You Would Not Believe Your Eyes If Ten Million Fireflies Lit Up The World As I Fell Asleep…

Cuz they'd fill the open air and leave teardrops everywhere
You'd think me rude but I'd just stand and stare... -a relevant stanza 
from Owl City   

Written at Summit, from my journal:

Tonight, I took a walk in the dark and looked at the stars. Contentedness. Peace. Joy in looking up at the canopy of stars and the wonderful feeling I love of feeling so small and the even more delightful feeling of God being so BIG! I felt so excited, so calm, and so happy. I sat down by the lake, letting the sound of crickets and buzzing frogs and all that typical night stuff pour into my brain via ears. A cool breeze came off the lake. The dew had come out, already. I felt at ease. The moon was gorgeous reflecting on the lake.
Then, I saw it. A little blinker. Blink. Blink. Blink. Blink. Slowly, but surely, this little girl- or was it a guy?- shone her light in the darkening evening. Blink. Blink…I watched as the firefly blinked for a long time- maybe 10 minutes. I never lost sight of him(-her-it?) as I looked around for others. But she- he- it was the only blinker out tonight. It made me feel kind of lonely. Wanting to find a mate…
At first glance, it appears the life purpose of fireflies is to mate. But it’s not. God created them to light up and adorn the darkness. No other flying bug has a chemical coding in them to make light. They mate the same way everyone else does. It’s the light that makes them unique.
That’s why he predestinated us to choose Him of our own freewill. To light up the dark, crooked, perverse nation around us. Our job is to find a life purpose bigger than marriage. It’s to find out why we’re here. Maybe we have no other purpose but to serve him. We aren’t lighting up the world around us to find a husband. We’re doing it for Christ. He’s all that’s worth living for.
But we get distracted. We start blinking for the wrong reasons. I have a neat thought every now and then. “Hey Lauralea, you’ve got no real prospects in sight!” Good grief! It goes downhill from there- daydreaming, losing sight of God, flirting with “Hot Dude Number A”… and then I realize I’m still waiting around, waving dust out of my face as my friends ride off into the sunset with their dudes.
Now I’m in the launch zone to life purpose, I wonder what direction to aim for? In other words; I have too many choices to aim for. I want to do SO much in say, 80 some years, 18 of which have already been spent. 62 left, if I’m blessed enough. Think about it. 62 more summers. 62 more winters. 62 more springs… when you break it down, not a lot. We make goals and plans; and we realize we have a little time to do it. Then we realize we’re too busy making the plans we actually accomplish nothing. We’re like that firefly. Blinking for… nobody at all, except ourselves. What am I living for?
My focus on life has changed today. Thanks to a firefly… and Jeff Myers. The world will keep turning, and I will keep living. Just because I’m not sure what to do doesn’t mean time will stop. It makes me think of Owl City’s Fireflies “I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly…” It doesn’t, if you know what I mean. That’s why we need to devote ourselves to growth, the gospel, and the great commission. Our time is short.
Still blinking, Lauralea

I love looking back at the times I was on spiritual super highs. It makes me learn things all over again, even when I thought I had them down. 

There is always room for growth; in Christianity, you should never arrive. I am constantly changing and gaining new insight, learning something new, and becoming the someone that God wants and needs me to be. For example, I used to love being Baptist. Now I find it not completely in line with the Bible. Or the idea that skirts were modest. I went through a time where I would not wear skirts to now where I feel modest and feminine in them. Those are just some little  examples I’ve seen as I’ve ‘grown up’. 

Who are you blinking for?

Where are you headed?

A New (mail) Order

It’s been an interesting week for snail mail at our house. Besides a few (really expensive) clothing catalogs a day; we’ve received some religious material as well.

Last week, we received a Qu’ran and two booklets about Islam from an organization that vowed (at a recent large meeting in Chicago) to spread Islam.

Today, the most peculiar book arrived. The title is simply “Earth Blessings.”

I thought “Oh boy.”

The subtitle is: “Prayers For Our Planet.”

I thought “This will be fun.”

