I was on our neighborhood's "Next Door" Social media site and noticed a conversation about people being mean to others on the site. It made me think of how social media has changed the way we interact with people.
Don't misunderstand me. I am on social media sites multiple times a day. They have helped me reconnect with friends from High school, college, and past churches. I know more about my friends and family's lives than I ever have before. But I have noticed that people interact very differently.
First, they use all those Internet abbreviations, lol, etc... I actually have caught people using ones that they do NOT know what they mean. Many of them are substitutes for four letter words that I know the person typing them would never be caught dead saying in public. There is even a donut shop near our house named "OMG Donuts". Do they know what it stands for or do they just think it is a strong exclamation. I have actually been told by multiple teenagers that using that set of letters does not break the commandment to not take the Lord's name in vain... "I'm not cussing. That is just an exclamation." I even have gotten e-mail advertisements using a capitol F in their header, where it clearly stands for what you think it does...
OK, so people are using abbreviations to get around software that edits explicit words. The thing is, if you would not say it to a person's face, should you be putting it in print.
But that is not the whole gist of the discussion on our neighborhood site. People were upset that people were name calling and saying hateful things about peoples' posts. If you ran into your neighbor while checking mail and they made a comment about people speeding through school zones would you call them hateful names and cuss them out if you didn't agree? I wouldn't! I would say something like, "I see what you mean" and if I strongly disagreed, I would then give my opinion as another option.
I think because we can talk in live time without seeing the face of the person you are chatting with, somehow people think that means they can say whatever pops into their head. This may be one of the reasons that cyber bullying has become such a problem. People behave differently online than they do face to face. I want to ask, "Should we?" If you wouldn't be caught dead saying something, why would you put it in print for the whole world to see? That is one reason companies looking to hire now often ask for your facebook or twitter handles. They want to see what you are like when you are on the computer.
I admit that I do occasionally vent about someone who drives crazy in a school zone or cuts me off on the way to work. So, I am guilty of Internet venting, too. But I am going to make a point to try to remember what my mother and grandmother taught me, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." If everyone would stop and think before they type, the Internet would be a much more pleasant place, and it might even carry over into the real world.
Grace and Peace!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
In the World But Not of It
I am a little sad this morning. We may see the end of an era in the next few weeks. I have always been proud to be Presbyterian. I believe we are doing our best to be faithful in difficult time. I believe that in being a democracy our denomination makes better decisions by following the will of the majority rather than the dictates of one. But we are sinful and don't always make the most Godly decisions.
Our Board of Pensions has always followed suit. They had a wonderfully Christian policy. Your retirement and health care costs were a percentage of your salary. Everyone paid the same percentage. Whether you made $12,000 a year or $500, 000 you paid the same percentage. The big churches thus supported the little churches. The big guys held up the little guys. It may not have made sense in the world's standards, but it was a wonderful blessing on the poorer pastors and churches. It showed the New Testament principle of all in the church sharing with each other and caring for the least of these. In fact that same percentage covered you and your family. There were no extra payments for those with spouses or children. We truely took care of our own.
Now, because of rising health care costs they are having to rethink. So, the Board of Pensions is considering doing what the rest of the secular world is doing... And in good Presbyterian fashion, it is going up for a vote. They will still have the percentage payment to cover the pastor, but if you want your spouse or children covered you will pay a set fee per month. For me that fee is 36% of my salary! For that minister making $500,000 at a mega church, it is pocket change... Yes, that is how the rest of the world does it. I understand that something must be done to cover the rising cost of health care... So one option is charging a fee... That is why most of the working poor have no health insurance, or their families don't. That is why Obama sought to have universal health care... And oddly enough, why health care costs have gone up forcing this change.
So, if the vote goes that way in a few weeks, we Presbyterians will say goodbye to our special Christian care and love that we showed by upholding each other. We will become just like the world, at least in terms of our health care. Small churches and the pastors that feel called to serve them will be the ones who suffer. I wonder what will happen to "the least of these" as the world adds more and more burdens on the poor and the small... In Jeremiah's day they got overrun and carried into exile... Perhaps we can mend our ways before it goes that far... China owns most of us already...
Lord have mercy on us sinners...
