Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Off On a Tangent

Is it only me, or could life be accurately described as a highly complicated balancing act?

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about living a life that is different from the world. You may not have known it at the time, but I was speaking from one of my favorite soapboxes. And so, because it is a favorite subject, and because I'm still learning balance, I want to touch on the topic again and highlight some balancing ideas.

You see, I really think that many conservative Christians take the idea of living differently from the world and run with it, ignoring one important point:

"Weird" is not synonymous with "repulsive."

As I represent God on this earth, I know I'm going to have enemies. I know people aren't going to understand me or my perspective. I know that if I truly live life by God's principles, I'm going to stick out like the proverbial "sore thumb."

People are going to notice me.

The question remains. When they notice me, what will they notice? Will I be easy to talk to? Will I be friendly and kind? Will I dress attractively? Will I be truly interested in their lives?

It is easy to lock myself into a little box, remembering that I am different from the world and anxious that the world should perceive that difference. It can be all too simple to forget that how I interact with others on the personal level can affect their response to Christ.

I don't have to compromise to be approachable! I can be compassionate without denying the love and sovereignty of God! I can dress modestly and attractively at the same time. I can avoid an attitude of censure while still maintaining a zero tolerance for sin!

I love to recall that as Christ's redeemed representative, I am different. But I must also remember that it's okay to be likable. While "making people like me" is not my life's goal, I am at the same time free to let people like me. And, when they do, I can hope that God will give me an opportunity to say, "If you like me, you'll love my Lord!"

Another truth I think many conservative Christians miss out on is that "weird" is not synonymous with "ignorant."

In the comments on my original post, Nicole summarized this idea very well when she said, "Like Christ we must be aware of- but not engrossed in- the current culture of the day that we may respond to the evils with Christ's truth."

It can be all too easy, in my contentment with my different life, to become complacently unwilling to become involved with the big bad world outside. My home, church, and nice Christian friends can become a sort of coccoon. I know I'm weird, and I like to be with other people who are also weird. After all, we usually understand and accept each other.

I am often in danger of forgetting that the Christian life isn't about comfort. It's about obedience to the Lord's commands--among which is the admonition to "Go ye..."--uncomfortable to the bravest soul! It is easy to forget that my life on earth is about warfare, not easychairs; crosses, not crowns; sacrifice, not complacency. To do a good job of it, it's good to be aware of what I'm up against. And I must be able to communicate with those who are in the world in a way in which they can understand. Indeed, it is my duty to be informed about my culture!

My mission is to proclaim Christ's name, fight Christ's enemies, and love Christ's created beings. To do so, I must be informed of Christ's gospel, aware of the enemies' tactics, and humbled by Christ's discipline!

Meanwhile, if you should ever hear that I have succeeded in living a balanced life, you have my official permission to celebrate my passing to the heavenly realm!

Thursday, January 26, 2006

A Dash of Realism

You've heard it said that "to every cloud there is a silver lining"?

Tonight, I shall remind you that you only identify a ray of sunlight when it shines through a cloud.

My ray of sunlight at the moment is that I only have a two-and-a-half minute commute to work.

My cloud is that two-and-a-half minutes is not long enough for the car's passenger compartment to become truly warm.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

An Unexpected Blessing

The last three days have been totally unique in my history.

Those of you who know me well will understand completely if I merely tell you that I, Katie in very flesh and blood, went outside today, this twenty-fourth day of January, in short sleeves, wearing neither sweater nor coat, and wasn't the least bit cold.

Yes, January or no, our little corner of Oregon has decided it's spring....at least, for a moment. The flowering fruit trees suddenly burst into bloom on Sunday. The windows have all been open in the house. And the thermometer has hovered around seventy degrees.

It is almost enough to make me forget the ten plus inches of icy rain that has descended here in January alone, the fearsome gusts of gale force wind off of the ocean, the thick hail stones, and the fact that Sunday was probably the first full day of sunlight I've seen since the beginning of December.

I can't help thinking today about God's graciousness in tucking a little "surprise" spring right into the dead of winter...and how often He does that in our spiritual lives as well! How frequently in a dark and dreary season of life, we will find some of the sweetest blessings in life. A special verse that seems just for us in His Word, a song that rings in our heart always meaning more to us afterwards, a friendship that blossoms in the "dark days" and then stays on. The "winter" may stick around for a while, but God often has a glimmer of "spring" hiding in the middle of it!

Singing, I escaped the house this afternoon to weed in the garden. No one asked me to. The whole world was calling me outside! It was wonderful feeling the soft dirt under my fingernails, the warm air against my cheek--joining for a while in the celebration of the beautiful, if transient, "spring." A fairy tale moment!

Until my hand accidentally grasped a slug, well disguised near the roots of one of my flourishing weeds.

Then I remembered. I live in Oregon.

And it's January.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Weird By Any Other Name

I don't follow current movies and I could count the actresses and actors I know on one hand.

I don't know the popular bands and singers.

And, just for the record, I don't drink coffee.

