Kinda' stole this...

Not really, but sort of. A couple of weeks ago our pastor opened his sermon with the words from Simon and Garfunkel song, "America" and I have been on a S&G kick ever since. Frankly, mostly just the concert in Central Park. It reminds me so much of Mom. We use to watch it on PBS, just about every year she was on the vent. If it was a really good song, she would come off the machine and sing...not recommended by most health care professionals by the way! But mostly she just tapped her fingers and mouth the words...right along with me. One of my most precious memories ever. Still makes me smile.
So what about this song? America...yeah, we got some stuff going on for sure. I have found myself in the middle of more than one debate, thank you Facebook for reconnecting me to so many of my liberal friends of old-how I adore them. 

The thing is, we all have the same heart: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, heal the sick. It is our heart to serve...Oh how He has changed us from with in! Glory to His name to give us a heart like His.

We just expect all those things to be done differently. I've heard the liberal argument that the GOP wants to protect the unborn but won't feed them once they are here. Okay, lets go with that one. I have no interest in seeing children go hungry. I also firmly believe that when we take away personal responsibility from the parents of hungry children we take a primal force from those parents. Michele Bachman was mocked for saying "If you don't work, you don't eat." Um, yeah, Paul said it first, in Thessalonians I think. And I also don't know that it was an accurate account of scripture to use when she did. You see Paul was speaking about fellow believers in a specific community, not those who were not apart of the community. See the difference?  We cannot hold a none believer by the same standard. And let us be very careful how we wield The Word.

What if we began by taking care of the unborn, keeping them safe and move on from there? I happen to know that the cause of pregnancy has been found...there are great ways to not make babies available to everyone today. So what of the young mom who has a baby, daddy is gone, and she is on her own. What is our response to that? Let them go hungry? Put them out on the street? Seriously? Um I hope not. So where is the Body of Christ? Do we start with throwing stones? Hmmm, I think Jesus would frown upon that one. What if she tends to be the neighborhood harlot? I do believe Jesus confronted a woman at a well about such behavior...He gave her living water.

So here is the rub: no where in the Word does Jesus tell His disciples to pay extra taxes so the government can have a government program for the poor and the down trodden. As a matter of fact, and this one will get me in trouble with hard line tithers, The Word never demands we give a specific amount to any one. In one account after another, the people are instructed to give from their hearts, be it to build a temple or to care for the poor. "Give from your heart whatever you choose...." is stated over and over and over again. Somehow, God has always known that when people are forced to pay a tax they are subject to corruption...think about Matthew-the tax collector. Yeah, no one was too thrilled to see that guy get called as a fisher of men.  And yet, Jesus did pay his tax and tells us to do the same-think about the coin in the fish to pay the temple tax or what He said about giving to Cesar what is Cesar's.

So here we are. One group wants to care for the poor through the government. Another group longs to care for the poor on it's own terms. We happen to be the most generous nation the world has ever seen. No one made us give after the tsunami or earth quakes. We gave our time, our money, all of our resources in addition to money given by the government. No one made us do it....No one.

As a nation we have always fought for the underdog. We did so because as Americans we long to see everyone get a fighting chance. I've never seen this country, once aware there was a problem, not deal with it. I still believe in the over all goodness of We The People.

I also think there is a reason this topic is to hot right now. No, not because of the impending election. Right now, the needs of the poor are still being met through countless government programs...but there is a remnant preparing to serve the poor when the government can't. I don't have a bunker and I am not a doomsdayer at all. I just know the path our nation is on is unsustainable. So what will happen when there is no more cheese to hand out? Because there will come a day when there is no more cheese blocks. Are we ready now to open our homes? Are we ready now to open our wallets? Are we ready to use our resources?

I still stand on the conviction that our God is Grace and Truth, Justice and Mercy. Each goes hand in hand. Grace and Mercy with out Truth and Justice is a lie...and Jesus never demonstrated one with out the other.