The book is actually a devotional for the use of “helping people know their oneness with God, that they may open themselves to the presence of God and recognize divinity in all circumstances.”

It is full of ‘Christian’ devotionals that sound more like affirmations for inspiration or mantras New Agers use to encourage their meditation towards higher consciousness. Included at the end of the devotionals are Bible verses.

“I am blessing the world with my loving, faith filled thoughts and prayers.”

“My environment – the climate, Earth, and life that surround me- is continually blessing me. Everyone, everything in all of creation, is interconnected, and there is an exchange of good…Genesis 1:31.”

Another:

“I have faith that all things are possible with God in the midst of me.

There is nothing which I cannot overcome since God in the midst of me is all powerful. I have supreme faith in God and unswerving faith in myself…I have abounding faith that God in me does all things well. I have faith in fellow man. I know that God in him is now exalting him to a consciousness of better and nobler things…Proverbs 28:20

Some other mantras and excerpts:

“I am a spiritual being with a true talent for right thinking and living. I have not begun to realize my spiritual powers. I have truth inside of me… Romans 12:2″

“How I wish I were a lake.”

“I may at times become so caught up in my daily routine that I forget to stop and become aware… that God is continually creating my world. I experience God through nature.”

“I tenderly care for the earth with love and poise.”

“I am thankful for all the gifts I see in nature.”

The funniest devotional was “Orderly Weather” I’ll admit I laughed until my side cramped up:

“I bless the weather with divine love. Whenever these words flow from my mind and heart, a new attitude toward weather conditions is established through me. God’s love working through me helps me to respond to all types of weather with poise and calm. I sense a new security wherever I go because I know that the blessing I give makes safe and harmonious my way regardless of weather conditions.”

Whoa.

It may seem like a bunch of funny baloney, but some Christians are lapping it up like thirsty dogs.

There is nothing wrong with saying “Christ in me” or “being a good steward of the earth is important.” We know we mean Holy Spirit’s sanctification and Christ in our hearts through salvation. We know we are supposed to have dominion over the earth in the command from Genesis.

But are we divine? We may be souls, a spirit housed within a body, but we are human as well. We cannot lean out the window and bless the F-3 tornado bearing down on our house with “divine love”. God is in control, and we can respond well to situations by trusting in God. We never become divine. We become immortal upon death, but we never reach a level of divinity. We only become glorified… after death.

No matter how poised or tenderly we hoe and rake the earth, we aren’t anymore at “one” with it than we were if we were planting a tree on it. We’re just called to have dominion. Poise and tenderness is up to you…

There is nothing wrong with being thankful for nature. But who created it? We don’t see divine trees and flowers. We see order. A creator. General revelation is not seeing divinity in something. It’s revealing THE Divine.

We are NOT talented at being good and thinking right things. We are fallen beings. Do you think a lot of good thoughts? Are you selfless or selfish first? We are not good. We have no power. We can do nothing without Christ. We never see Christ on the beach waving his arms back and forth telling his disciples to repeat after him in chanting “I am God.”

Believers of pantheistic worldviews are hard to evangelize; many do believe in Christ as an example of a human that reached divinity. Even this devotional used Biblical texts to point out the “fact” we are called to reach upward, wake ourselves up, and become divine. Usually, these verses are twisted out of context.

And to close, just because I like this relevant video, here is the Extreme Tree Huggers group called EarthFirst! (again).

Ranting and Judgment

There are some people in this world I may never understand. But light and dark don’t “coexist”, nor does one comprehend the other.
A little while ago, I hopped on my blog dashboard to do a check for comments, only to find some worked-up guy ranting and raving about everything on my blog. He cursed, he assumed, he judged, he called me Amish, called me lame, he accused, he gave me interesting reviews of all my links, asked me perhaps 40 questions. When I didn’t approve it, he commented again. And again. And again. I finally figured out how to block him, and my troubles were gone.
Then he came back.
Oh no.

(gulp)

scary!

He judged more people, tried different tactics, made outrageous remarks.
I reported him.
Suddenly, he just disappeared altogether and hasn’t bugged me for several days.