Many people call me weird. Other people make the biggest fuss you can imagine about how "sheltered" I am. I have even been told that I don't know how to have "real" fun. (If you believe that, you have forgotten that I count pinecone throwing among of my skills.)

I don't generally enjoy being painted with a description like "weird." I mean, after all, most people don't mean it as a compliment. Besides, I feel like a perfectly normal human being.

I forget sometimes how different I really am...how that because of the redeeming blood of Christ, I am a new creature! I have a new family, a new citizenship, a new purpose, a new ruling passion, a new set of rules to live by, and the hope of a new body!! There's no getting around it. I am different. And, what people frequently notice first, I act differently.

People in the world with whom I rub shoulders tend to noice the small "lines of conflict" between my life and their own. Things like...I don't drink. I don't flirt. I don't party. And, incidentally, I haven't kept track of the latest celebrities and rock bands. These people don't understand me, and so they describe me mentally with that useful catch-all word: "weird."

Lately, after giving it some thought, I have begun to see the value of the description. Maybe I shouldn't be so uncomfortable about it after all. As I recall the life of Jesus I realize how different He was from His own culture. Maybe they didn't call Him "weird," but that doesn't mean they weren't thinking it.

Yes...Jesus was different from His world. And living a life that is dedicated to following Him means that I must live differently from my world.

Best of all, standing upon the platform of my "different life," the Lord gives me opportunities to obey Him by proclaiming His Name to the world. There is a Savior like no other who can give them not only a different life, but a different end! I can tell you about Him!

Meanwhile, I'd be glad if you would think of me as "weird."

Disclaimer: I am not anti-movie, anti-acting, or anti music. =)
Claimer: I am anti-coffee. =)

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

American? Proud of it?

I am a conservative supporter of "local authority." I am convinced that the federal government is a total failure at micromanaging the lives of its citizens. And the harder it tries, the worse the outcome.

But, at the same time, I understand that the federal government is not always the bad guy. It has a role to play, and it is equipped and empowered to play it. If it only would!

This very day, it seems that the highest court in our land has forgotten what I learned in elementary school. Remember? The Declaration of Independence.


"We hold these Truths to be self evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men..." (emphasis mine)
And how about the fifth amendment entitled "The Rights of Persons"?

"No person shall...be deprived of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law..." (emphasis mine)
I'm no lawyer, but I can't help concluding from a superficial reading of these words that my federal government is supposed to protect my life and that of my neighbor.

Am I off track somehow? Today, six of the most learned and prominent leaders in America have disagreed with my surmise.

Today, I live in the only state in this nation wherein it is not only legal to kill myself, but legal for my doctor to help me do it.

Tomorrow, you may be living under the permission. After all, who is going to stop them?

And how much longer can this nation flaunt its ungratefulness for God's most basic gifts, and its rebellion against His most basic laws...and expect Him to bless it?

Monday, January 16, 2006

Evergreen Fun

A truly impressive pile of pinecones crowns the hill. A smaller pile adorns the base of a tree on the field below. Pinecones in all shapes and sizes litter the ground between. It's raining lightly and the wind is picking up, whipping my hair into one big tangle.

Abigail and John have formed a team on the hill while Peter and I secure ourselves behind a sturdy tree or two with a ditch between. The lines are drawn. The boys edge towards each other while Abigail and I trade insults.

"Why don't you come after us?" I taunt.

"Why don't you come after us?" she returns.

"Discretion is the better part of valor."

"You're too scared to come after us."

"Is that a dare?"

"Yes."

I laugh uproariously. "I am too wise and mature to take every dare I hear. You lose."

"Like I said, you're scared."

"And you," I grin broadly, "are a chicken. First class."

"This is really boring. Why am I even bothering to watch such cowardice? Think I'll go to sleep."

I yawn likewise. "Cautious defence before rash offence."

"Age before beauty." She simpered.

This was too much. I precipitately stormed the hill.

"Back, knave!"

Despite the undeniably illustrious example of my anscestors at Bunker Hill, I retreated a few moments later.

But I was not only alive, but free and relatively unharmed. Ready to fight another day. Or within the the next five minutes, as the case turned out to be. I won the next round by forgetting the pinecones altogether and taking Abigail prisoner by force.

Hey, I may have one foot in the grave, but I have figured out that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Friday, January 13, 2006

Live and Learn

I got a new dress for Christmas.

It was not just any dress. This was a special dress that I picked out from the thrift store with a Christmas gift certificate. It is a beautiful dress.

Yesterday, I decided I should wash it. We always wash clothes from the thrift store. Since there were no washing instructions on the tag, I decided to wash it in the washing machine and then hang it dry. I left those directions with my brothers and sister, and went blithely to work.

When I returned home, I found the dress on my bed. I picked it up to admire it, grimaced because it was still wet, and then gasped in dismay.

I took it out into the light. No...my eyes had not deceived me. A beautiful dress indeed; but it looked about four sizes too small for me.

My first inclination was to mourn the six dollars I had spent on it. Remember, I'm a penny pincher.

