Archive for November, 2008
11-05-2008
Freedom to Love
Freedom to Love
I was once told that if I wanted to keep peace in my relationships I should never talk about religion or politics- so with that said: WARNING: “This message might contain radical, controversial material with dangerous concepts such as peace, unity and love.” Continue reading at your own discretion…
Is peace really possible if we don’t allow ourselves to even discuss the topics that seem to ignite such passion in us? By allowing for the conversation we are immediately invited into a deeper understanding of another person’s ideology, what they value, what is contained in their belief system. We don’t necessarily have to agree with it (it’s not all about me, darn-it), or disagree, (I’m right though), but we can listen without judgment, or condemnation, or without the distractive voices in our head plotting our rebuttal to their idiotic, misguided, wrong thoughts. Rather, it is through listening, we open ourselves up to an unending opportunity of possibilities; new ideas, a broader perspective, enhanced understanding, deeper compassion, and perhaps, if we are truly open- enlightenment. When we listen in this way we are better able to honor another person’s unique spiritual journey. How tragic would it be if I discounted another person’s experience of God (perhaps trying to get them to think like me); I would miss out on a sacred exchange of soul sharing.
In case you haven’t heard, there is some sort of political election on the horizon. Sadly, many of us have witnessed (and have long since grown tired of) the demonizing attacks, hurtful commentaries, slanderous literature, venomous remarks, and unhealthy, hurtful comments being slung (and that’s just me in my own head). As I was driving my son to school the other day, an advertisement came on the radio for one of the political candidates. The commercial, instead of highlighting the candidate’s attributes, criticized his opponent’s defects. My young child looked at me quizzically; his forehead wrinkled in a perplexed expression and innocently asked, “Mom, why are they so mean to each other?”
It saddens me even moreso that both candidates profess openly their Christian faith, and yet, most often, it seems their own are drawing lines, choosing sides and casting stones (unlike Jesus example- “he who is without sin cast the first stone”). Have we as Christians interchanged casting a stone with casting a ballot? Or, are we simultaneously casting a stone with our vote? Instead, God invites all of us into a relational journey of LOVE. He calls us to, “Love our neighbor”. That means that both John McCain, and Barack Obama, are our neighbor, and even more so, they are our brothers in Christ. We are called to love them, not with a pitying love, or a condescending love, or an “I’ll pray for (at) you” kind of love; not a love that is used as a weapon, but a love that is first reflected to us by our Father, the way He loves us, perfectly, without condition.
As a people of God, (One Nation Under GOD) we have the opportunity to unite (The UNITED States, not the Divided States) together in a union based on love and peace. Our nation has given us the FREEdom to worship the God of our understanding. Our God has given us the FREE Will to love Him, and by doing so, we love our neighbor. This kind of love, this kind of FREEdom, is not an obligatory mandate; rather it is an open invitation whereby we are FREE to LOVE.
As believers our ultimate leader is… ‘In God we trust’. He who has the power to move mountains, to change hearts, to make the blind see and the deaf hear; He, who calls, not the greatest, but the least. Jesus did not call Caesar to spread the good news, instead he called a fisherman. God did not call an articulate prophetic speaker to free his people from bondage; instead he called a stuttering orphan. Jesus did not call the most peaceful prophet to spread His name; rather he called the biggest persecutor of His people. God did not call the epitome of morality to build an ark; No, He called an incestuous drunk. God chose His only begotten son to come into the world, not by way of cloud, but through an unwed pregnant teenager. Tuesday is not a football game that will leave us with a winner or a loser, the good guys or the bad guys (or girl); rather it can challenge us to go out into the world with more fervor and zeal than before. We are called as apostolic witnesses not to sit back and watch others make changes, or become frustrated with changes we wish they would make. Rather, we are called to be the change we want to see. So, with each person we encounter, each mouth we feed, each neighbor we clothe, each hand we extend in peace, each smile we offer, each opportunity we have for Christ daily – may we be that much more faithfully committed. It is our responsibility, our call, to work for justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). Our God is an awesome God, who gives hope, is full of goodness and provides light to the Nations, (One Nation Under God); He gives peace to His people whom he offers daily the everlasting, open-ended invitation to unite together with the FREEDOM to LOVE!
