Jesus is My Laundry Man

Well as I am very late in updates, I realize my Easter blog is way delinquent but I have a great excuse simply that thing called Spring Break with kids home. But lets get down to business.
Do you have a deep dark stain in your laundry that is peskily persistent? I am amazed at how much laundry a family of 5 produces. Particularly my family of 5. I keep telling my children in a fit of exhaustion that they are going to one day wake up and find me dead under a huge pile of stinky laundry and wonder what happened. I love those old Tide commercials, the Mom looks so happy to put the singular grass stained soccer shirt in her machine and takes so much confidence in the Tide product. As a young girl watching commercials like this, laundry for a Mom looked easy and borderline glamorous. I now know the truth. Six loads at least with sheets and towels and no sexy spin cycle either just heavy loads of dirt stained clothes going up and down stairs only to find them making their way down the stairs to the machine again. Also did you ever realize they never cast a handsome young male role model to aid in the gender bending role of men knowing how a washing machine works. Madison Avenue in my opinion lost the plot on this aspect of the feminist movement. We’ve got the birth control pill but you can’t cast a man in a Tide commercial?

While this seemingly endless laundry has no end in sight, the life lessons cleaned from laundry or the much needed zen activity of folding has served me well in times of need. This week was an example of that. So I ask again, do you have any stains on that nice clean new white shirt from LL Bean that just won’t come out no matter how many times you seem to wash it? You’ve tried the Oxy-Clean, Shout or maybe even bleach. As I was sitting down with a friend, okay it was my husband...having a very deep intellectual debate shall we say...okay it was a knock out argument...about some theological issue that was at hand in regards to approaching an issue with our kids. It wasn’t the Tooth Fairy either. We were discussing how to get rid of a some persistent “stains” as we will call them that seem to be most persistent in our methods of communication. The reason for our conversation was how to navigate the Harry Potter road to witchcraft issue that will be and is creeping into our laundry. It’s like a pen stain really and we are not quite sure how to educate our kids on the fact and truth that they should not participate in things that the Bible says are not of God. The issue or argument was not should be teach our children but the hows and whys that we should go about doing our job as Christian parents.
I will say this, at this point, that we feel like we are hang gliding at this point in navigating the cultural abstinence from certain things as neither of us had fully Christian homes that give us an example to follow. Anyway to cut to the chase, I did not handle the situation well and my husband and I disagreed with the hows and whys and thus a full blown argument came about.

Now here is the aspect of laundry stains. If we have persistent “outbursts of rage” or “dissension” and my personal favorite, “discord” how is that any different from actually practicing the occult in your kitchen? It’s not. Galations 5 says the acts of flesh are obvious and “outbursts of rage” and “discord” are right up there with debauchery and orgies...even witchcraft. So, in all this I have kept coming up to the persistent stain in my own life of having to “feel” right and let go of certain arguments before the get into the “dissension” stage. The good news is that we both acknowledged our Galations 5 “stains” from our mutual flesh attack at that time an all is well.
I trust Tide to get stains out, but ultimately I trust Jesus that by His sacrifice that he continually cleanses me from my sins...especially those pesky persistent ones that creep up unexpectedly like a pizza stain on a linen jacket. This Easter I take continual confidence and awe that Jesus is my laundry man. In His economy, I don’t have to do a thing to wash my clothes.

Take me to your leader!

So can admit something. This might bring a huge aspect of embarrassment and might actually cast me in the loony category to many of my companions but I am going to actually put it out there, bare my soul, expose this hidden secret about myself that might raise eyebrows. No, I’m not gay. No, I’m not vegan and I don’t believe in aliens. Brace yourself. I like Donald Trump.

So....go ahead laugh.....louder. My husband just left the room when I read him my entry so believe me, I understand. But I can’t help myself. And this is why I blog.

I also liked Giuliani...still do. But in the last election, he got sun baked in the primaries and probably got attacked by all the old ladies in the condos of Florida that used to be New Yorkers from his old neighborhood and never took the election seriously.