I’m not sure about you, but I have a problem with judging others. I hold people to my own standards and convictions, and when they don’t meet up, I try to make them see it my way. I usually don’t do it lovingly. My mom and I had a nice talk about it, and this made for a startling thought. I thought:
Am I just like this ranter?
Am I so concerned with trying to make people see things my way… I don’t care about doing it lovingly?
Am I ranting and raving more than I am edifying?
At first, I wanted to turn and run from my conscience. I didn’t like the idea of being like the harsh creeper guy. I knew I was in the wrong by being so blunt. While he was giving reviews of all my links, I was giving people reviews of their lives. And I did it again. And again. While he was cursing, I was blasting my opinion in hurtful ways. While he called me Amish (which was entertaining, I’d have to admit…), I was off labeling others as “idiotic” “weakminded” and “humanistic”. The startling thing, however, was this:
Did this guy’s ranting do anything?
No.
It made me laugh a little. I had to take action by finding nifty ways to get him out of my life. It made me cautious.
But for the wrong reasons.
Does my judging and bluntness do anything?
No. I realize now it may make others laugh a little at me and think to avoid me.
Suddenly, they might just disappear altogether.
The ultimate question is, am I filling others with hope… or am I some annoying little bug screaming in people’s ears?

Do I create hate or stir up a desire for Christ?
It challenges me to deepest level.

no excuses: benefits of worldview witnessing

Some people do not understand why I study other religions.

1: “God said it, I believe it, that settles it for me.”

2: “People should already know there’s a God.”

3: “Just start with the Bible.”

4: “If you don’t use scripture, you shouldn’t argue.”

—-

1. “God said it, I believe it, that settles it for me.”

This sounds relative. I’ve heard some people say this with half the room muttering “Glad it works for you, buddy.” This type of statement makes God sound like an option, not the truth.

2. “People should already know there’s a God.”

Why are you witnessing to them in the first place?! Plenty of people, especially young people, don’t believe in a God- much less an afterlife. This is a laziness excuse.

3. “Just start with the Bible.”

Many people today don’t believe in God. Why would they believe His word if they believe he doesn’t exist? We have to start with common ground here. Use logic, facts, and science. The evidence is greater than you think. We must first reveal the holes in their thinking. Last week, with the evolutionists (which are still commenting every so often ),  I asked a lot of questions, and many of them went unanswered or dodged. This is because they don’t know what to say, and probably have never given much thought to their ideas. This is why we should study secular thinkers.

4. “If you don’t use scripture, you shouldn’t argue.”

We hold God’s word in to high a position. We treat it like a love letter, an oracle, a mystical thing that does everything for us. It is indeed, God’s inspired word, relevant, living, and true. We can gain principles from it, learn history, and see God’s plan for humanity. But it doesn’t do everything for us.

We forget that God gave us a mind. We forget we should understand the times and know the culture. It’s all a part of being in and not of.

After you’ve exposed the holes in thinking and false ideas held, then you can take them to scripture and show them the gospel.

What are some other excuses you’ve heard?

“Total Truth” {in one sentence}

“This book jerked me awake to realize I think like a godless liberal, with a fragmented worldview.”

To expand on my short rant, let me offer a short word of warning:

This book had me returning to paragraphs, re-reading sentences multiple times, and even writing things down. It’s not an easy read book on Christianity (think CrazyLove or Set Apart Femininity)- my mind often hurt after three phrases. My feelings were hurt, my brain was stretched, my thinking was fixed (or close to, I’d say). My heart is happy.

To further explain, for those not yet curious, or those who think “Laura? Liberal? I thought Laura meant conservative…”

I didn’t think Kant, Derrida, Newton, Descartes, Socrates, Foucault, Huxley, Dawkins, or any of those die-hard secular minded folks and I had anything in common. Especially parts of worldviews.

Don’t know what I’m talking about? You really need to read this book.

