Stuff I Wish You’d Quit Saying… Day One
Stuff I Wish You’d Quit Saying… Day One
Has it been a year????
Oh goodness.
What have I learned?
Too much. Not enough.
As I close in on 2 million page views since I launched last year, I know these things:
- You can’t make everyone happy.
- People are crazier than you can fathom.
- Commentators who go over 250 words need their own blog.
- I have said too much.
So the rules: There are really no rules? My comment section is set up so I approve comments because I don’t allow foul language. Otherwise, fire away. However, this is just to make us think. I am ready to admit when I am wrong or when I have unearthed something in myself. That being said, no offense comes from the Lord… stop being offended…I can help, let’s laugh instead! What I say doesn’t have to impact you to the point of making you wish I was “dead and that your children could watch while I burn you alive.”
Clearly, those types of feelings might necessitate you get some lithium and counseling, OH! And don’t read my blog. Find someone who you can get along with. But keep in mind, if you only hang around people that agree wholeheartedly with you, what will you think about? What will challenge you? What will help you evolve?
A couple years ago one of my dad’s best friend asked me a question. At the time I was shocked, maybe a little offended. But why was I offended? Maybe because I didn’t want to ponder the obvious? Maybe because deep down I knew he was right? And the question was a legitimate question, “How do you put up with the ‘nonsense’ of organized religion?”
I wish I had said something poetic.
I wish I had an opportunity to do the instant over again.
As I finished my manuscript Sunday evening, September 25th, 2016 and hit SEND, ushering my whole heart to Harvest House Publishing, I was so grateful that my dad’s friend had asked me that question. On October 1, 2017, one year from today, my first book, “STOLEN JESUS,” will be in stores.
How do I put up with the nonsense of organized religion? It isn’t so much the systematized beliefs as the chaos of the human race. At the core of every mishap, trial, tribulation, abomination, election, joyful reunion, or trip to Walmart is the folly of people.
People are the only thing standing in the way of harmony.
And I have stories about people who have let me down, kicked me in the teeth, or tried to make me feel less. But I have even more stories about good and decent people, like my dad’s friend, who made me think – made me want to be better, look harder, and climb higher.
I recently received an email in response to my viral post “My Kid is a Jerk, but I am a Good Mom…” The reader informed me that she was unfollowing me because of this statement:
One of them was a bridesmaid or a best man? I don’t know – at a same-sex wedding the other day. Another one wears Bernie Sanders t-shirts and thinks “Bernie still has a shot…” Still, another has what appears to be “arrogant” political views and just bought a bumper sticker that says “you can take my gun when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.” And none of these are the exact standards my husband, and I embraced or imposed on them.
She wrote: “If you aren’t pro-gay marriage, I am not pro-Jami.”
But if you read that paragraph, I was not making an explicit political statement. We live in an ever-changing world. When my oldest was in kindergarten, I boycotted Disney. Now, the issues have changed. People I love are involved in relationships, while those preferences aren’t my preferences they are also not about ME. My kindergartener is invited to a birthday party where the home has two mommies. This isn’t my platform? I am face to face with HUMANS, and I try to deal with the HUMANS with respect (and a healthy dose of snark smack down.) I don’t believe it is my job to save the world, and as of this morning, I still don’t work at the White House, CNN, Fox News, or the 9th Baptist Believers of the Lord’s Agenda Church.
I am pro-gospel. Love one another, and the blood of Jesus was enough. If my platform was an “agenda” you could come here and listen to me rant about one thing or another. Alas, I am just a mom who wrote a post on my phone about a dance recital, some basic human rules for not spreading the stomach bug, and I am brutally honest about my identity; an identity in Jesus; not my husband, kids, career, religion, lack of religion, political affiliation, sexual preferences on Tuesdays, or food handling habits.
When you are speaking to a large audience, I think it is important to recognize there isn’t any way to please everyone. Jesus knows. He knows us as individuals. If you have more than one child or if you have siblings can you not recognize that parents treat children differently according to their needs? Our oldest son is dyslexic, sometimes I read biology to him. I don’t need to read biology to our other son, he needs something different from me. Our Father in Heaven treats us where we are, with loving kindness. His wrath was reconciled on Calvary. If there is one mom here, one grandma, one daddy that needs to laugh – be encouraged or know that the Blood of Jesus is enough to cover every transgression – that He hears them – that He knows that their kid may not fit into the “church” model, that is who I am talking to.