Why I always like the potential candidate that has seriously the worst chance for getting in? Maybe because I like the underdog. Sigh. What is it about Trump you may ask my absolutely crazy mind that would actually even consider hoping for political success for this guy?

Well, first off. He’s a New Yorker. Second, he a tough guy. Third, I like his line of reasoning.
These were the reasons I liked Giuliani. I would vote Trump over Palin anyday. That is if I was a registered political person of conservative persuation, but I am not. I’m an independent because I like the motion of swinging back and forth between the two parties over crocodile pool. It adds to the excitement. Poor Trump, you got to feel for the guy with his bad hair deal...all the money in the world and he can’t get decent hair. That makes him an instant underdog. He’s had less wives than Larry King...so that’s not bad in this relative world. We don’t know if he’s cheated on those wives like good o’l Newt whose justified that he was “working hard for our country and ….” took comfort in some extra marital activities. What would he do with the hard work of the role of President? Polygamy?

When we are looking at the line up of who might run against the current lame duck President. It really is pathetic. But the more I hear the tough talk of Trump, I am embarrassed to say... I like him all the more. I don’t think he has a chance in hell’s freezing over of getting in. America just can’t get over his hair piece. But he’s a wise guy, and just by the nature of his tough business...he has nothing to loose so he tells it like it is. Like the old Rockefeller, the Mellon and the Carnegies of the industrial age he has come from meager means and built a huge empire. We forget that our country’s economy were shaped by guys like Trump that knew how money works and knew how to motivate people, and invest money. I think we now need to turn a blind eye into his love of building casinos and influencing society with the love of money...aka evil. Hey, did you know that Trump's Dad's middle name is Christ...seriously... and he's Presbyterian...that counts right? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump I am not quite sure how Trump would go over in other areas of leadership like foreign policy, or who he would pick for judicial roles, or if the moral compass is pointing south when it should be pointing north when it comes to passing laws that would have huge social consequences on our young people. Oh Gosh...and would he put a shiny gold facade and black glass over the White House...my imagination is running wild.

The religious moral majority right wing looks to these things when picking a candidate. But honestly they fall down in their own standards of leadership before they even run and it is slim pickin’ these days for good leadership. If Palin is uses her faith to justify her convictions, I would have to have a good sit down with her about how far she intends to apply those convictions on the whole nation. And that goes for Rick Santorum as well.

Which brings me to my next question of the day....where have all the good leaders gone?

I would almost venture to say they are extinct. We’ve disabled good leaders from leading. So, like Trump entrepreneurship is a media in which he has been able to freely exercise his leadership skills, and frankly he’s extremely successful. He's actually not the richest man in the nation. Trump always made his kids work for their privileged lifestyle and you certainly don’t see his children like Paris Hilton romping the globe in hot pants toting a Chihuahua coining the phrase "that's hot". He made his kids go to Harvard business school before they touched one penny of his business. He was a tough disciplinarian, this I know from a 20/20 interview years ago with Barbara Walters. He knows a good and honest deal, and hates cheaters....which leads me to think he thought high of the “deal” of marriage. He hasn’t tried to cover up his inatiquities in that department by saying...”I cheated on my wife because I was hard at work for our country.” He’s not religious or spiritually inclined to my knowledge although he touts a Presbyterian faith, but he does call for transparency and bringing the truth to light in many issues he’s been speaking about lately. Even giving light to the “birther” issue. Because he values what our Constitution says, he credits the crazy “birthers” to the issue of the difference of “certificate of live birth” vs “birth certificate”. There is a big difference. And according to Trump- he’s right when he says..."just show us (the nation) your birth certificate...I’ll show you mine it's upstairs" in a recent interview. It’s the deal breaker and should be. His willingness to be open to the public says something about the man.

