La Caja Tonta

I never ever thought that I would be saying this, but I have to confess that I'm developing an obsession with TV.

Aaron and I don't really like TV. I haven't watched a TV show regularly (or even more than once a quarter) since I was in high school. I like movies. That's why we have a TV. Just for movies. But when we moved into our apartment we discovered that, by some mistake on the part of Cox, we have cable. Aaron thought, cool - we've got the Weather Channel. I thought, yuck.

But then we ended up browsing channels a couple times. And then I decided to browse by myself one day. And now it's something I have to fight against doing everyday. What? Not only this, but Aaron has given me strict orders not to watch Laguna Beach on MTV. He has to tell me not to watch Laguna Beach??? This is bad. Very bad.

Since I've been watching a significant (well, compared to before) amount of cable this month, I've felt more uneasy, competitive, insecure, idle, lazy, angry and just plain yucky. What is it about TV that makes all of my self-discipline fly out the window???

So, I'm off, to clean, cook and devour my P.G. Wodehouse book.

How To Feel Right With God In ONE Easy Step!

1. Repent.



Kelly Rose and I were discussing all the complex, confusing emotions that are connected with our relationship with God and with others. Take guilt, for example. It's so easy to get lost in analyzing the guilt, the source of the guilt, the time period of the guilt, the circumstances surrounding the guilt, the solution to the guilt, etc.

But, for me, it's hard to get to the point: am I guilty? If yes, I need to repent. If no, I should repent for not believing in God, my brothers and sisters, or the forgiveness given to me. I should move on. But I don't. I worry so much about what people think: if they're mad at me; if I did something wrong; if the reason I don't feel close to God is connected with that; if I'm being punished for not doing something the right way. I'm controlled by my emotions a lot of the time.

And it's because I don't get the Gospel. I've heard it preached, and I wake up and believe it everyday. I've heard Doug preach it to me in a hundred different ways, and Mike too. And Aaron and Kelly and Chrystal. I see God's mercy and love toward me and am in awe. But I'm still a sinner and I just don't trust Christ's unconditional acceptance.

We also noted how this seems too simplistic for the popular Christian media industry. I suppose there might be a mainstream Christian book out there that teaches this perspective on the Gospel and our emotions. I don't hear it very often that the way to tell that you're "right" with God or in His "will" is to judge your life based on His law: that your emotions are a tool and not a litmus test for righteouness. Many of the books I've seen that address this topic do not teach the Scriptural view, but are a program to make you feel better. "If you'll only do exactly what I outline in this book, God will radically change the way you experiece Him and His Word!" are their promises. But you can't change your heart in 12 steps.

Although he doesn't directly address guilt in our relationship with Christ (from what I remember), Dave Swavely's Decisions Decisions discusses our misconception of how to use emotions in determining what is right. It's a great introduction to reforming your views on this.

Kelly and I thought that this topic was too simplistic for pop Christianity's best-sellers, but it's also too difficult. You can't learn to trust God by reading and re-reading a book that's filled with to-do lists. I have to think, pray, read His Word, talk to people, let people talk to me, make mistakes, love people.

For some reason, I think of Lisa when I think of living this out. She's a great example to me of being honest about your faith, life and emotions, while genuinely trying to submit them to Christ.



(Kelly Rose? Que piensas?)

Married with Friends

I'm really struggling lately with pleasing people. In certain areas, I've grown to a point where I realize it's not my responsibility nor in my power to please people, so I can try to sort of move on to finding that middle ground of considering others more highly than myself and being a slave to no man.

I know that I'm not married. Boy, do I know it. But since getting back from Peru, I work, I plan the wedding, and I see Aaron. Those three things pretty much take up most of my days and weeks. Is that wrong? I have felt so much pressure to spend time with other people. I don't want to ignore them or be self-centered - I want to encourage the body and love the Church and work on relationships.

But when I get married, doesn't how I can do that change? At least at the beginning. Deuteronomy 24:5 says that

"If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married."

So, we don't take a one-year honeymoon nowadays, but that's the principle. Several wise people have suggested we do the same: have no major committments the first year, outside of what is absolutely necessary; don't do anything but get to know each other at least the first month of marriage; recognize that since your priorities are shifting so will the closeness of your other relationships.

Is that right? Why do I feel so much pressure to keep up with people like I was able to do before I left for Peru? You married people out there: how does it work?

Once-a-Month Cooking?

Yeah. I'm skeptical too.

But I'm taking "How to Be a Wife 101"-type courses from the Mother Cook, and, of course, grocery budgeting and meal planning is a huge part of that. I'm looking, studying and figuring and, lo and behold, I think this method is cheaper and more efficient.

Has anyone ever heard of it? You plan meals for either two-weeks (beginners) or one month, buy the groceries for them, spend one looooooong day cooking and freezing, and then have ready to thaw and heat meals. It's cheaper because you buy ahead and in bulk, and more efficient because meals are ready-made.

It was a method developed by a missionary wife and the book was published by Focus on the Family. In the preface she discussed how well this method complimented God's desire for us to show hospitality.

It seems really appealing to me: a month long to-do list all finished in one day!

The Importance of Pithiness

"All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have." Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe

The above is just an example of what I've stated in the title. Isn't it funny how one succint sentence can hit home in a moment what an entire chapter or book is trying to explain?

I love pithy quotations.

And p.s. we'll have to indefinitely postpone/cancel the thoughts on the emperor's new clothes thing. I'm planning a wedding now! :) I miss the time to think and talk and read - but not as much as I desire to marry this man God has given me. ;)

The Emperor's New (Fill in the Blank)

I wanted to think and write a little about a topic the McIntyre ladies have been calling the emperor's new clothes syndrome (or something like it, anyway).

Will return shortly!

 

 

 

 

Aaron successfully traveled to Peru and brought back a wife.  :)