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| So Marmel wants to discuss thoughts on the movie Dogma, and seeing as my xanga doesn't get anywhere near the amount of traffic as hers (that's not necessarily a bad thing...) I thought I'd offer the option to you all here. Comment/post as you wish. Feel free. Make yourself at home. Disclaimer: Controversey may appear. Remember, like watching TV, if you don't like what you see/get offended easily, maybe this isn't the best blog for you to read for a while...
One of the big things that I got from that movie was the idea (yes, the idea, not the belief structure) that the way we view God and things of Him have got to be off.Way off on some things, close on others. There is a reason why certain things are not explained in detail in the Bible, and I think that reason is because they might very well make our brains ooze out our ears. Don't get me wrong, where the Bible is clear, I am clear. I'm just talking about the other stuff that is kinda vague. Like how that whole Satan-was-an-angel-and-how-he-fell thing. Now I'm not saying that isn't true, but I think if it were really just that simple, God would have stated so more clearly in scripture than any of the references I could find. Just my own opinion. If you've been able to find clear scripture on that story, please let me know.
Another thing I got from this movie, was that God will use anyone (yes, even Jay and Silent Bob) to bring about his will. Now I don't wanna get into a Man's free will vs. God's Omnipotent & Omniscient Power agruement. Let's not go there. But God can and does use everybody - even the lost.
Anyway, what are your thoughts? | | |
| Every once in a while, I think about posting these thoughts, but I wonder whether or not it would be appropriate for me to put on the message board. Well, here, where I am queen and editor of all content – here I can post this and not worry.
I’ve been wondering lately how many of us Christians really can’t see the forest because of all of these darn trees in the way. How many people are so wrapped up in not allowing even the appearance of impropriety in their lives, that they miss opportunities, time after time, to actually make a difference in another person’s life. Let me give you an example. I was talking once with a person at my church, and they touched upon a very sore topic for me, and before you knew it, I was balling my eyes out. Now this person I happened to be talking to was a man who was in my small group a while ago, so he is someone I know fairly well, and he knows me pretty well also. I’m standing there in front of him, on the verge of that hiccup/crying that is such a humiliation, and his wife (also know her well from small group) walks by. He grabs her and says “Give Gayle a hug, would ya?” So yes, later Gayle is calmed down, and I ask her what that was all about. She said that her husband thinks it is inappropriate for a married man to ever hug a woman who is not a family member. Now I ask you, if his wife had not come along, would he have just chosen to walk away from me without reaching out to me? Can’t see the forest ‘cuz of those darn trees if you ask me.
It seems like grace, mercy, and love are often given out after you’ve been good enough, fit a role, or after all other options have been exhausted. And that’s the exact opposite of how it should be.
I was watching Dogma (yes, I know there’s a LOT wrong with that movie) but there’s one thing that they hit on that really resonates with me. It’s not about a belief system. Its about an idea. Not because you can change an idea, like they explained in the movie. But because when its about a belief system, it eventually comes down to checking a yes or a no box. Permission granted or permission denied. Ideas are bigger than yes or no questions, and can’t be contained by them. Just like God can’t be contained and limited by our puny little minds. Take for example when Jesus started talking with the Samaritan woman. Did anybody in that day do that? NO! Was it the right thing to do – ABSOLUTELY! What about when Jesus lost it and started trashing the temple grounds, flippin’ over tables & chasing people out of there? He understood the concept of righteous anger, and didn’t get intimidated by peace-loving hippie-types. He did what was right, and he didn’t care what other people thought about it. I’m sure quite a few people were gossiping about him after that, but that didn’t matter to him.
I guess it boils down to this: I believe there is a time and a place where the non-essentials of Christianity get thrown out the window, because the essentials are so much more important.
White, Discussion by Ed Kowalczyk (Live)
I talk of freedom
you talk of the flag
i talk of revolution
you'd much rather brag
and as the decibels of this disenchanting
discourse continue to dampen the day
the coin flips again and again, and again,
and again as our sanity walks away
all this discussion
though politically correct
is dead beyond destruction
though it leaves me quite erect
and as the final sunset rolls behind the earth
and the clock is finally dead
i'll look at you, you'll look at me
and we'll cry alot
but this will be what we said
this will be what we said look where all this talking got us baby. | | |
| Ohhh, I ache. My hands, my shoulders, my arms, my legs, my back. I just ache. Lemme tell you why.
Saturday, I painted stripes on the accent wall in my bedroom. Do you have any idea how many times you need to put up that first tape/stripe before you have got it straight & in the right spot? It is much harder than it looks, especially in a older house that has settled & not a single wall is exactly 90 degrees to the other!
So I had planned on Sunday after church to put my bedroom back together (finally!) but then I got a call from my stepdad saying he needed help removing the decking on the deck. Its replacement time, and his shoulder was bothering him. So he worked the cordless screwdriver (the easier part) and I worked the crowbar & chucked the pieces of the deck in the dumpster. The hard part was that only about 25% of the screws would come out. The rest had apparently become one with the joists over the years. The crowbar and I became quite good friends. Thankfully, I didn't smack myself in the nose this time, just a screw through the hand. I'm up to date on tetanus, and it should close up nicely, looks like it went right through the meaty part between my thumb & my first finger.
How does my good-for-nuthin' brother always manage to be absent for these projects? | | |
| Man, It sure is nice to know that if I ever wander away, you guys will keep buggin' me 'til I come back. I mean that in the best way possible. :)
Life is good. Things just have their ususal pace now. Go to work. Come home & eat dinner w/Lacey. Head over to Dave's for a night of a)Legos, Choo-Choo Trains, Firetrucks & Nemo if David's around b) poppin' in a movie & cuddling on the couch or c) heading up to Tailgaters for a few beers & catching up on Ron/Eric/Julie/Stumpy/Benny's life. Weekends involve painting, staining, and polyurethane & I don't see an end to that anywhere in the near future. Saturday night we take the Vette to the Car Show & hang out with Dave's brother & sister-in-law. Sunday is church & more work around the house. And then I do it all over again.
So that's that. It may sound monotonous, but it has its own rhythm, and I like that.
Not to worry, Carmel. I haven't painted your room yet, so you can still shoot me ideas or samples. You're wish is my command. (Oh no, what have I just done!)
Love Y'all!
Gayle | | |
| Well, its official. Dave's divorce is final now. It went smoothly, with Dave & his ex-wife even riding to court together. Now he's just breathing a huge sigh of relief knowing that all of the financial stuff is done & he needn't worry any further about that stuff. And although I've said from the beginning, if they ever wanted to reconcile, I'd step back from the situation, I'm breathing a sigh of relief that that didn't happen. Dave & David already own so much of my heart, that would have devastated me. *Breathes huge sigh of relief*
So last night, my favorite movie arrived from off of ebay - The Music Man! I love that movie! So after we played with David & then put David to bed, Dave & I cuddled up on the couch & watched my favorite movie. Its corny, its silly, its cute. Man, I sure wish that I had lived in times like that when the greatest evil lying around the corner is an insidious pool table and a slick salesman. And a boys band can save the problems of a whole town. I love that musical. Its just fantastic. If you haven't ever seen it, I highly recommend it. Its even kid-safe. And little Ronnie Howard (age 7 I think) with his lisp is just perfect. Oh, oh, the Wells-Fargo wagon is-a comin' down the street...
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