Posts (page 2)
I’ve finally got the guts (I think) to do some things I’ve always wanted to do but didn’t - because I was afraid of what people would think of me. I started my “transformation” when I got my nose pierced last October, and now it’s time to continue.
I’m a beautiful woman. I may be large, but I’m still beautiful. But I don’t feel it most of the time. And you can tell I don’t by the way I make myself look everyday - I rarely wear makeup, and my usual clothing choice is a large t-shirt and jeans (even to work). I see big women who are gorgeous all the time, and I wonder what’s so different between them and me. The answer is simple - confidence. They love how they look and they make themselves beautiful, everyday.
So. I’m looking at new hair and a tattoo! Yes, Mandi Kaye with a tattoo. Shocking, I know.
What do you think?
Why is it that networks start fabulous new shows over the summer, and then at the end of the summer they yank them with the annoying message, "________ will return with all new episodes in 2008" ?!?!?!??! 2008?!?!?!? What's with that? I know it probably just means January, but still.
Why do I have to wait that long for the return of Army Wives, Greek, and Side Order of Life? These are some of the greatest shows ever! Why do I have to wait so long for them to come back?
Growl!!!
What shows are you looking forward to in the new fall TV season?
Grey's Anatomy. Private Practice. That's about it.
Do you own all the albums of any particular musical artist or group? Who?
Submitted by dutterman.
Casting Crowns! I even have the CD that was released yesterday! :)
Click here: Keeping the Faith
I would share my incredibly amazing artwork with you guys, but it saves in some weird svg format, and you have to have a special adobe plugin to view it.
Have fun!
I got my laptop back today! Yay me!!
MIntheGap posted something today that has helped me identify part of my problem. He writes about two errors that many Christians make today as highlighted by Scott Buchanan in his article Indifferentism vs. Everythingism: Stay in the Middle of the Road.
First, let’s get some definitions out of the way:
- Indifferentism is the error of accepting the gospel but refusing to acknowledge the doctrines of the gospel as “unbreachable boundaries for Christian faith and fellowship.”
- Everythingism is the error of holding all doctrines on the same level as the gospel, making every belief a boundary for faith and fellowship.
The problem here is that both are wrong Scripturally. The one is wrong because there are doctrines that go along with salvation that must be maintained. The other is wrong because not every doctrine is of the same weight as salvation or necessary for salvation.
I fall into the second category. Well, I’m desperately trying to get out of that second category. To the point of wearing nothing but red shirts.
Most Christians tend to be more sensitive to one error and to neglect the other. Many evangelicals are quick to perceive the intrinsic factiousness of everythingism, but in avoiding it they become tolerant of indifferentists. Fundamentalists go miles out of their way to avoid the compromise of indifferentists, but they are willing to put up with the everythingists. On both sides, political considerations sometimes become more important than integrity.
If we want a truly biblical Christianity, then we are going to have to avoid both errors. We are going to have to treat everythingists and indifferentists with about the same misgiving. Of course, in order to do that we shall have to become skilled at judging the importance of doctrines. We must develop special proficiency for discriminating fundamentals from non-fundamentals.
As much as I hate labels, I like being able to identify an issue that I’m having.
I asked a friend last week how you go about changing something that’s been engrained in you for so long and his answer, annoying as it was, is true: “You just…do.” That’s my current goal. To change. To be able to take my faith seriously despite my doubts. To trust God even when I don’t trust myself.
Don’t expect it to happen overnight.
One of the things I’ve learned about myself through all of this crud is that though I can easily explain true Christianity to people and point out when people aren’t living up to it, I’ve never embraced it for myself. I’ve still clung to the stupid things about church, the Bible, and Christianity that I was taught for the majority of my life.
That’s my problem.
There’s an analogy I use that kind of works here. If someone tells you several times a week that wearing a red shirt is wrong, you’re going to begin to think that wearing a red shirt is wrong. Or, you’ll wear the red shirt when you won’t be around the teacher. But if you ever get caught by the teacher wearing a red shirt, you end up feeling shame and guilt even if you don’t think it’s wrong. And then, if it’s gone on long enough, you may wear red shirts, but there’s still something in the back of your mind that tells you that you shouldn’t be.
That’s where I am. I’ve realized how stupid it is to think that red shirts are wrong. But it’s such an ingrained habit that I have, that the only way I know to fix it is to go to the opposite extreme and wear nothing but red. Which is just as silly!
Okay, enough of the metaphor. What I’m trying to say is that what I really need to do is work on relearning what is Truth and what isn’t. I need to forget what I’ve been taught and look to what is right. It won’t be easy. I still have many many doubts and questions. There are things I want explained that can’t be explained by Christianity. And I’m not ready to get to the point where I say, “Well, God doesn’t have to tell us everything.” That’s a cop out.
Faith and reason can exist together.
I just have to figure out how.