My name is Tammy Amosson and I approve this message!
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11-05-2008
Picture Perfect
or Beautiful Soul
Last week my oldest child came home from school with a familiar form, ahhh yes, time for school pictures. I have come to both appreciate and rely on the school’s willingness to commemorate my child’s yearly mug shot. I don’t miss the stressful days of taking him to a photographer and jumping up and down frantically waving my hands in the air like circus clown, all in hopes to illicit any morsel of a smile from a disenchanted toddler. It usually ended with a melt down and hysterics until the photo store manager would ask me to calm down. Grrrrrr~ the stress and pressure of having to be PICTURE PERFECT!
As I was filling out the order form (and signing away his college fund), I paused when I got to the box that read, “photo touch-up”. Next to it was a picture of a boy with acne and beside it was the same picture only acne free (If only life were such that we could so easily erase our blemishes). My stomach knotted, “What kind of messages are we sending our youth”? Isn’t it hard enough to feel good about oneself without the added pressure of having to be, act and look perfect? Part of the fun of getting older is looking back at our ridiculous class photos and laughing hysterically. My dad still carries my second grade picture in his wallet. I am sitting next to the Liberty Bell and grinning so big you can’t even see my eyes (okay, I still do that), but the gap in-between my two front teeth looked like Moses parted the red sea a second time. Embarrassing photos are a right of passage, what will we have to threaten our children with on their wedding day slide show? For my generation, it was feathered Farrah wings, spray on Sun-In peroxide that miraculously transformed ones natural hair color to a brassy, fried, burnt orange; frizzy perms, and back-picked big hair with so much hairspray Donald Trump would be proud (that was before the whole less is more concept). Now, as my hair turns gray and my body aches just getting out of bed, I look to these pictures for encouragement reminding me of the many reasons I don’t want to go backwards in time. Bring on the dentures baby~ full steam ahead!
The challenge for all us is that we live in a world where cosmetic companies are constantly deceiving us with convoluted messages equating our value with our looks. And yet, God’s revelation tells us that our worth is based on unconditional, eternal & internal (The Holy Spirit), everlasting love! I have yet to hear that claim from a product. Consumers are continuously fed false promises of miracle crèmes to cover up our flaws. Once I received a product called ‘disaster cream’ as a gift (not really sure how to take that, ummmm thank you????). We are bombarded by retailers telling (SELLING) us the latest and greatest new thing to make us look and feel better. That, however, is not what Jesus tells us. He invites us to walk with Him in our not so perfect self. He does not give us false promises of a ‘perfect’ life, or body, but He does promise He will not abandon us on our imperfect journey.
I think Jesus would want me to care less about a pedicure and more about washing my neighbors feet; He would want me to celebrate my baby tattoos (a.k.a. stretch-marks) and pray for the woman struggling with infertility (who would give anything for those holy markings). He would want me to spend less time piercing my body and spend more time with He who was pierced for me, and with His body, my neighbor. He would hope that I would care less about a bad haircut and more about my neighbor who is losing his in chemotherapy (suddenly hair seems very inconsequential). He would want me to forget enhancement surgeries and care more about enhancing my friend’s spirit after her mastectomy (further reminding us how unimportant ‘perfect’ really is).
Jesus’ disciples first recognized Him after His resurrection, not by His silky smooth ‘herbal essence conditioned’ hair glistening with radiant shimmer in the Galilean sunlight (not so much). Rather, they recognized Him by his wounds. Our scars tell our stories. My 6’3 husband has a scar on his chin from ….wait for it - a tricycle incident. It makes me smile every time I visualize this now 200+ muscular frame~ on a tricycle! That scar is one of many beautiful things about him.
I believe Jesus wants us to celebrate freckles, wrinkles, crooked smiles, braces, blemishes, and stretch-marks, all of which become our tattoos of life. Beauty is not contained in an outer garment, but rather is an expression of ones heart. “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). The great creator formed us perfectly imperfect, formed in His perfect image and likeness. The master potter molded each of us in a unique and extra-ordinary way- His way! God does not wish for us to be ‘picture perfect’, but rather, He calls us to be BEAUTIFUL SOULS.
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