Who do I want in office? A patriot. Don't care if he is a Catholic, a Jew, a Hindu, or Pagan....I want a patriot who will obey the rule of law set forth in the constitution. Because if that happens, we will be free to do all these things once again...only better I think. Why? We live in the information age folks. A couple of years ago, we were all under the assumption that slavery was dead. We all were impressed that we didn't see Red Light Districts (for the most part) anymore. Today we know the pimps and slave owners have gotten tech savoy...and who is helping to set these captives free? The Body of Christ.

So as a nation we stand at a cross roads as we all go off to look for America. I hope we re-find it...it is a pretty amazing place.

GCB

Funny right? Sure it is. Go ahead, laugh...unless you don't know what it means, but then you should Google. Just sayen'.  Seriously, whats is not funny about calling Christian woman a biatch.. I probably already offended someone for saying just that much....if so, this is the wrong blog for you, but if not, stick around, I do have a point!
I am so not going to rail about how ABC could not make the same show only called GMB (no, not Mormon. Seriously, did ya' ever see Donny and Marie get their burkas up in bunch? No...)because there would a call to a not so holy war. The inappropriateness of the show in general does not even need to be discussed...it is the given in the equation.

I hear GCB will give Christian woman a bad name. Ahem. Could you all let that sink in for a moment please? GCB will paint Christian woman poorly....yup. That is what I have read.
I have an overwhelming need to smack my head and scream like Woody when he informs Buz that he is just a child's play thing.  Lets be clear, I have no problem with fabulously wealthy believers with great big hair and great big cars and great big houses...NO PROBLEM with it all! More power to ya'!

But I fear what is being depicted from ABC's new show, GCB is more of the Truth than we want to hear. A parody is only funny when there is some truth to it. When Christians are portrayed by the likes of Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer and Joel Olsteen and Rick Warren...yeah, I gotta' say, I am mortified. We, The Body have allowed these to define us...even if we have never set foot in a mega church.

We live in an age of false teachers and even more weak believers. I have had a very long season of being blown around by this teaching and that. It is real easy to memorize God's Word, twist it and make it do what we want. God does not play scriptural Whack-A-Mole with us. We are told so clearly to do what the Word says...do what it says, do what it says. Just because we can memorize it, does not mean the Word is hidden in our hearts.  The challenge isn't in manipulating His Word to do what we want it to do...the challenge is in allowing Him to shape us to become what the Word says we are.

So we have been tagged as GBC. Can we blame the world when it is we who have allowed some and  (and sometimes) even ourselves to define our faith. We should not be railing against the show and telling them how wrong they are...we should be looking into our hearts for all the times they are accurately depicting the Body of Christ.  The meek may inherit the earth but the charlatans got themselves a prime time show...again.

Source: retroplanet.com via Maryellen on Pinterest

Church Hopping...

That is a term I didn't not grow up with.

As a young woman, I found St. Mary's...and I was ruined for mass anywhere else. In the meantime, if you had a football game or a family party on Sunday, you could always hit the "5" on Saturday night at any one of the parishes in our area. No one ever questioned it. Mass was mass no matter where you went.

Well, I had my very own Protestant Reformation close to 14 years ago now. We started out in the Baptist church, but it was like being a kid in a candy store...so many to choose from! How about those Methodists? The Presbyterians? Episcopal? Lutheran? Assemblies of God?

But don't "Church Hop" was the biggest warning we received. Being a newbie, I knew it had to be bad, just by the tone. It takes a couple of years to get vested in a church....be aware~said with a scary voice from a bad cartoon.

Fast forward to 2012. I was asked by a dear friend if I was church hopping now. I am way to old now to even care if we are. If the church we are in can not meet the needs of our family and we cannot meet the needs of the church we are in do we stay? I did that...for years because I was afraid of church hopping! I think I was more afraid of being accused of it than doing it.

I have this thing, crammed into my head and my heart by my mom for years and years~absolute truth. Always seek out absolute truth. Do not settle for anything less. I know exactly how to find it and how to hear from God on it, with out a doubt. It does, however take four very important steps...don't mess them up!

1)Get a bible.
2)Open the bible.
3)Read the bible.
4)Do what it says.

After a season of feeling like I was playing biblical Whack-A-Mole...I remembered what I forgot, Absolute Truth is not that hard to find.