Our Board of Pensions has always followed suit. They had a wonderfully Christian policy. Your retirement and health care costs were a percentage of your salary. Everyone paid the same percentage. Whether you made $12,000 a year or $500, 000 you paid the same percentage. The big churches thus supported the little churches. The big guys held up the little guys. It may not have made sense in the world's standards, but it was a wonderful blessing on the poorer pastors and churches. It showed the New Testament principle of all in the church sharing with each other and caring for the least of these. In fact that same percentage covered you and your family. There were no extra payments for those with spouses or children. We truely took care of our own.
Now, because of rising health care costs they are having to rethink. So, the Board of Pensions is considering doing what the rest of the secular world is doing... And in good Presbyterian fashion, it is going up for a vote. They will still have the percentage payment to cover the pastor, but if you want your spouse or children covered you will pay a set fee per month. For me that fee is 36% of my salary! For that minister making $500,000 at a mega church, it is pocket change... Yes, that is how the rest of the world does it. I understand that something must be done to cover the rising cost of health care... So one option is charging a fee... That is why most of the working poor have no health insurance, or their families don't. That is why Obama sought to have universal health care... And oddly enough, why health care costs have gone up forcing this change.
So, if the vote goes that way in a few weeks, we Presbyterians will say goodbye to our special Christian care and love that we showed by upholding each other. We will become just like the world, at least in terms of our health care. Small churches and the pastors that feel called to serve them will be the ones who suffer. I wonder what will happen to "the least of these" as the world adds more and more burdens on the poor and the small... In Jeremiah's day they got overrun and carried into exile... Perhaps we can mend our ways before it goes that far... China owns most of us already...
Lord have mercy on us sinners...
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Disturbing Statistics
Today many of my friends have been remembering the Roe Vs. Wade decision by posting either positive or negative articles about abortion. I generally try not to be political, so I skim over them or skip them all entirely. I know the facts. I know my position. Why get involved in this divisive debate, right?
Well, one of the posts seemed so skewed and ridiculous that I decided to take the stand of my son's government class and fact check it. I would then, quietly and privately, give him the correct information. I mean, you shouldn't let friends post inflammatory propaganda, right?
So, I went to the www.census.gov web site to find the correct information to give him. His statistics were right... I am actually sick to my stomach for knowing this...
In the US every year 27% of all pregnancies end in abortion. Sad, but not that surprising. What I had never seen was the statistics broken down by race... Only 21% of Caucasian pregnancies end in abortion compared to 63.9% of all African American pregnancies. Well over 50% of African American pregnancies end in abortion??? 505 out of every 1000 African American fetuses are terminated.
Now, I do not believe that the government should be allowed to dictate how a woman cares for her body or what she and her doctor thinks is medically best. Although I myself could not ever see me getting an abortion, I do not believe in taking the right to choose away from other women. But that being said, something in our society is really messed up here!
I don't believe, like my friend's rant states, that it is a nefarious plot of the racist head of Planned Parenthood. I support planned parenthood for all the good they do for confused young people. I am not going to change my political stance over this disturbing statistic, but I do wonder what should or could be done.
I don't have any answers today. I don't know if this is somehow related to racism, or cultural differences, or a failure of our education system. The best I can say is that we are somehow failing these women. All I can think to do is pray, and deal compassionately with the women who come to me seeking council. I do know that in our fallen and sinful society what we really need is the compassion and grace of our Lord, Jesus. I know that Jesus loves these women and knows that they are hurting.
I know that this doesn't leave any of you satisfied. My heart will hurt for quite a while over this. But we can pray for a better tomorrow. We can pray for all of the women, young and old, who are faced with this decision. We can love, accept, and uphold all God's children, rather than judge them. That is what we are called to do.
Peace...
Well, one of the posts seemed so skewed and ridiculous that I decided to take the stand of my son's government class and fact check it. I would then, quietly and privately, give him the correct information. I mean, you shouldn't let friends post inflammatory propaganda, right?
So, I went to the www.census.gov web site to find the correct information to give him. His statistics were right... I am actually sick to my stomach for knowing this...
In the US every year 27% of all pregnancies end in abortion. Sad, but not that surprising. What I had never seen was the statistics broken down by race... Only 21% of Caucasian pregnancies end in abortion compared to 63.9% of all African American pregnancies. Well over 50% of African American pregnancies end in abortion??? 505 out of every 1000 African American fetuses are terminated.
Now, I do not believe that the government should be allowed to dictate how a woman cares for her body or what she and her doctor thinks is medically best. Although I myself could not ever see me getting an abortion, I do not believe in taking the right to choose away from other women. But that being said, something in our society is really messed up here!