My kids didn’t either friend.
Hallelujah.
So this 31 Day Series is “Stuff I Wish You’d Quit Saying…” Day One: I wish people would stop saying blanket truths about issues concerning diverse HUMANS. Let God be God, let bloggers be bloggers. Jesus said, “Go and sin no more…” but He never said we should say it. No, He was speaking to people enslaved to LAW. From the forbidden fruit in the garden until now He knew we weren’t capable of Law abiding – so He died for us. I trust Him to be God. I trust Him to bind the broken hearted, to heal, minister, convict, and perfect. If I walk where He leads, He may encourage me to say one thing or another, or I might be self-willed, and have to apologize.
Until that time I believe: His Blood was enough.
Stop saying it wasn’t.
May your floors be sticky and your calling ordained. Love, Jami
I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…
Ephesians 4:1-2
You must read: Three things every Christian must stop saying!
You might also like: The Semi-Exact Blood of Jesus
Seriously, can’t get enough of you!!! I so look forward to seeing your posts in my inbox! I have five children, 10 years old down to 10 months old, and your words bring me such comfort and encouragement. I love your honesty and your humor. Most of all, I love what you have been saying recently – His blood is enough!! Thank you for all of your words!
Kristy! Girl, why are you awake! Oh, same as me… Thanks for the love!
“Commentators who go over 250 words need their own blog.” ha ha ha I remember this. Oh my!
Love it!
Morning friend! ❤️
His blood is ENOUGH! I am just going to let that resonate with me today. Girlfriend, you are at the right place at the right time, keep on writing…..it is medicine to my soul!
morning Regina! Thanks!
Amen. I’ve been reading for some time and appreciate your honesty that always points to Jesus. The REAL Jesus that is…God of grace and mercy! I launched a blog in May and am just letting the Lord use it as He sees fit. I pray He continues to do the same for yours.
Congratulations! I love your blog title! Heading there now!
You’re right, you’re not going to please everyone and you weren’t meant to, with the exception of one person, our Heavenly Father and even he can forgive our wrong doings or misspoken words. You are a disciple with a twist, in that, you get the message of the lord out in funny sort of way but make no mistake, it’s a message that we, your followers are suppose to hear and ponder that day. I look forward to reading your book. Thank you for keeping it real on your blog.
❤️
Your message is ordained! The very best messenger goes to the “trenches” to reach those who cannot see or hear the speaker who will only speak from on high. Thank you for being in the trenches with us and showing that His blood was enough for all of us.
❤️
Keep doing what you are doing, girl. God uses us for unique purposes. We don’t all fit into the same mold. I rejoice in your victories and mourn with you in your sorrows. That is what we do as Christians, whether or not we do it in our church, community, or in the digital world. Thanks for being you. And I’m going to bake you something some day. You are in my neighborhood.
Yassssss!
I just recently found your blog and resonated with fostering, homeschooling and the lack of control over what our ‘becoming adult’ children do in spite of how they are raised! Free will is SO FUN! Keep writing and keep being real! You will speak to the heart of those who need a good chuckle and to be assured that everyone else in the world has a REAL family, with REAL conflicts. That we are all just trying to follow Jesus praying that our kids will learn life lessons from other’s mistakes rather than THEM BEING the one others GET to learn from! My 17 year old also gets a kick out of quotes from the vandals, lung kicking and stealing joy! She can also identify with the man baby concept as she tries to understand why guys are just so immature! Ya know, because at 17 and well equipped with the XX chromosomes in your DNA, you are the full embodiment of maturity! God help us all!
Indeed! Thanks Theresa!
❤️❤️❤️
Good golly! You just make me feel more & more normal with every blog post! Thanks for reading my mind. Keep writing with this same frank truth and witty sarcasm. Love it! Cannot wait for your book.
Thank you!!!
*tears*, this was beautiful & profound & so poignantly truthful &….beautiful….
❤️
Awesome, and just what I needed to hear as a mom and as I hit the year three mark of blogging…
Congratulations!
