Most interviews with writers feel melodramatic and self-aggrandizing to me, so I usually skip them. But, seriously? Anyone who can touch on resurrection, a loving God, the fragility of life, and the perilous joy of parenting by answering three standard questions is just flat-out INTERESTING. Click here to read the interview. It's worth your five minutes, in my opinion.
Also. I can't begin to address why establishments like Hooters are so successful. Or why Hugh Hefner has three young women who live with him, and another three hundred who would gladly take their place. Or why a woman in a bikini can sell a tire or a beer so well. I can't begin to understand the phenomenon that makes women want to pose as scantilly-clad-beautiful-girl-#4 in a magazine, and I won't even begin to try to justify or argue for or against them. All I was saying was this: if you don't want your wife to be treated like meat, don't take her out for a beer in the slaughterhouse. And if you do, you can't complain about the way men look at her. That's all I'm saying.
And this, my friends, is the post that can't sit still.
Last thing - a friend (whom I love dearly, and am not in any way criticizing by bringing this up) and I were talking last night about her recent purchase of a larger home. She was telling me the reasons why she knew God wanted her to buy this particular house. It's a common theology, at least in the Bible Belt, so I'm really not picking on her by saying this. But every time I have a conversation like that, I think, Does God really care what house I live in? Or does he care about how I live my life in that particular house? But if I follow that train of thought too far, I start feeling silly about praying for anything less than world peace. I really would like to just resolve this issue in my own mind and move on. So I'm asking you - how do you reconcile God's will and daily life? I am of the opinion that God cares more about our character than our external circumstances. So is praying about which house to buy or whether or not you should take a vacation foolishness or faith?
7 comments:
Stephanie,
I'm totally with you on your Hooters comment. I've never understood why families/women would go there.
About the prayer/God's will thing, I honestly think that God cares about every aspect of our lives. It's kind of like my relationship with my husband. I love him and I tell him about every random thing that happens in my day. I think God wants that kind of intimacy in our relationship with Him.
Awhile back my daughter lost her beloved Little Purple Monkey. We couldn't find it anywhere. It had been lost for 3 days. Finally, my daughter asked if we could ask God to help us find it. So she prayed that God would help us find Little Purple Monkey. Seriously, not 3 minutes later my husband walked into the room with the monkey. He'd just randomly decided to look in a drawer that we NEVER use. Apparently, my daughter thought it would be a safe place to put her monkey...
She's conviced that God heard her prayer ...I tend to think so too.
In regard to the house, I'd think that God isn't so concerned necessarily about the actual house, but about making wise decisions with our finances.
Just my 2 cents.
I think God could want us in a certain house, if He wants us to be a witness to a neighbor or something along those lines. But, I am always tired of hearing about how my friends all need bigger houses thatn the thousands of square feet they already have. That is, sometimes, jealousy thought. What I wouldn't give for just a second bathroom or clean flooring and here are people with wonderful homes who are not satisfied. But, I am just as guilty of that, aren't I? And now I am rambling.
I think the more important question is why should anyone expect decent service at a restaurant in Montgomery. When has there EVER been decent service there? (Remember I have intimate knowledge of the biz there :-)
I agree with Kat, it is not so much about what God thinks about one house over another, but how we steward our money - as well as actively invovling God in every decision. Its not asking for His approval stamp on a house/car/etc, but rather, being in such an intimate relationship with Him that praying over those little things is like involving the advice of a dear trusted friend.
I think God cares about everything we do and that we should pray to him for guidance about even the smallest things. For example, when we were in Belgium we were trying to decide if we wanted to sell our car in storage back in the states. Selling it would allow us to pay a couple things off but not selling it would allow us a nice family/traveling car when we moved back. We prayed about it and made no immediate action but just let God do his thing and within 24 hours the car was sold, money was in our account and the bills we paid off with that allowed us to get a nice house in a safe neighborhood here while still allowing me to stay home with Baby Bean. We have had MANY such things like that happen in our lives together and it really is amazing to see the outcome of our Faith in God and prayer.
I agree with my sis on the prayer thing. We should pray for God in every situation big or small. God does care about where you live (and I live) and he also cares about world peace. If I believe in a God that doesn't have time for me or what is important to me in my life (BOTH where I live and what is happening to the less fortunate in other parts of the world) then I am feeling rather short changed.
As for the Hooter's thing I haven't formulated my response for your thoughts (or Luke's for that matter), but I will post them on my blog before Friday is over with.
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