Bonkers.
Whacked.
Fruit looped.
And dangerous. Very dangerous. Last week was the beginning of a terrible "awakening" of sorts for me. It began with watching the Union riots on the news. I was watching in a sort of awe at the shear stupidity coming out of the mouths of some seemingly decent people. "You get holidays and weekends because of what unions have done, and now you just want to free load from our hard work", etc.
What the?
Ok, so unions, at one time, stood their ground and "fought" to gain decent working conditions, weekends off and better pay. Great! Thanks. I definitely appreciate that. Hey, know what else I appreciate? Freedom. Yeah, apparently there are generations of men and women who have (actually) fought for our very lives. Freedoms like, oh I don't know, say, free speech...vote...protection from violence abroad. THEY fought, so that we could enjoy the fruits of their labor. Do they ask us to join the military in order to live freely here? No. Because they aren't morons. Get a clue. I mean, really, of all the things to get your panties in a wad about. There are actual atrocities happening in our world. People starving, children being taken from their families, sex trafficking, sickness, famine, natural disasters. I was ranting all of this as I watched the tube, and Sarah finally asked me why in the world I was watching those crazy people if they were just going to make me furious. So I turned it off.
On our way to school a few days later, Sarah was asking me about the Great Depression. After I explained, she thought about it for a minute, then asked me "mom, what would happen if that happened in America again?" I asked her to clarify. "You know, I mean, what would people do?"
Good question. She's got lots of good questions.
I told her there will be two types of people in that situation. We are the first type. WE would be ok, primarily because we know God and know that He is good, and has our best interests in mind. And also we have each other, and no matter how little money or food we have, we'll always be rich because of love. The second type will be the ones like those crazies on tv. They were screaming and pushing and knocking people out because of one small change in a law that they think will effect their income. When the world goes to pot, your true colors will show, and the crazies will be, well, crazy. Good ole educational tv.
That afternoon I decided to log into twitter. Always a mistake when I'm already politically frustrated, but I did it anyway. Amongst the union buzz, there was some discussion about some rapper whose new album cover depicted jesus throwing gang signs and dressed as a member of the "bloods". Apparently a fox news contributor had pointed out that it was religiously offensive to christians, and that the artists portrayal of women is degrading. Both of those things are true, and she has every right to vocalize it. But you should have read the back lash from supporters of this rapper. It was ridiculously vulgar, ignorant and disgusting. It was difficult to view. I mean, I have a problem with profanity from time to time, but this was just repugnant. It left me... void. I try to see other people's points of view, try to see where they may be coming from. Learning from my own past that everyone has a reason for what they do, I really tried. Nothing. Void.
Then there was Friday.
I left the house at 10:00, and at that point no deaths or injuries had been reported. I returned at 2:00 to find 20 sweet little babies were slaughtered. I was devastated. I don't know that I have ever been so emotionally wrecked by news coverage like I was Friday. Even today, as I went to my kids school to attend Christmas parties and watch the Grinch program, I couldn't help but cringe. It's hard to celebrate when so much has gone wrong.
So I came home today and decided to put on some Christmas music and wrap some gifts. I needed to look online for something and, unfortunately, glance at my twitter feed. This is what caught my eye.
This item sold on December 13, 2010.
Abornament - Crucifetus No. 2
The same news contributor who reported the nasty rapper has a website, and there was an article about this.
Someone actually made this. Sold this. Someone actually bought this.
You can visit the Etsy online store that makes and sells these and see for yourself. They are called abornaments.
I am sickened. Sad. Repulsed.
How do I understand this?
Lord, how?
"since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man...therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator..."
How do I relate to this?
"for the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so"
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed."
How do I live this?
"the Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should ,but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words...And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose"
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...but in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
How do I love this?
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are MY disciples, if you have love for one another."
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not boast and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; love bears all things, believes all things, HOPES all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
Lord, help me hope.