Jami, I love the heart that resides at the bottom of the many words and sarcasms. It is discouraging when people don’t see down to our hearts and attack us on the front line of all they don’t understand. Praying these 31 days will knit hearts together and bring healing on this page for many who visit. What a platform God has given you in such a short time! It’s a blessing to see.
Thank you Amber! ❤️
❤️ I look forward to reading your blog posts. Your humor, wisdom, and candor are so resfreshing. Yes! Christians can be funny and brilliantly sarcastic (my favorite language) and still lead others to Jesus. Thank you for your heartfelt, truthful ministry. You are His and it is obvious.❤️
Thank you. I believe He was snarky! He’s a blast!
I just need a bit of clarification about the personal pronouns.
A. Is it stuff that the writer wishes the reader would stop saying?
B. Is it stuff that the reader wishes the writer would stop saying?
C. Some other generalization about the comments of one person to another
D. A rant of the writer on her own words?
E. All of the above
F. None of the above/ other
Thank you for your thoughtful perspective.
Over and over I love to hear that what Jesus did was enough… our ability to be right does not increase our righteousness, nor does showing another where they are wrong. His righteousness alone is all the covering we need. There is nothing to defend or strive after. Seek His Kingdom first and all falls into place in time.
You are a beautiful writer and I highly value your authenticity and consistency in which you point it all back to Jesus, the one and only not-so-messy human, who sees and accepts all our messiness but doesn’t leave us there. 🙂
Thank you. ❤️ the blood worked!
Days 1-3: I can’t begin to tell you how much I love your blog. I’m a 54 year old wife and mother (Son-30, DIL,-29, Daughter-28). I share your posts with young mothers and I hope they help. (Waiting for my own grand babies!). I so wish someone like you was around, when I was parenting little ones. I parented with confidence (most of the time) but still questioned myself, daily. I have two great, flawed, adult children. WE must have done something right. I was a SAHM and my husband is a wonderful parent and never questioned changing a diaper or coaching or going to a school conference, or giving them a bath, or……
Jami, YOU are what’s right with social media. Thank you.
In His grip,
Tana
Thank you Tana. I appreciate you. ❤️
I appreciate you!!!!!
It isn’t so much the systematized beliefs as the chaos of the human race. At the core of every mishap, trial, tribulation, abomination, election, joyful reunion, or trip to Walmart is the folly of people.
People are the only thing standing in the way of harmony.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE….thank you
❤️
Could I just send you topics to rant about? I’ve got some topics that I want addressed, but I’m too chicken to address them myself. My Write31Days post today was titled “People Pleasing,” so I obviously need you in my life. I think God sent me to you. It’s divine intervention for sure.
I just busted a laugh out and then had one of those coffee hiccups which made me gaffaw during homeschool coop. yes… Email me. I am short on topics! sacredground.stickyfloors.com
I am not particularly religious at all but your writings on faith are one of the many things that have drawn me to your blog. I love your posts and how you relate them to a bible verse. I just wasn’t raised in a very religious home….for us, it was Sunday mass as Catholics. Then, my parents got a divorce and we stopped going altogether. I miss that in my life so I love your religious content. I think there is something for everyone in your blog. Everyone just needs to settle down. Not everyone is going to THINK or BE exactly like everyone else!!
Also, I didn’t read that first line in the paragraph as being anti-gay marriage at all. I thought it was funny…it actually represents the generation gap between ourselves and our young adult/late teen children who have grown up with this gender-identity issue and they, as a group, are way more accepting of those types of differences among their peers. And, I personally do not judge anyone in this world for being who they are…as odd as it may seem to me~someone that does not grapple with that at all.
“Bridesmaid or Best man”–in today’s age that very well may be a male bridesmaid or a female best man and it is often hard to tell but the way you wrote it made it light and funny. It is what it is. Maybe many devout Christians struggle with this but then they also struggle with the commandment to “Love one’s neighbor…” It may be hard to do both. I just know that I don’t judge people on either side of it bc I am just not convinced either way that anyone is more right or wrong on that issue. Just do for you what is right and just and live your life being a good person and I’m good with that!
Your blog is awesome…funny, raw, down-to-earth and man o man could I relate to that first dance blog that got this all started! People…we all have “amazing” children…yours is not better than anyone else’s and get those balloons out of my line of sight! ha!!!
This meant a lot to me… I needed the encouragement today! And woe to the seat savers! ❤️❤️❤️
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