I don't believe, like my friend's rant states, that it is a nefarious plot of the racist head of Planned Parenthood. I support planned parenthood for all the good they do for confused young people. I am not going to change my political stance over this disturbing statistic, but I do wonder what should or could be done.
I don't have any answers today. I don't know if this is somehow related to racism, or cultural differences, or a failure of our education system. The best I can say is that we are somehow failing these women. All I can think to do is pray, and deal compassionately with the women who come to me seeking council. I do know that in our fallen and sinful society what we really need is the compassion and grace of our Lord, Jesus. I know that Jesus loves these women and knows that they are hurting.
I know that this doesn't leave any of you satisfied. My heart will hurt for quite a while over this. But we can pray for a better tomorrow. We can pray for all of the women, young and old, who are faced with this decision. We can love, accept, and uphold all God's children, rather than judge them. That is what we are called to do.
Peace...
Sunday, January 13, 2013
I Don't Want to Go Alone
I have a very neurotic rescue dog. She has serious abandonment issues. She doesn't like us to leave, and fusses at us when we get home. At least now that we have had her six plus years, she has stopped destroying things in fear when we leave... But the weirdest thing is that she will not go to the "bathroom" alone. You have heard men joke about women being unable to go to the bathroom unless someone goes with them, well with Angel it is true. If we let her out and Snoopy doesn't feel like going she will stand at the back door and bark insistently until he gets up and has us let him out, too. Then, and only then, will Angel venture out into the back yard.
Today in my sermon I talked about the Holy Spirit going with us always. Sometimes it is like a dove sometimes a blazing fire. Sometimes we can't always feel it, but God's Spirit is always there. In the Bible, when God's people couldn't feel God's presence, they complained and called out until they got an answer. They were often neurotic and annoying, and there were even times when God didn't really want to be with the whiny people. For example, Moses had to beg God to go with them after the Golden Calf incident. "If your presence will not go, do not carry us from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, and I and your people if you do not go with us?" (Exodus 33:15-16) Like Angel, God's people didn't want to go anywhere unless they knew that God was going to go with them.
I think that may be part of our problem today. Many people don't care whether God goes with them or not. Some people feel that it's OK if God wants to come along, but they are fine either way. Some others would rather God not go with them. As a culture I think we have lost the deep need to know that God is with us. We no longer beg God, like Moses. We often don't even think about it. We try to live our lives on our own, and it doesn't always work out that well.
I want God to go with me, even though I am sometimes embarrassed that means that God will know what I think and do. God does promise to go with us. In fact, there is no place where we can go where God's presence isn't already there. So for those who hope God won't come along and see what they are doing... oops, sorry!
We sometimes feel God's presence very strongly. Sometimes the Spirit is like a fire in our life. Sometimes is is more subtle like a dove. Sometimes we won't even be able to feel it. That doesn't mean that God has left the building. That means that we are not in tune with what God's doing.
I think that maybe we would be better people if we were a little more like the Israelites, or even Angel. I don't mean whiny and annoying. But if we actually prayed for God to go with us. If we actually invited God along on our journey, then maybe we would think about our decisions more. Maybe we would worry less. (OK, in Angel's case I'm not sure that part works... other than, she has started to believe that I will come back when I go to work or the store...)
We don't have to go alone. God is with us. Perhaps the world would be a better place if we acted like it.
Peace
Today in my sermon I talked about the Holy Spirit going with us always. Sometimes it is like a dove sometimes a blazing fire. Sometimes we can't always feel it, but God's Spirit is always there. In the Bible, when God's people couldn't feel God's presence, they complained and called out until they got an answer. They were often neurotic and annoying, and there were even times when God didn't really want to be with the whiny people. For example, Moses had to beg God to go with them after the Golden Calf incident. "If your presence will not go, do not carry us from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, and I and your people if you do not go with us?" (Exodus 33:15-16) Like Angel, God's people didn't want to go anywhere unless they knew that God was going to go with them.
I think that may be part of our problem today. Many people don't care whether God goes with them or not. Some people feel that it's OK if God wants to come along, but they are fine either way. Some others would rather God not go with them. As a culture I think we have lost the deep need to know that God is with us. We no longer beg God, like Moses. We often don't even think about it. We try to live our lives on our own, and it doesn't always work out that well.