“This is Paul…”

An Almost Love Story? Nah…

A few ladies at my church approached my mom and dad a couple weeks ago about some new convert named Paul. They weren’t just casually mentioning this new Christian to mention this new Christian. They had an agenda.

“He’s 23, he’s going to a non-denominational church for a little while now and he’s met my parents. The parents are Roman Catholic, but they’re nice. He’s studying to be an electrician and they’ve told him about Laura. He’s already tried to go out with one girl but it didn’t work. His name is Paul, he’s very nice and polite, doesn’t smoke, tall  and lean, with light brown-dark blondish hair. We’re trying to figure out how they could meet. What do you think?”

My parents tried to explain I had some more standards than “regular church attender who doesn’t smoke and is making money.” But, the ladies plowed on: “Oh, but she’s so young, and she has ideas of what she wants. That all goes out the window when you fall in love!”

I’m glad these ladies and their husbands spoke with my parents, because my general unattraction to most guys with blonde hair would have made an outstanding opportunity to showcase my talent of sarcasm. Haha. Or, I could have jumped up and down with my arms waving in the air “He doesn’t smoke? YAHOOOOOOO!”

If I’m going to “fall in love” with some fellow, he’ll have to turn my heart first. It can’t be crush at first glance. I’ll have to know him for awhile before anything “happens.”

Avoid-a-Paul…

Ladies, when you are in question about a man, look to see if he’s going places: involved in some kind ministry or writing for a magazine; studying to become a missionary doctor or wanting to run for Congress, or even see if he owns his own business. Point is, observe, and don’t go for what others hand you. Take note of who’s doing instead of watching. We need more than “tall and nonsmoking”!

I believe having people set up guys for you to look at is interference with God’s way of doing things. People immediately claim “But God is using me!” when you argue “I don’t want you to get in the way of God’s plan for me.” People have strange ideas of what goes together, and they only want to see you married off. The old ladies in my church don’t really care about me or my life, but when it comes to love, they want to be in everyone’s business. Of course, the occasional “What’s up with college?” question surfaces, but nothing deeper than that. This tells me these ladies are manipulative. If I were to accept an invite to go to Paul’s church (Which I probably won’t…) it would cause me to start considering someone I may as well have no business considering. God works in surprises, and when I’m deliberately setting myself in places knowing a set-up dude like”Paul” will be there, I’m not letting God write the story. I’m a character trying to control my own future. I’m not saying be unfindable, it’s okay to be where the guys are (we all know that), but going into something thinking “I know they’ll be some great guys here… and maybe tonight I’ll meet the one…” will lead to our actions being controlled by the emotions and desires of wanting to meet the real deal. More often then not, our heads, muddled with desire, will settle for less. That’s when we make the mistake of settling for non-smoking nice guys like Paul.

Know for today you are called to singleness. Don’t let other people rush ahead for you.

Arguing with a Postmodernist

It all began with Josh.

It was Sunday School, a place I thought was safe enough.

It began when our youth leader said “Is there absolute truth? If so, can it be explained away? If not, why not?”

Josh spoke right up. “Nothing is black and white. Everyone makes up their own rules.”

I thought he was kidding. Being naive and 13, I thought for sure (being a goody-goody) that our youth leader would discipline him or answer with scripture.

Silence. Birds outside tweeted. Travis Thompson, suave man he tried to be, cleared his throat and shifted in his chair. Amanda scratched her head. 8 teens stared awkwardly at each other.

More silence.

Tweet tweet tweet.

“Um, well, I just wanted to know your thoughts.”

What shocked me most about this whole failed debate is that our youth pastor, Mr. F, couldn’t stand up for what he was trying to prove.  I hate to see that happen.

If you were to argue with a hardcore postmodernist, who think everything can be explained away, that everything is interpreted differently (including reality); you might want to use this fun tactic. At the point when the person says “There is no right or wrong, (or absolutes, or whatever)” reach for something they have. It could be a purse, a Bible, in their pockets, a necklace, anything, really. More than likely, they will say “Hey! What the hey are ya doing?” or “Stop it.” (if they don’t, they’re really out there in left field :-) ) At that point, ask them why should stop. Their answer may not be “It’s wrong” but their answer shouldn’t be too bizarre. It will all come back down to absolutes. They “need” their purse. That pen was a gift from a friend. So? Keep pressing and asking questions. Eventually, it all comes back to absolutes.

