I admit:
- If I know it offends someone or am around children or a more conservative crowd I will most assuredly respect them by choosing other terms. But frankly, I like most curse words. Now, I would not use them as a "sailor", but in certain instances, a good f-bomb feels so damn good. And I fancy saying arse or ass, but mainly for comedic purposes. If I use such words when it feels right, around people who don't care, is it "bad"? Sometimes, it makes me comfortable with a person.
- Desiring a drink evey now and then. I had my bouts with alcoholic type behavior and binge drinking. That was also a good almost 8 years ago. I know all the AA responses to such a comment. Eight years ago I had virtually no healthy coping skills. Today, I am a heck of a lot more sane and honest. I'm not saying I want to get trashed. I'm saying a drink on St. Patty's, not to escape anything or knock myself out like it was years ago.
- Movies or television shows with sexual, drug, taboo content. Nurse Jackie, United State of Tara, TruBlood, and those Strange Sex or whatever shows where people are arroused by the wierdest stuff, just to name a few. Those are ridiculously entertaining shows! They don't provoke the response of wanting to use drugs, have affairs, be a vampire or lick my husbands shoes...they are merely entertaining. However, I'm aware that what you fill your mind with comes out in your life some way or another. Probably in the above mentioned profanity issue : /
- I want a traditional church with real tradition that's been pasted on for years and years, like the prayers and various sacraments. I think they are beautiful once you know why they're done, what they represent. Soo many Christians my age are against this. Why??
- I want a progressive church as well, with both modern worship songs and hymns. I want for people to stop saying worship is the singing. Worship means "to be bent, to be broken for service". We sing to focus our senses on Him, to reflect...I get it, I treasure it. I digress. I want a church that doesn't water down the grace and love of God for fear that people will go wild for sin. I want a church that doesn't compromise the holiness of God or his call for us to strive to be more in line with His Word just so their numbers go up, so they "feel" like they're reaching people.
- Eating meat. Now, it's Lent & I'm not eating meat for that purpose and all it entails. But even the few months last year when I did partake in carnivorous delights...I felt bad. It seemed like it just didn't line up with who I was anymore. Now, my dad's grilled chicken wings will always line up with who I am. But aside from that, it just felt wrong. And it grosses me our to watch other people eat meat too. I think negative thoughts about them as they're biting into the animals cooked flesh...as if they are so selfish to eat another being. Then I feel so hypocritical for thinking of them that way! To each his own. Maybe just respect the meat you eat, like Tristen from Legands of the Fall :)
- Lastly, I really like to talk about sex. Southern Bapist raised girl likes sex, what?? I think it is so intersting. I like to play the PENIS game, have ever since middle school. Garon & I played it tonight...ok, well I played it while he blushed. (And that was just over Skype!) I think perverted jokes are hillarious and seem to have a more masculine sense of humor than the average woman. If God didn't want us to laugh at the penis, why does it look so goofy?!
I'm sure there's more. I'm also sure that in my gut I already know the answer to these things...just wanted to get them off my chest.
I love you! No really...bunches! I know that time and space has separated us, but I feel that we are both very close to the same person after we are broken down. Well, aside from the meat thing.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty much a vegetarian (not exactly by choice) too. I don't have issues with eating animals or anything. I truly think that God intended for us to eat them. I'm just not usually in the mood to eat meat.
I feel like with the whole drinking and cussing thing it has to be extremely situational. I don't think that they are in and of themselves horrible things. I do, however, believe that we need to be cautious of doing these things in front of others that have serious aversions or serious personal battles with them. Ex: You don't cuss in front of grandmother because she would faint and who has smelling salts these days? Also, we don't drink around people who "can't only have one" or are border line 21 and think it's ok if they drink under age.
I am not really sure about the television content issue. I am going to loop this into the sex issue. My mother-in-law told me something once that I have thought of often. She said that God blessed marriage and thus, there is nothing that a (consenting) married man and woman can do in the privacy of closed doors that is ever wrong. I think this may apply with the whole of what you watch too. I'm not sure...cause then the sick thought of the monsters that watch child porn just came to mind. There has to be a line. I am just glad I don't have to draw it.
I am also with you 100% about all your ideas about the church too. I think it is just because we came from a church that was so steeped in tradition yet was flexible enough to allow us room to grow. I miss it.
Elizabeth
I'm so grateful you've been one of my longest & dearest friends!! No, offense to Bradley in referring to "sailor", he's a good one. I think the guilt I feel when eating meat is more about the guilt of most of the time it's unhealthy. I know how to get my protein without extra cholesterol, fat, etc. So maybe that's it...I know it's at least part.
ReplyDeleteI should probably clarify, I do not watch porn. :) It's just shows/movies with sex scenes. Can you imagine watching TruBlood with my mom?! Well, she might enjoy a little Eric Northman! Haha! Love you!