I want God to go with me, even though I am sometimes embarrassed that means that God will know what I think and do. God does promise to go with us. In fact, there is no place where we can go where God's presence isn't already there. So for those who hope God won't come along and see what they are doing... oops, sorry!
We sometimes feel God's presence very strongly. Sometimes the Spirit is like a fire in our life. Sometimes is is more subtle like a dove. Sometimes we won't even be able to feel it. That doesn't mean that God has left the building. That means that we are not in tune with what God's doing.
I think that maybe we would be better people if we were a little more like the Israelites, or even Angel. I don't mean whiny and annoying. But if we actually prayed for God to go with us. If we actually invited God along on our journey, then maybe we would think about our decisions more. Maybe we would worry less. (OK, in Angel's case I'm not sure that part works... other than, she has started to believe that I will come back when I go to work or the store...)
We don't have to go alone. God is with us. Perhaps the world would be a better place if we acted like it.
Peace
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The Separation of Church and Hate
To begin with I want to state clearly that I think that any church protesting at a child's funeral because the state they live in supports gay marriage is horrible. I think that the Wesboro Baptist Church protesting at the funerals of twenty murdered children is no less than evil. That being said, I have serious qualms about one of the ways my friends on the Internet are fighting back.
I received an invitation to sign a petition that is being sent to the President that asks him to declare the Westboro Baptist Church a hate organization, therefore taking away their rights as a church. I agree that something has to be done. Someone should sit them down and talk to them about the all loving and all forgiving savior that they say they follow, but President Obama is not the person to do it.
Before you get up in arms, I am not making some kind of critique of the President. I am saying that it is not the President's job to determine what is a valid church and what is not. You may have heard of a concept called the separation of church and state. Even though it is tossed around for some silly reasons (your kid can't pray over his lunch, that is a violation of the separation of church and state, or some such silly complaints...) this is what the separation of church and state was made for. The government doesn't have the right to tell a church whether it is a legitimate church or not. There are many churches out there that probably were not formed for the right reasons, but the government can't make that decision. In fact, really, only God can tell what is in the heart and make that call.
Even though I would not be sad to see hate mongering churches go the way of the Dodo, government determination would be the wrong way to go. Just imagine for a moment that President Obama is so enraged that someone would be that hateful as to harm the families grieving over their babies, and decides to ratify your petition. OK, he decides to say that church is not a church but a hate group. How many other petitions would follow? You know how well all we religious brothers and sisters get along. How long would it be before one church asks for another to be declared not a church?
In my first call, I was in a really small southern town. Our little Presbyterian church was proud to have a female associate pastor, so every time I preached they would put my name and sermon title on their message board. So, every time I preached the local Church of Christ, which had it's own radio program at noon on Sunday, would preach about how evil the Presbyterian church was because they let a woman speak in church. We were all going to hell, etc... That was hateful and directed specifically at me! However, I would not ever dare ask anyone to invalidate their ministry. They still fed the hungry, and did their best. OK, yes, I think they had some serious things wrong with their theology, but as I have said before, we are ALL sinful people. We all hold wrong ideas. We all make mistakes. As my brother's bumper sticker in High School read, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven."
And then a really scary thought: My own denomination is very divided over the ordination and marriage of homosexuals. Every time it comes up both sides threaten to leave the denomination if they don't get their way. What if the government could tell a church whether or not it was a church. One side would argue that the other is theologically wrong and shouldn't be a church. The other side could say that their opponents were prejudiced and hateful. Aren't those the same accusations against the Westboro Baptist church? I know, and love, and minister to people on both sides of this argument. I strongly believe that one side is wrong, but that doesn't make them not Christians. It doesn't make them any less our brothers and sisters. One day Jesus will correct us all where we have wrong, hateful, or prejudice thoughts. One day Jesus will return and fix the mess that we have made of the church and religion, but we are very arrogant if we say that WE can determine which churches should and should not exist.
By all means tell anyone you know who would be hateful enough to picket funerals that they need to have a long talk with Jesus about love and forgiveness. Make your voice heard on the Internet, or TV, or wherever you can. But please don't have emotional knee jerk reactions. That is what the hatemongers are doing. A petition to the President is not going to accomplish anything, nor is it the wise way to deal with the problem. To be honest I don't know what the wise thing is. Actually, I think it is hilarious that hackers keep attacking their web site and twitter account. Maybe that is the answer.