Trump does not always do what people like and did I mention his hair? His buildings are gaudy. He loves money. (And money is the root of all evil according to scripture...so I’m just sayin’ Presbyterian or not) But I like his tough business character and the fact he has nothing to loose in running for President.
I don’t know if I could ever get used to saying President Trump, but somehow I also see him dividing the country into “apprentice” teams, maybe east coast, west coast and giving young entrepreneurs a chance to express leadership qualities that perhaps we have done more to squelch with politics and policies then open opportunities. The question is...if he fails as team leader for our country...do we get to say.....

Trump “You’re Fired!”

Bell's a Ringing!

It’s been a while since my last entry, mostly because I’ve been writing a paper on the book of James and because I’ve been coughing up the Boogie man. Broncitis is not fun to have, every morning instead of thanking God for my next breath I wake up with a drowning feeling. So I heeded my hubby’s advice and went to the Dr. I should be right as rain in a few days.

Speaking of the boogie man. Let’s talk about Love Wins and other poor and theologically weak leaders of the church like Rob Bell. In our post modern day of relative truth, watered down doctrine and the rise of athiest churches (you thought that was a contridiction...but they are real!) the church is getting a work out really for the first time in a very long time. Remember when you hit the gym for the first time or get into your bathing suit after a long frozen dark winter and stand there and see how weak, how pale you are? That’s what is happening in the church today. A prominent pastor, who has been zealous in marketing cool images, serving lattes in the foyer of Mars Hill and setting up chats about relevant art movements has released the weakest book marketed to who? I still am unsure who is going to pick up this book. Is this supposed to motivate the church? Is this supposed to encourage our young people to spread the gospel?
The theological argument is as confusing as Rob Bell’s audience must be.

The whole discussion on heaven and hell, predestination, and judgement, atonement of sins and even with a little love thrown in there for selling point. Well that’s just about the whole thing isn’t it? I’ve read one article today from Christianity Today that spells out Bell’s understanding of Atonement, as in his words...”a brilliant, creative work”. Wow, that’s theological truth in a nutshell I understand now...God is like Van Gough? I also just listened to Rob Bell squirm under fire on MSNBC. The interviewer had more theological logic then Bell. And that is unfortunately the problem with many in the church today. We are weak and untrained in battle so we look more like athletes on Wipe Out then the Olympics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg-qgmJ7nzA

According to Rob Bell, after you die...everything is speculation. Really Rob? You just said we can’t count on scripture to tell us what the answer to what happenes when we die? Our faith as Truth...speculation? If you can’t be sure that you have eternal life when you trust the Gospel of Christ with what kind of credibility, with what kind of truth do you preach with Rob? Instead of preaching the gospel, teaching people how to read scripture and preach the truth of the doctrine of the gospel Rob Bell has been sipping too many lattes and allowed false doctrine to seep into Mars Hill. In fact, it says that he will be judged MORE harshly as a leader in the church...especially if he has not held to solid gospel doctrinal truth and used scripture as the authority and gage of what the answers of these deep theological truths. It’s just that simple.
Unless you use the same relativism in interpreting scripture in the same light, then it’s “speculation” to say the least.

The problem too is that we so often shake our heads in agreement and not know why we think one way or another. We have allowed other people, quasi- celebrity pastors influence our theology because they are cool, hip and they have nice art galleries. I think when I heard Rob Bell say words like “extend love” was right up there as a means to salvation....ooooooo you so did not say that Rob. That there be works. It sounds like a whole mis-mash of doctrine all mushed up into one. If I were you Rob I would have answered the interview with the “God is all powerful and cares about the people of Japan” and not just touted “this is a paradox that should be remained unanswered.” Speak Truth. That is....if you know it, which is sound like you don’t.

Rob Bell says he’s a pastor. I pray for Rob, that he would pastor his people well in scriptural truth. This will be more effective effect on the world today for Christ then publishing books for controversy sake. We are told to proclaim the truth and cast out false doctrine. Of course as Rob Bell there have always been questions in the Church about things like this...because the truth of the gospel is twisted when false doctrine gets in and we can see in scripture that many an early church had the same problem that we do today with pastors like Rob Bell. This is why we have the letters in scripture today, Corinthians, 1,2 Timothy, Colossians to name a few.