Or, for those really far out in left field types, tell them to imagine the story as you tell it:

“You are washing your clothes at the laundromat. You leave around 8:30 to grab a snack, planning to return before the place closes at 9. Well, life happens and your friends are at the snack place. You return to the laundromat at 11pm and the doors are locked, but you can see your dryer far in the corner, and all your clothes. What are you going to do?”

One guy said “Buy new clothes.” Ha. But really, can you explain away the lock? Can you interpret the door open?

Nah…

Life as a Devotion

While teaching at VBS last week, I grew quite used to the devotional for the teacher every morning.  If you have read my blog for any length, you know I’m not the “What did King Joash do about the problem? How does this apply to your life?” type of devotional reader. This devotional was one of those rare finds that focused entirely on getting your mind ready for the day. Well written, encouraging, and refreshing, I began to look forward to each day’s reading. Saturday morning, after VBS was over, I woke up, and instinctively reached for the book. Wait a minute… “Oops, I turned it in yesterday.” I remembered. I felt rather upset!

But I was reminded I don’t need to have a devotional in front of me to be refreshed and encouraged.

When I randomly stop riding my bike and crawl into a gully with water in it (known as a “crick” around here ), put flowers in my hair and sing praise songs in German, I’m praising God. I realize now I may look weird doing it, but hey, Moses had a glowing face when he walked off the mountain! I am learning to love him when I make a Christ-like behind the scenes decision that will affect the outcome of an important day. I am reflecting Jesus’ heart for kids when I patiently tie a kid’s shoe for the 24th time.

Our lives are a devotional for others to see. Our lives are a testimony of His goodness.

What do others see?

___

NEEDED: Your opinion: Do you want a bunch of scheduled posts (like last year) or “live” blogging when I’m at Summit? – which by the way I leave for in only 17 days!!!!  I can’t promise I’ll blog long, or much, but it’s an option!

From Dr. Michael Bauman

My all time favorite speaker from Summit, Dr. Bauman, wrote about welfare today on his blog. http://www.reformedandconservative.com/2011/07/dangerous-samaritans-how-our-poverty.html

For more on Summit, see this post from last year- and you should go. I have a $200 off tuition coupon for somebody!

Hyper-patriarchy vs. Biblical-patriarchy

Hyperpatriarchy is a type of demanding fatherhood and husband-hood ( ) that requires nothing less than exact obedience all the time- even on minute issues. Hyperpatriarchs like to dictate what his daughters and wife wear, what they do, and where they go. They like to be in complete control and have the final say. They often ignore what their family has to say and go with what they want.

Reading an independent-fundamental-Baptist-Reformed local magazine for women that somehow ended up on my desk; I was shocked at the articles on submitting to your husband/father. Some quotes from this magazine:

“You must let a man be man. (nothing wrong with that) If you interfere with any situation, even if it is sin, better to leave him alone for fear of ruining his testimony.” (Sounds faintly of Muslim honor and strongly of letting someone live knowingly in sin)

“When a woman shares her opinion, she is sharing the true heart within her. This nasty heart in manipulative and wants to see her husband’s ruin. Better to keep her mouth shut.” (So women cannot share opinions wit their husbands???)

“Your husband did not have to marry you. Do not complain about his strictness in keeping you in when he goes out. Being married is enough for him, why push him to do something you want when it is his turn to have fun?” (It’s the woman’s fault he’s angry/disinterested in her?)

I agree with being thankful for what we have, letting men be men, and that the human heart is sick. But when a woman has no say whatsoever, has to live in fear for her husband’s spiritual well being (because she can’t call him out on sin); and has to avoid dealing with even petty problems… that’s hyperpatriarchy.