What I do know is the Christian response should be to shower those families that lost their children (or wives, or husbands, or parents) with the love of God. Support them. Uphold them. Send cards, e-mails, flowers and let them know that they are loved. That is what will combat the evil and hate of the narrow minded. Drown out their hate with love.
Grace and Peace to all of you!
I received an invitation to sign a petition that is being sent to the President that asks him to declare the Westboro Baptist Church a hate organization, therefore taking away their rights as a church. I agree that something has to be done. Someone should sit them down and talk to them about the all loving and all forgiving savior that they say they follow, but President Obama is not the person to do it.
Before you get up in arms, I am not making some kind of critique of the President. I am saying that it is not the President's job to determine what is a valid church and what is not. You may have heard of a concept called the separation of church and state. Even though it is tossed around for some silly reasons (your kid can't pray over his lunch, that is a violation of the separation of church and state, or some such silly complaints...) this is what the separation of church and state was made for. The government doesn't have the right to tell a church whether it is a legitimate church or not. There are many churches out there that probably were not formed for the right reasons, but the government can't make that decision. In fact, really, only God can tell what is in the heart and make that call.
Even though I would not be sad to see hate mongering churches go the way of the Dodo, government determination would be the wrong way to go. Just imagine for a moment that President Obama is so enraged that someone would be that hateful as to harm the families grieving over their babies, and decides to ratify your petition. OK, he decides to say that church is not a church but a hate group. How many other petitions would follow? You know how well all we religious brothers and sisters get along. How long would it be before one church asks for another to be declared not a church?
In my first call, I was in a really small southern town. Our little Presbyterian church was proud to have a female associate pastor, so every time I preached they would put my name and sermon title on their message board. So, every time I preached the local Church of Christ, which had it's own radio program at noon on Sunday, would preach about how evil the Presbyterian church was because they let a woman speak in church. We were all going to hell, etc... That was hateful and directed specifically at me! However, I would not ever dare ask anyone to invalidate their ministry. They still fed the hungry, and did their best. OK, yes, I think they had some serious things wrong with their theology, but as I have said before, we are ALL sinful people. We all hold wrong ideas. We all make mistakes. As my brother's bumper sticker in High School read, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven."
And then a really scary thought: My own denomination is very divided over the ordination and marriage of homosexuals. Every time it comes up both sides threaten to leave the denomination if they don't get their way. What if the government could tell a church whether or not it was a church. One side would argue that the other is theologically wrong and shouldn't be a church. The other side could say that their opponents were prejudiced and hateful. Aren't those the same accusations against the Westboro Baptist church? I know, and love, and minister to people on both sides of this argument. I strongly believe that one side is wrong, but that doesn't make them not Christians. It doesn't make them any less our brothers and sisters. One day Jesus will correct us all where we have wrong, hateful, or prejudice thoughts. One day Jesus will return and fix the mess that we have made of the church and religion, but we are very arrogant if we say that WE can determine which churches should and should not exist.
By all means tell anyone you know who would be hateful enough to picket funerals that they need to have a long talk with Jesus about love and forgiveness. Make your voice heard on the Internet, or TV, or wherever you can. But please don't have emotional knee jerk reactions. That is what the hatemongers are doing. A petition to the President is not going to accomplish anything, nor is it the wise way to deal with the problem. To be honest I don't know what the wise thing is. Actually, I think it is hilarious that hackers keep attacking their web site and twitter account. Maybe that is the answer.
What I do know is the Christian response should be to shower those families that lost their children (or wives, or husbands, or parents) with the love of God. Support them. Uphold them. Send cards, e-mails, flowers and let them know that they are loved. That is what will combat the evil and hate of the narrow minded. Drown out their hate with love.
Grace and Peace to all of you!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Slow Down and Smell the Pine
It has been a couple of weeks since my last blog. Christmas is coming and things have been crazy! We have a Cantata and Christmas Eve service to plan at church, the tree, presents, and decorations at home. Don't forget to bake cookies for the cookie exchange. In the midst of that the boys have plays and concerts at school. It is enough to make your head spin.
So, how come we celebrate the coming of peace on earth by getting crazy? Shouldn't Christmas bring calm and peace? Shouldn't we take time to sit and quietly contemplate the lights and the tree and what they represent?
Well, maybe we should consider what the first Christmas was like. Caesar decided to have a census so everyone had to travel to the home of their ancestors. Joseph had to take a very pregnant, teenage Mary cross country on a donkey. Why? So that they could be taxed properly! (So don't complain about sitting on your chair having to do your taxes online! You don't have to travel for miles in the cold via donkey to get your tax info.)
