Your Sister in Christ, A. Butthead
The other day we saw a television program on co-sleeping. My husband, Justin went on a mini rant.
“What is wrong with those people?” he barked. “That is twisted. Why would you want all those little people in your bed?” he wandered off and I heard him murmur, “Weirdos.”
I don’t have the energy to explain to him, he is a co-sleeper. And I don’t mean me. It is 5:21 am and I’m typing this while he snores in the next room with 2 children in the bed with him.
Just because I profess myself one way, doesn’t make it necessarily so.
We are co-sleepers. We sleep with our children. And the reason we sleep with our children is because all we really care about is sleeping. We will do it anywhere, anytime and with anyone.
We are sleep whores.
And the lack of sleep has me pondering things while chugging bitter java. I get emails all the time about what a judgemental jerk I am. Ironically, they come from ranting judgemental ick-masters. And I for the most part I ignore them because, 1. I don’t have time to argue with people about which of us are ickier, and 2. I would rather sleep.
But the most laughable hate mail I get is the kind that is signed, Yours in Christ.
“You’re the worst example of the gospel on the internet… You will be cast into hell for your abuse of that little girl! How would you like to be called chubby! Scripture tells us the devil will come in sheeps clothing! You will burn in hell. Your sister in Christ, XXXXXX”
Granted, I don’t like to be called chubby. But, it does happen. Yes, I am in fact the worst example of the gospel on the internet, although, I have not been officially given that brand. I googled “Worst example of the gospel on the internet.”
And it wasn’t me.
I was a little bummed.
Although, before I had a lot of content up, if you Googled me it said, “Did you mean Janie Emmery?” And she was a not so chubby porn star that was way off from good Gospel behavior.
Way. Off.
And yes, scripture does say that the devil will come in sheep’s clothing, but I don’t wear wool. It’s itchy. And I don’t have the time, energy, following, or ambition to be the devil. If I was the devil I would manifest more sleep for me and my poor co-sleeping husband.
I would like to ask if I am the devil, are we still sisters in Christ?
So here’s the rant… you knew it was coming.
Stop it.
Take the Jesus fish off your bumper and stop being stupid.
If you want to rant, own it. If you want to cast someone to the fiery depths don’t hide behind a warm, cheery salutation referencing the Savior of the World.
Christian speak doesn’t save humans.
Actions save humans.
From way up on the Americanized Jesus high horse Christianity is becoming a mockery. This is tragic. But we have gotten so caught up in Jesus-speak I propose it is nothing more than taking His name in vain.
I submit we change our verbiage.
Why aren’t we readily admitting how awful we are in a widely resounding chorus of “I LOVE JESUS AND I AM LITERALLY THE WORST!” and then wait for the masses to approach. Becuase the masses just see us as the worst in the worst way.
Arrogant windbags, rattling the rooftops with our self-righteous self-affirming banter. We criticize drug addicts and profess their need for Jesus while we shove french fries and pie down our gullets and stare at reruns of Grey’s Anatomy. We are drooling over Dr. McDreamy, texting gossip about the latest affair within “the church,” lamenting our hate for same-sex marriage while maxing out our credit cards and bank accounts on more stuff to stuff ourselves with. But not to worry, there is a Jesus fish watermark on my checks, and I will be in church on Sunday morning to worship with hands held high!
Yours in Christ doesn’t negate our sin or establish us worthy? Snorting crystal meth is bad, but so is mass donut consumption and hate. The elitist Christian mentality and the place where we no longer admit we are broken, lousy, disgusting humans in need of redemption is the greatest disparagement of the Cross.
I had an encounter with a young family outside of Child Services a few months ago. The young mother said, “I want to get help, but I hate Christians. I don’t need some fat woman pointing out how horrible my addiction is while she chugs down a Route 44 Dr. Pepper and gnaws on a king size Snickers.”
Maybe if we were more transparent? Maybe if we labeled ourselves from the place of the same disgusting place we deem others lie? Perhaps if we started out every rant with:
I pursue Jesus, and I about to unleash a world of judgment on you and everyone in this room! The bowels of my distaste for you and everything you hold dear will not be able to withstand the venom I will poor out on your generations. Here is the number for a counselor, you’ll need it when I am done with you. I meant every word I said, Jami.
Would we be more approachable? Would this level the playing field? Would we better examples of the mercy of the Gospel?
The place of perfection that Christians preach from is not fishing out men. Yes, the Gospel is a place of hope. Yes, I would be lost without it. But to testify to my perfections since I first believed?
Well, just because I profess myself one way, doesn’t make it necessarily so.
Your broken, exhausted, chubby, co-sleeping fellow human, who loves Jesus, Jami
May your floors be sticky and your calling ordained. J
Psalm 55:12-13 (NLT) “It is not an enemy who taunts me- I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me- I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you-my equal, my companion and close friend.”
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I wish we could do coffee some time!! LOL I love you!