I was accused once of being a victim of hyperpatriarchy. I bought a lovely maxi-dress recently at a store called Forever 21. I tried to wear it to church the next Sunday; and dad ended up telling me he didn’t like the cut. It emphasized the wrong parts of my body, and he didn’t want that at all. (“Not even a hint” as I like to put it) I really wanted to wear the dress, but obeyed. At church, my friend asked if I was wearing the dress I’d bought. I said “No” and explained the situation. She shook her head and said “That’s no way to live. Your dad is a total hyperpatriarch…”

Let’s take a look at Biblical patriarchy:

Christ is masculine. God is masculine. God so loved the world…HE… gave HIS SON. God is also the ruler of everything, but a gentle one at that. He doesn’t want harm to come to us, but sometimes obedience can cause suffering in some way from others. God is not a cruel taskmaster. He very nature is love. Christ is love. The man of the house represents Christ.  Both man and woman are made in God’s image and are both called to exercise dominion over the earth. They share an equal worth as persons before God in creation and redemption. The man is also the image and glory of God in terms of authority, while the woman is the glory of man. (Gen. 1:27-28; 1 Cor. 11:3,7; Eph. 5:28; 1 Pet. 3:7) God has also ordained gender roles. Adam already had headship over Eve before sin entered the world. (Gen. 2:18)

God has placed authority of fathers and husbands to be useful and good in direction family. There is a limit on a man’s power. He must be in the Lord. When a man is outside of God’s will or word, he is not leading well. When in sin, there is hardship for the man to lead. The same goes for a woman when she will not submit. A man’s authority should be exercised with grace and love as a servant, priest, and leader; following the example of Jesus Christ. Leadership is a stewardship from God. (Mal. 3:17; Ps. 103:13; Col. 3:21; 1 Pet. 3:7) A man should also be subject to the laws of the government. (Romans 13) The man and wife, (and hence kids) should also submit to each other and respect opinions, tastes, and views, as long as they are of the word.

The woman is called to be keeper at home- meaning she is to run the household in domestic affairs: cooking, cleaning, teaching kids (primarily- I want my husband to be fully committed to teaching our kids at home and pray he would want to take part in that); basically becoming more like a Proverbs 31 woman every day. This doesn’t mean she can’t “have a job”  it simply means her #1 priority should be home. My mom is really a Proverbs 31 woman! My mom and I have a business of sorts- every Tuesday we make 14 dozen cookies and my dad sells them at work. It’s extra income. It’s “working willingly with our hands”. My mom gets up early to start the laundry and she often stays up late to finish things. She is known for her artistic ability (especially working on VBS decorations, where she happens to be right now), her cooking, her get up and go spirit. People at church talk about her highly. She is frugal with our money, so much so, we have surplus of things. That frugality leads us to never do without (we are the thrift store junkies, but we have the nicest, largest, CHEAPEST wardrobes around, I’d say) I could go on, but you probably get the point. She is very submissive to Dad, her hubby, whom she’s been married to for over 20 years. Aww…

*ahem*

Father/husbands should oversee the family well; and do so biblically, gently, and firmly. He must also realize that everyone has an opinion, and his opinion may not line up the wife’s or kids’.

Now, back to the story I was telling about the dress. If my dad would have said “I don’t like that pattern on you, it looks outdated…” It would have been a matter of personal preference, and hyper-patriarchy if he told me to obey immediately without protest. But since he directly said “I don’t like the cut of the top part and how it draws attention to your bust,” I knew right away what exactly was wrong- and that it wasn’t right. Since my dad noticed something I’d overlooked completely, I figured the other guys at church would probably notice, too. I didn’t want to “accidentally” ”entice” a dude when I knew I shouldn’t be even wearing something enticing. And, since the Bible tells us women to be modest and cover up what should be covered ,-and I knew I shouldn’t cause any brother in Christ to lose sight of Christ if I could help it- I decided to do what I knew was right. I changed my outfit.

So, was my dad a hyperpatriarch or a biblical patriarch?

You can’t expect to submit to your husband one day if you can’t submit to your dad now. It’s not always going to be that BIG thing. It will more than likely be a small thing.