Away from Home

Why is it that when I am away from home, I have such a difficult time being Christ-like????? When I am in the routine of my normal, everyday life, I am diligent about praying, reading my Bible, being a good example to others, watching more closely what I say, not making negative or derogatory comments about other people, etc. I was out of town on Friday and a large majority of today at a softball tournament in Ashwaubenon. As I sit here relaxing on my couch, I am reflecting on what has gone on over the last 48 hours. I am somewhat disappointed in myself at how easily I can fall back into my old habits - habits that I have worked hard to get rid of. It is so easy to jump on the proverbial band wagon when others are talking about someone or making fun of someone. After I chime in with my negative comments, I think to myself "What kind of example am I setting??". Would other people think that there is something "different" about me, that my actions are representative of a Christian???? DOUBT IT.....which is a sad statement about my own self. I feel guilty and ashamed of myself for falling into the trap of gossiping and saying hurtful things behind a person's back. Proverbs 17:28 "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue". I need to set a better example to those that are around me because God calls us to do so. As I have grown in my faith and have developed a closer relationship with God, I have become far more conscientious about my actions, my thoughts and my words. Because of this, I don't feel very good about myself at the present moment. Self-awareness is important because if we don't recognize our own sins, it is difficult to make the changes that God wants us to make. Why don't I make a greater effort to keep up with my prayer life??? There are no set rules as to when and where a person can pray, so why don't I find some time, ANY time to thank God for the things He has given me, to pray for those in need, to confess my sins (the aforementioned ones!)............I could probably come up with a dozen or so EXCUSES to try and rationalize my behavior and lack of obedience to God, but I won't. There's no point in trying because God doesn't want excuses. He simply wants us to be faithful and obedient to His commandments.

Community

Community - Webster defines it as " a body of people with something in common, e.g. neighborhood, religion, etc.". What does community mean to you???? Are you in community with your neighbors??? Do you even know your neighbors??? For some of us, it may be difficult to know our neighbors strictly due to distance factors (i.e., your closest neighbor may be 5-10 miles away). This topic of community has been a popular one as of late in church as well as in my high school church group on Sunday nights.

God calls us to be in community with one another. For me, I have found it easier to be in community with other Christians simply because we basically operate under the same belief system and we live our lives according to what God calls us to do. I have often felt out of place at times in public because my views have changed over the last few years and things that didn't seem to bother me as much before really bother me a great deal now. I find myself no longer watching certain television shows because they have become too "racey" (why is it that it is now the norm for women to be wearing low cut tops where far too much skin is exposed???) or the language is somewhat offensive. Now before you start calling me a PRUDE, I just believe with all of my heart that our society sends the wrong messages to our youth. It's perfectly O.K. for females to dress provocatively, no one bats an eye lash when vulgar language is used (in fact, when it is pointed out that someone is swearing, the individual isn't even aware of it because it has become part of their everyday vernacular), there is nothing wrong with meeting someone for the first time at a party or social gathering and ending up in bed with him or her a few hours later. I'm kind of going off on a tangeant but I do believe it is related to this whole idea of community.

Growing up in "the bubble" of a Wisconsin suburb that shall remain nameless, I knew everyone in my neighborhood by name. It was very rare that I didn't know someone that lived down the street from us. I liked that. I liked the fact that I could walk or ride my bike down the street and be able to say "Hi" to my neighbor and address him or her by name. Where have those days gone??? Maybe I'm just living in a fantasy world and I long for the way things used to be. You could keep your doors unlocked, you actually answered the doorbell when it rang because it was usually a neighbor stopping by to say "Hi", not someone trying to solicit something or trying to get you to answer some random survey, gun shots were not the norm, drive-by-shootings were unheard of.

How do we get back that sense of community??? Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and make initial contact with the neighbors that just moved in across the street?? Do you stop and take the time to say "Hi" to your neighbor outside doing yard work or do you simply pull into your driveway and shut the garage door as quickly as you can because you have "things" to do. Don't we all have things to do???