My next inclination was to mourn the fact that I had never gotten to wear such an exceptionally lovely dress. Yeah, I'm vain.

My third inclination was to laugh.

So, I laughed. And then I mourned. And then I laughed some more.

This morning, the dress being mostly dry and looking slightly larger than it did when I went to bed...I tried it on.

As I carefully pulled it off over my head, trying not to tear it or stretch it out, and beginning to mourn anew, the dress turned inside out and I saw a tag I had missed before.

"100% Rayon. Dry Clean Only."

It looks absolutely gorgeous on Abigail.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

How May I Assist You?

"Thank you for calling Sprint together with Nextel, this is Katharine. May I get your first and last name please?"

I don't want to wake up yet!!

"Thank you. May I ask for the wireless number you are calling about?"

I open my eyes, wearily.

"Thank you. How may I assist you?"

I stare at the ceiling, turn over, and try to go back to sleep.

"I understand how frustrating it can be to be improperly billed. I can help you with that..."

* * *

I have started training for the new task the Lord has set before me. Hopefully, two weeks from now I will be an accomplished, knowledgable, friendly Customer Service Representative at a Sprint Call Center near our home.

At the moment, I am merely an overwhelemed, clueless, and somewhat nervous trainee. After all, after one full eight hour day of training, I may remember to assure the customer that I can help them with their billing issue. But if I did proffer this assurance, I would be lying outright. I haven't a clue how to actually solve a billing issue.

Yet.

* * *

"Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

I shut my eyes determinedly. I WILL go back to sleep!

But my mind must finish what it began.

"Thank you for calling Sprint together with Nextel and have a great day!"

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Regrets of a Penny Pincher

Reasoning in foresight:

Cost of mailing a letter on Saturday:
Thirty-seven cents.

Cost of mailing a letter on Monday: Thirty-nine cents.

Money saved by mailing five letters on Saturday instead of Monday: Ten cents.

........

Obersvations in hindsight:

Cost of labor in preparing five letters Saturday afternoon:
Three and a half hours.

Cost of gas for driving to the post office: Approximately thirty cents.



Grrrrrr.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

It's a Technical Business

In family worship we have been reading Exodus about the building of the tabernacle. In my quiet time I am reading 2 Chronicles about the building of the temple.

Generally speaking, I would really rather read the geneologies.

But lately I have been delighting in this reflection:

Is not the Lord Who so carefully designed such an incredibly intricate and complete "pattern" for His sanctuaries on earth...Who could so perfectly plan every detail from dimensions to materials, from craftsmen to perfumes...Who has called me a living "temple of the Holy Spirit"...is He not fully and totally capable of writing the perfect plan for my life, down to the tiniest detail?

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Welcome To Our Dinner Table

No one in my family is afraid to talk. Dinnertime is rarely a silent affair for us. Sometimes our conversation is friendly; sometimes, informative; sometimes, silly.

Lately, due largely to Dad's current seminary study in the deep subject of apologetics, much of our conversation has taken on a rather intellectual tone, as in the following...

Peter: "Is the first day of summer the longest day of the year?"

Dad: "No."
(pause) "Did you mean to ask, 'Does the first day of summer have the most hours of daylight?'"

(a brief explanation of scientific fact follows)

Peter: "Oh! I was asking about daylight."

Katie: "Yes, the first day of the summer has the most hours of daylight."

Peter: "Just as I thought!!"

Dad: "Ah! But here is the real question: do you know that
'a priori' or 'a posteriori'?"

I would relate the thorough expose Dad provided for our benefit, and the interested debate into which we enthusiastically entered. But I don't want you to think we're too weird. We're not, really; we're just slightly...atypical.

Monday, January 02, 2006

Life: The Prioritizing Game

I hope to live a long time. But I guess we all have to face up to the fact that however long we live, our lives will have a limit. Out of the dazzling array of all the things it is possible to do and accomplish in life...I must choose only some.

Choices can be scary things. Often, saying "yes" to one thing means saying "no" to a lot of other things. It's the good, old-fashioned law of you-can't-be-in-more-than-one-place-at-one-time. And, with only one short life to live, I desperately want to be in the right places at the right times.

So, I analyze, categorize, and prioritize.

What are the most important things in life? What goals should I set in the various areas of my life? How do I accomplish these goals?

And sometimes, I over-analyze, over-categorize, and mis-prioritize.

After all, there are an awful lot of good ambitions floating around out there.

But only one God.

Am I so focused on the the things I want to accomplish for Jesus, that I forget to focus on Who He is? So busy "serving Him" that I forget that I am created and redeemed to love Him? All the world does His bidding. He has angels to "do" for Him. He has asked me to love Him. And because I love Him, to obey Him.

Am I missing out on the fulness of what my relationship with the Lord can be...because I am busy wondering what to "do" for Him??

I become frustrated when my questions don't have answers. "What are the most important things in life?" I don't always know.

Might I just possibly be asking the wrong questions?

Who is the most important One in life? What are His goals for me? How can I learn to love Him more?

"Whom have in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my life, and my portion for ever. " Psalm 73:25,26