When they got to Bethlehem it was NOT peaceful. The town was completely packed with people who were probably grumpy about having to travel to be taxed, too. On the plus side, since most of them came from that town, there was probably a lot of family reunion stuff going on. Any of you who have a big family reunion know that it is fun, but peaceful doesn't always describe it. OK, sitting on the porch by the fire at Darlene's is peaceful as long as its not too cold, but Amy and her water balloons, not so much!
So baby Jesus was born in a manger to exhausted parents. Oh, and the "no crying he makes" is not from the Bible. God came down to be human for us, to experience what it is to be human. Jesus cried and needed diapers changed. Any of you who are parents know that having a new baby is anything but peaceful.
So if we are not celebrating peace, what are we celebrating? To quote C3PO from the Star Wars Christmas album (because it is ohhh so theologically correct...) "We have a day when love came to stay." Love came down at Christmas.
Christmas is the day that "For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son" happened. The thought that an all powerful and all knowing God would love us enough to come down and be one of us is mind blowing. God loved us enough to want to know what it is like to be us. God loved us enough to suffer and die to pay for our sins. That should make us want to turn into one giant flash mob singing "Joy to the World."
I would love to have a peaceful Christmas, but I will settle for a joyful Christmas full of love and loved ones. Maybe once I retire we can have a peaceful Christmas... except that we might have grandchildren to spoil...
Whatever your situation I wish you love and joy this Christmas, and to those who need it most - peace!
So, how come we celebrate the coming of peace on earth by getting crazy? Shouldn't Christmas bring calm and peace? Shouldn't we take time to sit and quietly contemplate the lights and the tree and what they represent?
Well, maybe we should consider what the first Christmas was like. Caesar decided to have a census so everyone had to travel to the home of their ancestors. Joseph had to take a very pregnant, teenage Mary cross country on a donkey. Why? So that they could be taxed properly! (So don't complain about sitting on your chair having to do your taxes online! You don't have to travel for miles in the cold via donkey to get your tax info.)
When they got to Bethlehem it was NOT peaceful. The town was completely packed with people who were probably grumpy about having to travel to be taxed, too. On the plus side, since most of them came from that town, there was probably a lot of family reunion stuff going on. Any of you who have a big family reunion know that it is fun, but peaceful doesn't always describe it. OK, sitting on the porch by the fire at Darlene's is peaceful as long as its not too cold, but Amy and her water balloons, not so much!
So baby Jesus was born in a manger to exhausted parents. Oh, and the "no crying he makes" is not from the Bible. God came down to be human for us, to experience what it is to be human. Jesus cried and needed diapers changed. Any of you who are parents know that having a new baby is anything but peaceful.
So if we are not celebrating peace, what are we celebrating? To quote C3PO from the Star Wars Christmas album (because it is ohhh so theologically correct...) "We have a day when love came to stay." Love came down at Christmas.
Christmas is the day that "For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son" happened. The thought that an all powerful and all knowing God would love us enough to come down and be one of us is mind blowing. God loved us enough to want to know what it is like to be us. God loved us enough to suffer and die to pay for our sins. That should make us want to turn into one giant flash mob singing "Joy to the World."
I would love to have a peaceful Christmas, but I will settle for a joyful Christmas full of love and loved ones. Maybe once I retire we can have a peaceful Christmas... except that we might have grandchildren to spoil...
Whatever your situation I wish you love and joy this Christmas, and to those who need it most - peace!
Monday, November 26, 2012
For Our Four Footed Friends
Today, I will have to take one of our family dogs to the vet to stay overnight and have surgery in the morning. When I think about asking for prayer requests it reminded me of several church members over the course of my ministry that seemed embarrassed or apologized for asking for prayers for their family pet. I don't think that you should ever apologize for wanting prayers for a member of your family, even if they have four feet and fur (or even feathers or scales.)
Our pets are God's creatures, created with care and love. They bring love and joy to our homes, which I think are two of God's greatest gifts. They love and trust us unconditionally, even when we don't always deserve it. We could learn to be better people and better Christians if we could love and trust like our pets.