YOUR SISTER IN CHRIST!!!!! LOL
☕️
This was awesome ‼️ One of my favorite sayings is, “don’t judge me just because I sin differently from you”
Now I’m going to go and try and get the beam out of my eye. Luke 6:41
I’m stealing your saying; it will come in pretty handy around here in Midwestern small town America. 🙂
We can’t escape our human nature no matter how many fish we stick on our cars (Don’t you hate that you can’t flip people off now?) or how many times we tell ourselves “today I will not eat the Snickers, I will eat salad and have a smoothie made of green stuff” we trend back to baseline behavior. Maybe, just maybe, we need to really do what God says to do: take EVERY thought captive. Jesus didn’t come to sit in our circle of misery and hand us another donut while He pats us on the back. He didn’t really even come to change our behavior. He says He came so that we might have life, to set us free, to not condemn us but to save us. If we got real…really, really real with the people around us about ourselves, just imagine the reaction. God might even be glorified.
I just shared this on FB. I shared your “My kid’s a jerk” post yesterday. When I shared today I gave you my ultimate compliment: “I could so have lunch with you!”. Keep on with the journey, Friend!
That is very kind… thanks friend!
You always hit the nail right on the head in such a fun way. Christ does not call to the perfect, we who are so flawed and striving to cope with the difficulties of everyday life find so much hope and comfort in His love. Thank you for your sweet humorous words of encouragement.
I’ve often said that “taking the Lords name in vain” means a LOT more than swearing. Anytime we represent ourselves as Christ and who He is, we are taking His name. And many are a terrible icky example of Him. Thank you for being honest and real!
Your co-struggling, trying to figure it all out, Christ dependent sister in Christ, Mindy
Amen!
Friend… I was born in California… Maybe we are long lost sisters. #justjesus ❤️
Yep
I spent 10 minutes arguing with a woman. Her argument you ask? “My Jesus is better than your Jesus and you are going to hell if you don’t go as I tell you.” I could have sworn that there is one Jesus and is the same one as other potential Jesuses (what would be plural for Jesus? Jesusi?) needles to say…..ignore those people I find that the ones who question my faith have concerns about their own. So I ignore them. As a matter of a fact I eat more around this specific person, I speak poorly of humanity, I make certain that I drink (side note…she called me a bad mother because I allowed my daughter to indulge in alcoholic beverage and when I asked her to show me where she saw it she pointed at my daughter pouring soy sauce. She saw my martini with dark sludge and assumed it was soy sauce). Needless to say, you don’t need anyone’s approval, mine included
❤️
Almost choked laughing with the sleep whore remark!!!!
Such a good read! Thanks for being real!!
Yeah… I still can’t believe I said that.
It was awesome.
Girl, I can’t believe a tenth of what I say out loud.
Me, too, and my teen and his buddy were nearby, so I stifled myself, so I wouldn’t have to explain. It was a good thing I wasn’t sipping my coffee when I got to that line!
Ahhhh…. Sleep whores unite.
I love the truth when you dish it out. Your sick of the two faces and the forked tongue….I get it. And….your right…it’s total crap and disingenuous….at the highest spiritual level. You are ion the right track in your own disdain for the B%@#LL SH%)@#T….
One will never escape this insanity until one finally admits……..”Nothing I do is sin….nor can I commit sin and in Christ…as he is…so am I in THIS world”…..it requires divine revelation…….they will not tell you this at First Church on main street.
As long as one insists on remaining a “Sinner” while they attempt to stand in the congregation of the righteous…they will have a double mind, their garment will continually be rent in two and they will have weeping and gnashing of teeth in this life~!
This type of person will eventually leave the knowledge that they are a “sinner” but ot until the gnashing of teeth has been their schoolmaster and teacher…..it makes you spiritually “insane”. It’s an eternal illness…and most are totally in the dark about this truth.
“Sin” is a NOUN….it is not a verb (Hebrew/Greek)….it’s an identity that one insists on maintaining against the truth.
So….as long as one has an external enemy with God-like powers…and as long as one has an external in the sky Jesus….they will be double minded and will never enter into any rest…..ever.
Unless one can associate themselves with deity and divine presence?……..then the garment remains torn in two, the mind remains double and nothing of the promise will be received…..
Its your deepest desire to be such….but what “belief” destroys the possibility?…..speech from your mouth that gives testimony before the God you worship that speaks “I am a sinner” ~!….
If you lived on a deserted island and there was no other humans around you to see you come out of the deception of religion……you would believe some strange things because the beliefs that cause rage in “Christians” are generally the truth and oppose religion.
The truth is…….the two faced thing is taught from the “Rostrum” or the “tower” of confusion called “Babel”…..I have been there….I know.
The beauty?……you speak the truth about the insanity and the crap in this blog/posting….you are close…oh so very close to escaping yourself~!
Bingo~!!
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Wow, love this! Absolutely love!! Jesus wants us to love and serve, not bash and judge. I will be sharing this! As well as reading this website from now on!
Thanks friend!
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Jami,
I love all your posts! You get it. You get Christianity as it should be. Not rules and cookie cutter pew warmers. I thought you were awesome and super funny in high school and now you are even more amazing. Keep it coming my friend!!!
Amy (Templeton) Hughes
Hey Amy!!!! So glad to see you here! Thank you, that means a lot to me friend. ❤️
Amen! I think we share a brain! -your sister in Christ
I have five words:
You’re my new best friend.
“In Christ”
-Angela
Where ya been bud?
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