So my fellow blog followers...I ask you, where do you turn for Truth when a crazy cat like Bell touts pastorship on one side, then engaging conversation on another?

Bell's a Ringing!

It’s been a while since my last entry, mostly because I’ve been writing a paper on the book of James and because I’ve been coughing up the Boogie man. Broncitis is not fun to have, every morning instead of thanking God for my next breath I wake up with a drowning feeling. So I heeded my hubby’s advice and went to the Dr. I should be right as rain in a few days.

Speaking of the boogie man. Let’s talk about Love Wins and other poor and theologically weak leaders of the church like Rob Bell. In our post modern day of relative truth, watered down doctrine and the rise of athiest churches (you thought that was a contridiction...but they are real!) the church is getting a work out really for the first time in a very long time. Remember when you hit the gym for the first time or get into your bathing suit after a long frozen dark winter and stand there and see how weak, how pale you are? That’s what is happening in the church today. A prominent pastor, who has been zealous in marketing cool images, serving lattes in the foyer of Mars Hill and setting up chats about relevant art movements has released the weakest book marketed to who? I still am unsure who is going to pick up this book. Is this supposed to motivate the church? Is this supposed to encourage our young people to spread the gospel?
The theological argument is as confusing as Rob Bell’s audience must be.

The whole discussion on heaven and hell, predestination, and judgement, atonement of sins and even with a little love thrown in there for selling point. Well that’s just about the whole thing isn’t it? I’ve read one article today from Christianity Today that spells out Bell’s understanding of Atonement, as in his words...”a brilliant, creative work”. Wow, that’s theological truth in a nutshell I understand now...God is like Van Gough? I also just listened to Rob Bell squirm under fire on MSNBC. The interviewer had more theological logic then Bell. And that is unfortunately the problem with many in the church today. We are weak and untrained in battle so we look more like athletes on Wipe Out then the Olympics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg-qgmJ7nzA

According to Rob Bell, after you die...everything is speculation. Really Rob? You just said we can’t count on scripture to tell us what the answer to what happenes when we die? Our faith as Truth...speculation? If you can’t be sure that you have eternal life when you trust the Gospel of Christ with what kind of credibility, with what kind of truth do you preach with Rob? Instead of preaching the gospel, teaching people how to read scripture and preach the truth of the doctrine of the gospel Rob Bell has been sipping too many lattes and allowed false doctrine to seep into Mars Hill. In fact, it says that he will be judged MORE harshly as a leader in the church...especially if he has not held to solid gospel doctrinal truth and used scripture as the authority and gage of what the answers of these deep theological truths. It’s just that simple.
Unless you use the same relativism in interpreting scripture in the same light, then it’s “speculation” to say the least.

The problem too is that we so often shake our heads in agreement and not know why we think one way or another. We have allowed other people, quasi- celebrity pastors influence our theology because they are cool, hip and they have nice art galleries. I think when I heard Rob Bell say words like “extend love” was right up there as a means to salvation....ooooooo you so did not say that Rob. That there be works. It sounds like a whole mis-mash of doctrine all mushed up into one. If I were you Rob I would have answered the interview with the “God is all powerful and cares about the people of Japan” and not just touted “this is a paradox that should be remained unanswered.” Speak Truth. That is....if you know it, which is sound like you don’t.

Rob Bell says he’s a pastor. I pray for Rob, that he would pastor his people well in scriptural truth. This will be more effective effect on the world today for Christ then publishing books for controversy sake. We are told to proclaim the truth and cast out false doctrine. Of course as Rob Bell there have always been questions in the Church about things like this...because the truth of the gospel is twisted when false doctrine gets in and we can see in scripture that many an early church had the same problem that we do today with pastors like Rob Bell. This is why we have the letters in scripture today, Corinthians, 1,2 Timothy, Colossians to name a few.

Oh and by the way: NY Society of Ethical Culture Rob? Universalist to the core.

So my fellow blog followers...I ask you, where do you turn for Truth when a crazy cat like Bell touts pastorship on one side, then engaging conversation on another?