So why are some people embarrassed or afraid to pray for their four footed family members? I think my college Sunday School teacher gave me one example (a bad example in my opinion.) I don't remember what brought the topic up, but our teacher made the statement,"You won't see your dog in heaven, because animals don't go to heaven. They don't have souls." First off, I believe strongly that he was wrong and so did the rest of the class. We argued with him for the whole hour. His main argument was that in the creation story God only breathed life into humans, that gave us a soul... That is not what that says. God's breath gave us life. The soul is not mentioned there at all. In fact the Bible doesn't say one way or another whether animals have a soul. The only thing it says in the creation story is that when God made them, God said that they were good.
OK, so NOWHERE in the Bible does it say either way that my dogs will or will not be in heaven. That doesn't mean that they won't. It means that we haven't been up there to see for ourselves.
So, here is some things that I think about when I consider the furry members of my family who have passed on. In the End, God will be giving us a new heaven and a new earth. That IS in the Bible. God will be recreating things like they were before sin. There were animals in the garden in the beginning, so why wouldn't they be in the kingdom in the end. In fact it says that the lamb will lie down with the lion, and a child will play safely over the adder's den. Yes, I know that this is metaphor, not literal, but it does mention animals being in the kingdom. Many of the Psalms also talk about ALL of creation praising God. Is God going to just ignore that praise?
My second thought is what a waste it would be. God spent a lot of effort creating all the wonderful variety of life that we find here on earth. So, are we just going to assume that in the end God is just going to toss out 99.9% of creation and just keep, what, us and the angels. That would be kind of a boring way for God to spend the rest of eternity don't you think? This is also my argument for life on other planets, but that is a discussion for another day.
So, I believe that these loving, trusting, beautiful creations of our God will be there in heaven. Heaven is supposed to be a place of light, love, joy, and praise. To me it would be so much more joyful with out kitties winding about our ankles, our dogs faithfully by our sides, and while I am at it, the dolphins happily frolicking and squeaking their praise.
Please pray for Snoopy and his surgery tomorrow (Nov. 27). And while you are at it remember to pray for your friends who have lost a four footed family member. Don't be ashamed to pray for the pets that you love, because love comes from God!
Blessings
Our pets are God's creatures, created with care and love. They bring love and joy to our homes, which I think are two of God's greatest gifts. They love and trust us unconditionally, even when we don't always deserve it. We could learn to be better people and better Christians if we could love and trust like our pets.
So why are some people embarrassed or afraid to pray for their four footed family members? I think my college Sunday School teacher gave me one example (a bad example in my opinion.) I don't remember what brought the topic up, but our teacher made the statement,"You won't see your dog in heaven, because animals don't go to heaven. They don't have souls." First off, I believe strongly that he was wrong and so did the rest of the class. We argued with him for the whole hour. His main argument was that in the creation story God only breathed life into humans, that gave us a soul... That is not what that says. God's breath gave us life. The soul is not mentioned there at all. In fact the Bible doesn't say one way or another whether animals have a soul. The only thing it says in the creation story is that when God made them, God said that they were good.
OK, so NOWHERE in the Bible does it say either way that my dogs will or will not be in heaven. That doesn't mean that they won't. It means that we haven't been up there to see for ourselves.
So, here is some things that I think about when I consider the furry members of my family who have passed on. In the End, God will be giving us a new heaven and a new earth. That IS in the Bible. God will be recreating things like they were before sin. There were animals in the garden in the beginning, so why wouldn't they be in the kingdom in the end. In fact it says that the lamb will lie down with the lion, and a child will play safely over the adder's den. Yes, I know that this is metaphor, not literal, but it does mention animals being in the kingdom. Many of the Psalms also talk about ALL of creation praising God. Is God going to just ignore that praise?
My second thought is what a waste it would be. God spent a lot of effort creating all the wonderful variety of life that we find here on earth. So, are we just going to assume that in the end God is just going to toss out 99.9% of creation and just keep, what, us and the angels. That would be kind of a boring way for God to spend the rest of eternity don't you think? This is also my argument for life on other planets, but that is a discussion for another day.
So, I believe that these loving, trusting, beautiful creations of our God will be there in heaven. Heaven is supposed to be a place of light, love, joy, and praise. To me it would be so much more joyful with out kitties winding about our ankles, our dogs faithfully by our sides, and while I am at it, the dolphins happily frolicking and squeaking their praise.
Please pray for Snoopy and his surgery tomorrow (Nov. 27). And while you are at it remember to pray for your friends who have lost a four footed family member. Don't be ashamed to pray for the pets that you love, because love comes from God!
Blessings
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