What Are We Doing?

I'm going to start by saying that I realize that people won't agree with me and, that's okay. Just please be respectful of all points of view.

Here I sit on the 17th anniversary of September 11th, and I wonder often... how did we get here? In so many ways we've gone backward on the unity of that time. I remember the incredible resilience and pride that you could visibly see for days, weeks, and months after that horrible day. So how is it that we got to this place in 2018?

What place, you might ask? The place where we are so divided on EVERYTHING. Is it the social media factor? I don't know... is it the keyboard warrior mentality? Maybe. Is it the complete lack of even attempting to see things from the other side? More on point.

I remember the days when we could freely be different - and that was okay. I mean, some of my dearest friends spend a lot of their time doing things that I don't agree with politically, but I respect their right to do that. We're even so aware of it that it's a joke now... she will call me out and say... I know you won't agree with this, Kim, but... You know what? It doesn't hurt me.

For me, I'm a firm believer in the "You Do You" way of life. If you want to do something, go all in. Many of my friends look completely different from me, and I think that is really cool... at least until my 8-year-olds ask them what a tattoo is... they were just curious why my friend drew on herself every day. HAHA Oh, kids. But, I digress.

More to the point - there are two things that I'm seeing lately and they just blow my mind.

One -- this whole Nike thing. Look, I stand for the anthem and for the flag. Last I checked, it's legal to burn that same flag... the fundamental difference for me is that you're not allowed to burn said flag at work... but that isn't the point either for this argument. Nike chose their spokesperson, and you don't agree with them. No problem. Burning shoes and clothing is a bit too far though. Donate them! There are plenty of people in your own backyard in need of those items and, they don't care what logo is on the item. If you want to boycott, fine... if you don't, fine. See, You Do You. It's okay to choose another brand to spend your dollars on, but it's also okay to continue wearing the items you already purchased. It's a commercial, and honestly... when was the last time you watched a commercial? I spend all of my time DVRing things or streaming them so that I DON'T have to watch them anymore.

Now for point 2 -- I've seen several articles, and I even believe there is a whole Facebook group devoted to this cause... but there is an uprising over the book Girl, Wash Your Face... such an uprise that when I posted about hosting a book club on the book - I got a message from a friend who I love and respect asking me to reconsider hosting or reading the book.

Her concern was that Rachel's theology wasn't sound, and she didn't want me to be swayed. Here is where I'm at with this. I love and respect this friend, but on this point and others, we don't agree. This can happen between people sitting next to you at church too. Fundamentally, those within the walls of your church will agree on salvation and that it comes from Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. From there, most of the rest is up to your interpretation... and how you read the Bible scriptures that day. Haven't you noticed that you can read a verse and it means one thing to you today... and if you read it again a couple years later - you might take something completely different way from the words.

This book is written by a woman that believes in Jesus. That's where her need for sound theology stops for this book because that isn't what the book is about. She is an imperfect Christian writing a book about things that she has believed in her life. I'm a Christian woman who has faced some of those same things in my life. So it resonates with me. It won't with everyone, I've seen some posts from people that just don't see what the hype is for... and that's okay too. It's not going to be for everyone, but that doesn't make her wrong.

I think the danger here comes when we put these expectations on Christians that everything they write, say, or do has to be theologically sound. We are sinners. We are broken people. There is only ONE perfect person, no one else will ever measure up to Him. Christians can write books that are not spiritually based... or at least I hope so.

I'm currently writing a book, and I would hope that people aren't looking for me to teach them anything beyond my words. My book is about our journey to parenthood, and it's about finding hope in God to endure the journey. I'm not trying to teach anyone how to apply it in their own lives, but sharing our story of hope and redemption for them to apply however they see fit. Not every book written by a Christian is meant to teach theology... there are plenty of them that are meant for that... Rachel's is not.

I pray for a day when life isn't this US or THEM mentality that we've got going right now because it's only serving to break us farther apart. If you don't agree with my points on these issues, that's perfectly okay because you haven't lived in my shoes... you've lived in yours, and you've got different filters. The fundamental difference is how you approach this information - do you attack first, or do you attempt to see it the way that I do - then disagree respectfully. That respectful disagreement and mutual respect is able to live and breathe again.