Ya’ll- I just quit a
support group. Yup. You read that
correctly. Straight up quit. I emailed the mediator, asking her to please
remove me from all future mailings and meet-up invitations and didn’t give a
reason.
My reason? Hmm. Well- if I had given a reason, well, I guess
it probably would have been more fuel for the fire. MY reason for quitting is
crazy. It is absurd. It is really awkward to describe. My reason for quitting, is because the community that I had hoped to find
within this group was not a community AT ALL. There was NO hand-holding-bonding-love like the picture up there.
Yes, It’s title was “Christian
Homeschool Mom’s of XYZ” [I won’t call
them out…I will respect them in this realm]…but this title was NOT all encompassing. These ladies were:
1.Moms...CHECK
2.Home schooling their children...CHECK
3.Christian…NOT SO SURE
Let’s rewind a few days.
A Mommy-lady posted a question to the group’s online forum :
“How many of you allow your children to wear costumes and dance
with the devil?”
…I, obviously, knew that she was referring to Halloween, and
truly thought that she was being humorous…maybe a bit sarcastic. {“have you
ever danced with the devil in the pale moon light?” – Jack Nicholson as the
Joker in the BEST version of Batman} I kind of chuckled at it, actually.
WELL…what began after that question, was U-G-L-Y.
Every single Mother who innocently answered the initial question
was returned with:
· 
What denomination are you?
·
Do you realize the history of this “ritual”?
·
Do you really believe in Jesus? (seriously?)
·
Do you know that you are going to go to Hell?
(WOW…seriously?)
I, abstained, from partaking in this bullying of women BY
women who proclaim to be “Christian Women”. [AND IT TOOK RESTRAINT TO DO THAT]
Over the next few days, the topic of conversation was not
that of actual SCHOOLING our children, or CURRICULUM, but turned into who was
which denomination, and then which denomination was the REAL Christianity etc…
It was U_G_L_Y!
I didn’t even want to let me heart get involved in such
negativity and evil…that was supposedly spoken in the name of our Lord? [Again,
I know, I know, I could have taken this as an opportunity to speak some truth and spread some love…but honestly,
the “instigator” Mommy-Lady scared me
and I didn’t want to get involved]
So…I let things go.
WELL. Last night, I
fell asleep with all of my babies on my bed, after their bath and reading bunches
and bunches of books. {my FAVORITE way to fall asleep} My poor husband slept in the spare bed, as my
little tribe and I lay sprawled across our bed.
I woke up at around 3am, and went to find my dear husband who was sound
asleep. I, however, couldn’t fall back to sleep. My mind was racing and amidst my thoughts of
harvest, which apples I needed to replenish on the stand, how I wanted to
tackle making my Bubby’s Shark-Boy costume, and then…this horrible feeling of
missed opportunity to minister and guide some {obviously} hurting ladies- came
over me. I could have helped them. I could have tried to deflect the negative
and bring it back to Jesus. But, I didn’t. I quit instead. I let FEAR take
over.
But…I’m going to take the opportunity, now, to say what I
would have said.
Jesus Loves EVERYONE.
Jesus is the ONLY way into heaven.
NO human could EVER condemn ANYONE to hell.
Christianity has many facets. It has many denominations.
Similar to the worlds languages (which the LORD created when
he forbid the Tower of Babel to be built), as Christianity has spread and grown
and changed and reformed and gone back to its most primitive, original form.- There
are MANY differences in the practices and daily walk of all Christians.
SPEAK LIFE. SPEAK LOVE.
SPEAK TRUTH.
I have said over and over again, this month, that I am going
to SPEAK LIFE!!!
Maybe that is why I held my tongue when this all went
down? They say that once you do
something 14 times in a row it becomes habit. Today is the 23rd,
that means that for the last 23 days I have not spoken ill of, nasty to, and
prayed for my adversaries.
I pray that we, as
Christians-
-Whether we are Non-Denominational,
Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran,
Presbyterian,Catholic, Assembly of God, Messianic Christians, 7th Day Adventists etc.
- whether we are blue, green, purple or red
- whether we are married, divorced, single or widowed
- whether we have children or not- whether we attend worship
as part of a church family, or if we worship alone with a bible in our bedroom.
WE ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.
WE must love one another as HE LOVES US!
We need to stop
judging each other by who is a “Better” Christian. Who practices the correct
holidays. Who gives more money to what
charity. Who does better mission work.
Who loves Jesus more. It is not OUR
call. It is not OUR job. It isn’t
remotely in our job description here as an earth dweller. GOD is the judge.
We need to work on
becoming a peaceful union to GROW our church.
WE are the CHURCH.
It’s not a building.
It’s not a denomination. It’s not a pastor. WE, as Christians, are
the church. Things in the world are getting ugly. The end times are near. It may
not be in our lifetime, it may not be in our kids’ lifetime, but MAN, don’t you
want to make the CHURCH stronger for our future?
For our
grandchildren?
For our great- grandchildren.
For ourselves?
Speak Life.
Support each other. Love one another. GROW our CHURCH!
Amen.
{beBlessed} and have a GREAT day!
Dani
"And greater is the One living inside of me than he who is living in the
world."-Mercy Me
