even half the problem though.  The real problem is that we treat people outside of our faith as if that is true, that we are perfect, instead of realizing that we are just as low as they are and we have no place to judge.

   Because you profess Jesus, this makes you sinless in the sight of God, but not struggleless.   Honestly, don't you want to know that instead of feeling like you constantly have to put up a facade of perfection?
It is so liberating to me that I can say "I struggle."  Not as a crutch mind you, but as a "look, this is a journey, you can't fix it all at once, it wouldn't feel true if it was.  This is something that you and God will move through together."  The idea that there are days when God says, "Yeah, you still have flaws, but that was a victory, let's celebrate!"   I started to write that I felt like for every victory, seven hundred failures are there.  That's not true.  It's like digging in the earth or licking a jawbreaker.  Or peeling an onion ;-p   Second, sometimes the appearance of failure is Satan. Who, by the way, we blame wwaaaaayyyyy tooo much on.  The devil didn't make you do it. That would make you possessed.  The human in you did it.

   I have so much more to say on this but I think I'll save some for tomorrow.  I'm curious to hear thoughts on what I've said so far.  I can't really think of a good question, so just let me know what you think.  Also, go check out Madge's blog as she posted a blog that references yesterday's blog. I have three things for you all.  A story, a picture and a quote.

   First, a story.


"I'm going to take a shower" said the radiant Sylver one Saturday morning at the end of making a delicacy known as "blueberry pancakes."  "Okay, I'll watch the last pancake," said CJ, already with her mind on the blog she was about to write.  Fifteen minutes, later, CJ, in the midst of eloquent epiphanies and moving monolog, jumped up from her seat. She exclaimed "CRAP!" with a look of dismay upon her face, realizing that the pancake was most assuredly lost.  Once the damage was surveyed, CJ flipped the pancake, turn off the stove and returned to her seat.  Sighing, she shrugged her shoulders and continued pressing lettered buttons. The end.

"I don't care if people don't like Christians, hate them if you want, but please don't hate God for how His followers act. That thought breaks my heart." 

~Sylver