Maybe it's time we get back to the old-fashioned idea of community because the way I see it, the community that we're building today is not one that I'm too excited to be a part of. What happened to "Love thy neighbor as thyself?" I think that idea of love is a foreign concept to many which is a sad commentary in the 21st century.

Now before you start thinking that I'm being a total "Negative Nelly", this blog has morphed itself into something that the author did not originally intend it to be. This is MY blog so I get to say whatever I want to say on it, right?? I did want to talk about community and the things that it can represent to others and how we can reach out to others to make them a part of something bigger and better. I know that I can try to impact my community in a positive way just as everyone in this world can. We are all blessed with many different attributes that can be utilized for the greater good. What can you do??? We can try and do what the song says by "reaching out and touching someone's hand" because they could probably use your help. A simple smile from someone who truly cares about them as a person can go a long way! It can't hurt to try, right????

Will You Marry Me????

It takes all kinds to make the world go 'round!!!!!! Today was a somewhat interesting afternoon in terms of a few conversations that I engaged in. After church, I decided to stop and get lunch at Subway (by the way, do you ever notice how STINKY you smell once you leave the place??? That Subway smell lingers, I mean LINGERS, in your clothes, your hair, your car, you name it - everything smells like Subway. I really wish that they would incorporate a drive thru service because I do enjoy their subs, but on more than one occassion I've opted out of going to Subway for the mere fact that the smell will be with me ALL day! My apologies for getting off task - must be my ADD acting up again. Makes conversations a bit more interesting at least to me anyway - not sure that other people can say the same thing. ANYWAY.......upon exiting the aforementioned restaurant, I was walking by a bus stop and a gentleman stopped and introduced himself to me. I in turn reached out my hand and introduced myself. Let me preface this story with the fact that I typically would not engage with a random individual standing at a bus stop (unless I was also waiting for the bus and was in the mood for some idle chatter). After the pleasantries were out of the way, this man told me that I was the most beautiful woman in the world (beauty is TRULY in the eye of the beholder) and that he wanted to marry me! I was taken aback and said, "Excuse me." The man repeated what he said (trust me, I wasn't doing it to flatter mayself - I was more flabbergasted that a complete stranger would say this to me). After he expressed his deepest desires for me, he proceeded to ask me if I was married (that should have been the first question...), if I had any "keeds" (kids in case you might not have understood that word), how old I was, how old my mother was (what does that have to do with anything, unless he was looking for an EVEN older woman than me) and finally whether or not I was pregnant. Now for many out there in this world, marriage and pregnancy do not necessarily go hand and hand. Unfortunately, it's all too common in our society today to see so many unwed mothers (especially teen mothers) . Hey, call me old school! I really don't care! I believe that one should be married BEFORE the kids come onto the scene. He again told me that he wanted to marry me and I said "You don't even know me....." Needless to say, I turned down his proposition. For some reason, I don't think the marriage would have worked out!!!!!!! After I declined his offer to marry, he asked if I would give him a ride to Someplace on Silver Spring Avenue - NOT!!!!!! As I walked across the street, I kept thinking that he is one of God's creatures and that I should see this gentleman as God sees him. Besides the fact that the man had NO upper teeth and had several missing teeth on the bottom row, he really wasn't my type.
Across the street from this same corner where I was propositioned not once, but twice by "Walter" there was a man standing in front of a Catholic church holding up a sign that said that Catholics would not be saved nor would Lutherans. After my first conversation I thought, " What the heck, may as well hear what this guy has to say". Can't be any crazier than the previous conversation. I politely listened to what this man had to say about how he came to Christ after living in sin (he was a womanizer, was into porn, etc). He gave his life to Christ back in 1990 so he has been preachin' about the Lord for a good 18+ years. I asked him if the priest that I had seen walking into the church before my arrival onto the scene had an issue with him standing in front of the church. Apparently not because the "Padre" just waved at him. We chatted briefly and we both went our separate ways. I got into my car and drove off - just another day in the life of a girl living in "Zuba-town". Can't get much better than that!