Syria, Anthony Weiner and 9/11... what a combo

Even for those not from New York, we all know who Anthony Weiner is.  Who hasn't heard the news of the talented young politician who screwed himself over when he decided to be unfaithful to his wife through sex-ting...twice.

As you all know, he lost his bid for election in NY.  He was a sore loser too- flipping off the press as they followed him to his car.  Regardless of his arrogance he has a LOT to teach us.

Good support taken for granted:  Weiner has a wife who stood by him as well as obviously campaign staff and constituents, or he would not have made a bid again for office.  In fact, he actually had such a good support system that it looked like he was going to overcome his past.  But he took it for granted and...

Mistook his belief system and wife's forgiveness for permission and lower standards.  He thought for some reason, that since she was so kind and forgiving, so faithful, that he could do it all again.  Forgiveness does NOT mean permission to sin again. It also does not give us a free pass from the consequences of our actions.  It just means we are forgiven, not re-punished over and over for the same sin.

See Hilary Clinton. She is the epitome of faithful wife who forgives (from what we can see).  And while I would probably never vote for her, she is a class act when it comes to a cheating husband in office. Bill learned one thing from her: don't be too...

Arrogant.  Just because we are loved, just because we are forgiven, does not mean we are better, that we are free from rules or somehow cheated the system.  We only cheated ourselves because we were...

Too smart.  We thought we had it all figured out.  We think our way is the best, we have an ultimate right to it and our own happiness was put first.  But that is not sensible thinking, it is simply...

Too  visceral.  Quit thinking with your heart and your genitalia.  We are possessed with what makes our heart go thump thump and our groin grow warm.  We forget that our gut is where God is- deep within us, in a place that is instinctual and very rarely wrong.   We use sex and sexuality for all the wrong reasons and we wonder why others look at us like we are a train wreck.  But that is because we ...

Didn't change  our M.O..  Yup.  We refuse to change and think we can still do the same old thing and get different results.  It doesn't work folks.  We have to stop...

Assuming and observe with new eyes.  We will never be able to overcome our weaknesses until we call them what they are, hold ourselves accountable, expect to be weak again and set up a safety net, seek forgiveness and quit making it all about us.

So what does this have to do with 9/11  and Syria you ask?  We  have done the same thing  that pissed off proper Islam- we flaunt our sexuality and think we have an innate right to do so without consequences America.  And we almost did the same thing again with Syria- we almost went to war when we did not need to.  We are bound to do the same thing with a new financial collapse if we do not learn to take our punches when we make financial mistakes and tighten our belts instead of upping our limits. Let's not be Anthony Wiener- flipping off the world when we make a mistake.  Let's suck up, apologize, own up, and make it right.  

Invisible Sacrifices and M.E.

In her books, Madeleine L'Engle often speaks of that which we cannot see with the naked eye.  Things that are amazing to behold and stunning in their purpose and presence.  We take them for granted and forget how they impact our lives.

When speaking of faith, someone once said that they do not understand or 'see' gravity, but they sure know it exists when they fall and hit the ground.  I think that in relationships, we do not take sacrifice seriously because we don't see it.  We are doubting Thomas in our daily lives with our mates, children, parents, and even neighbors.

In sociology courses, students learn about the ideas of me-centered society and other-centered society.  One places the emphasis on the individual, the other on the individuals constant and relevant part of the greater whole.   For those who are not sure, the United States and most western culture is me-centered.

I hear people leave a job because they deserve better (really? Because there are a lot of people out there who do not even have a job, let alone one that meets their desire to be treated well).  I hear of marriages ending because "I deserve to be happy, don't I?" or "I deserve a better mate."  Really?  Don't they deserve a mate who will stand by them no matter what?  Funny how that works, I want that for me, I expect MY mate to stay by me as long as I want them and need them, but if they are not fulfilling my needs I "get" to be selfish?  We don't see in that moment that we are the less than ideal mate, not them. 

In a story I read this week,  a woman said to a man, "I deserve more than just one step, I deserve someone who will meet me half way."  I get the idea here, she had been in abusive relationships up to that point.  But the fact is, relationships are never 50-50.  They are always about one person giving more than the other at any given time.  When my hubby is rubbing my feet, there is no 50-50 about it- it is 100-0.  He is giving and I am simply laying there like a fatted calf... him 100, me ZERO.  When I am making dinner and he is chilling out by skimming the pool (something he will fight you over to get to do) it is also not 50-50.  It is more like 75-25.  He is doing something that needs to be done, but not really, that is why we have a pool guy.  I am doing something that MUST be done or we will lose our generous proportions.  See?  not 50-50.

As Matthew points out, "whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me."  I am going to get really real here folks.  Be ready to not like this... so here goes:

If you think that you are going to grow as a Christian and become more Christ-like without giving more than a little- or less than 100%, then you are wrong.  This is not about salvation, this is about those of us who say we are Christian's and then don't live it.  You are NOT bearing fruit.  You are NOT growing.   You are sitting by the side of the road whining about the splinters of the cross and that they are going to get infected.  Get up.  Shut up.  Pick UP the cross and walk.  It is not easy. It is not fun.  It is not all happy, skippy, joy, joy.  It is about sacrifice.  It is about honoring the relationship. And when you think you are the only one sacrificing in it- just remember, you didn't get scourged or die a horrific death on a cross for something you did not do.  His sacrifice is invisible today- but that does not mean it was not 100% or does not exist. 

Now, as they say in the Army... kwitcher bitchin, pull up yur big girl panties, suck it up and DRIVE on.  I believe in you- you are not alone and you are worth the work. Go give.