Breakfast Readings

My next planned post was going to be about lunch with Lisa P, but what I read this morning while drinking my breakfast cocktail of MSM/Glucosamine/Chondroitin is just about making me want to be political. I read the editorial page about Jerry Falwell's death. To tell you the truth I don't know that much about the man except he had a TV show and a college. I cannot help it that while he was doing all things political for Christians was about the same time I could only concentrate on how much I worried about my hair. I missed all the Watergate coverage for the same reason...come on, I was graduating from high school and getting ready to go to Southwest Texas, which is now Texas State. I digress... anyway, I haven't given too much thought about Jerry's death other than thinking about the loss his family is feeling right now. That was until this morning when I read the editorial by Kathleen Parker, "With the passing of Falwell comes that famous peace." She begins by saying Jerry may have been a man of God to his 6.5 million followers but to others he was a charlatan, a huckster and a dangerous fool. Not nice I think, but continue on reading through most of the piece when I come across this quote. "In another time, Falwell and other televangelists would have remained on society's fringes, preaching from the street corners..Not long ago polite people in America didn't wear their religion as raiment. Educated Christians may have dressed up on Sundays and kept a Bible in the house, but otherwise they whispered prayers at bedside and wouldn't consider holding hands to bless food in a restaurant. It wasn't done." That just about made me spit my joint juice...and if you know how bad my knees hurt, you know this had to make me a wee bit steamed. Nah, I will be honest it made me mad! Like I said, I am not political, I don't follow elections, laws etc...but that is what "they" want us to be. Sunday attending, cafeteria following just to go home and take a nap until the next Sunday rolls around. "They" don't want anyone to have a real relationship with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords...oh but if we do, just keep it to yourself and whisper that prayer in the evening. No offense to "them" but playing that game all through my childhood had a big part in why I lived so much of my early life screwed up! I wanted to love Jesus and hang with Him like the disciples did. I loved those stories of healing, miracles and the fact that a grownup actually wanted to hang out with kids and got miffed with those who were keeping us from Him. In my little heart I wanted to pray and talk to Him all the time and not just when as suggested by my parents after being punished, that I should ask Him to forgive me for being so bad. "They" want us to be like Ward and June Cleaver in our religion, but yet want us to up to date with iPods, plasma TV's DVR's and such. "They" want us to vote, keep our homes up for property values, and run along like a good little Christian. "They" want our money but not our religion, which Ms. Kathleen Parker is relationship...not religion. It seems to me that being so anti Christian is more a religion than being Baptist, Full Gospel, Presbyterian, or what other denomination or non denomination you would like to mention. I mean, the man died, his family is grieving, his church is grieving, and Liberty University is too...although it may be finals time. He spoke up and shook things up when everyone else was and it made some people angry cause it rocked the status quo. Maybe while he was marching with the Moral Majority, I should have too and I know everyone might have noticed how soft and manageable my hair was. I have no ending for this. I have no solution for this, but tonight and believe Ms Parker, I will be praying much more before bedtime, I will pray for you. That you experience God's New Mercies, by the way they are new every morning. My prayer will be for you to come to know Him and His saving grace. OK, I am not mad anymore...I vented...I feel tenderhearted and kindly toward Kathleen. Kathleen, you'll always be disappointed if you look to man and I really want to call you a sister in Christ, hey maybe we can even get together and have dinner. We'll pray, but we don't have to hold hands, well maybe not till our third dinner. You will probably want to comment on my hair, I've got that under control now.