Something else I was raised on: When the hand clapping, arm waiving and foot stomping stops, and it will for one season or another, what will you have? Well I found out: Absolute Truth and it is still there.

Be blessed all,

It only seems fitting...

“Thus says the LORD, Who makes a way through the sea and a path through the mighty waters, “Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

What a year. I was asked on Christmas Eve if I was still writing...yeah, just not sharing so much. I lovely woman approached me a little while later and told she was reading and loving my book. Wow I found the reader! It made my night for sure.

For Christmas John gave me a new bible and a new perfume called Sensual Nude. Yup...we are just fine.

So how do we close out 2011? Wiser, I hope. It was a year of learning and realizing, freedom and joy and sorrow and lose. In the end, even the good byes were the best things that ever happened to me. Turns out, I am way better off leaving the past behind...

That question in Isaiah~that you know I needed spell check to spell~is the one that is tugging my heart this New Years Day; "Will you not be aware of it?" Wow! And Wow? What I love most is that He is not asking me if I "was aware of it" but "will I be aware of it" and that is an important distinction. That whole 22 vision and hindsight thing. How easy it is to look back and know what I've done right (no not spelling wise) and wrong is not so hard when I am six months past...but will I be aware of that fact that He is about His work while I walk through that river or desert?

There are moments when we are blindsided by events in our lives. I've had a few this year. Things that made me spin around and ask, "What in the world just happened?" or "Where in the world did that come from?" But the truth is, those things were always there. We like to ignore things in our face because they make us uncomfortable...but that does not make them go away.

So not a lot of looking back and "pondering" for me this New Years Day. Instead, I am looking at all the pieces that seem dis-jointed and know that He is going to take us through the wilderness and create rivers in the desert places.

A few months ago, I began asking what the purpose of this blog was. What was the purpose of this ministry? Who? What? Where? and for crying our loud Why? It all seemed very Maryellen serving. As God would have it, He had a plan for this space in the blogesphere and a place for my heart to serve as well. Even when there are those who may have rejected my offering, He did not. He took it, made it clean and pure through His precious blood and gave me a new vision for a new tomorrow. Somehow He has wrapped this heart of mine with a love for His people~that began years ago...while I was not aware of the how of it all, I am now. He has kept me safe from those who would take advantage of a heart that longs to serve. He has shut doors that no man can open. He has planted my feet on the solid Rock of Jesus and removed the area rug on top of Him...so that I may not stumble when that rug got all folded up and yucky.

I got me a new business to go with this old blog of mine. Bread to cast upon the waters as I take in the Bread of Life...This is the year that Five Loaves Bakery begins to serve in ways that I cannot see yet, and goes in places I only dream of. I am humbled by the call~aware of my own short comings. I can do all things...anything that He calls me to. That blows me away. Here we come 2012~watch out. Gonna' get ya'!

Enough....No more.

Hey all. I know, seriously, I know. It was like August. I get it. Thing is, I know you do to. Remember a few months back I posted about needing to get moving. Well I did. I will check in but don't know when. Thanks for being so faithful. Love you. MWA!

See ya' soon!

Can you tell, I figured out how to use my scanner? LOVE IT!

Seven weeks after this picture was taken, Mom went home to Glory. Most years I am just fine when the anniversary of her home going arrives on August 5th. This year I have been a boo-hooey kind of girl. One year I forgot what day it was, and I had been a crank and a half with the whole family.  While doing a load of laundry I remembered that I forgot and cried my eyes out...for forgetting.

No matter the number of years you never get over losing your mom. I've been a bit cranky the last couple of days around here. I promised John that if he goes first, I will be a banshee on his anniversary too. I think it has just been a year of saying goodbye to too many friends that weren't and lots of change. Most of it very, very good change. Even the goodbyes were HUGE blessings.

In the middle of the boo-hoo's this week, there has been a constant smile that has crept up in my heart. He did restore the joy of my salvation...and that is a blessing beyond compare. See ya' some day soon Ma. Mwa!

PS And no, I never got to wear the cap again, except for show and tell!