Saturday, November 3, 2012

Nibbling at the wrong table.

I sometimes feel that my writing comes across stern and judgmental at times, especially if I am particularly passionate about something. This is the last thing I want and judging others is the furtherest thing from my mind, friends. I felt the Lord leading me to get rid of facebook for awhile and I fear my post came across harsh about facebook altogether which is not what I intended. I have convictions about Halloween and choose to avoid it altogether. These are things that are *my* dealings...it is not a statement of convictions that I expect everyone to possess or follow. Lord forbid. He deals with each man differently because each man is just that....different. We have different agendas, different temptations, different struggles, different weaknesses, therefore, different convictions. When I write about something I'm going through---it is simply... that....--something *I'm* going through. It is not a "throw out" note to hammer the rest of the world. Please understand this and see my sincerity. I have absolutely no judgement to any one of you who do things differently than me....I love you all & hope to only be an encouragement where you need it the most. I am also very humbled and honored to those of you who even read my ramblings & care about our family. 

Every year around October we get the 'pure shock look' and comment of, "you don't just let them dress up and go get a little candy?" Thankfully, I did not have to endure the lectures from anyone this year, but my husband did. It's funny, really. People act as if it's so un-american, like we don't eat cheese burgers. They presume we live in a village & don't watch tv either (i mean, we don't pay for cable but that is simply because we're not tv people, dvds and netflix mostly). I guess what I'm saying is, if you don't trick or treat then what other weird things are you hiding!? People always make me feel so odd. Why don't you do this, or that, and why do you, do this and that? Sometimes I just want to ask, why do you care so much what we do or don't do? I say that in complete humor. People who do anything different just arouses curiosity. 

For me, I am somewhat of an extremist. Like, I'm an all or nothing person.  This type of personality shows in lots of my decisions. And there are many things that I just really dont know the answer to so I just choose to back away until I get an answer through lots of prayer & the word. There are lots of logical reasons why I don't celebrate Halloween...mostly the history of it, we don't do scary, and I abhor the candy (And yes my kids eat candy, sugar, & chew gum). But this year my husband had a friend that said, "but you can dress up innocently & just let them enjoy the fun parts.".......I pondered his statement. Not that I haven't thought of this myself in times past....I have thought of all types of ways to make it okay for us but sometimes you just don't feel right in your heart about something. And sometimes that's enough. But I did get a verse I felt was from the Lord, FOR ME, to confirm what I felt. 

"Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works of men who work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties." psalms 141:4

The amplified version reads:

"Incline my heart not to submit or consent to any evil thing or to be occupied in in deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties." 

There's a lot of fun in things out there. . .but if something is a conviction for us, we don't need to pick the fun stuff out of it and eat of it just to fit in. I say this in many areas of life; we feel getting drunk is wrong, but we'll justify that going to a party and only drinking a little is okay. I bring this up because the guy my husband was talking to also stated things like that. ^ "I know being around people that party is bad for me and a downfall for me, but I can handle it if I just drink a little...." 

What happened to abstaining from even the appearance of evil? 

Why do we have to eat of the dainties at the wrong table? Even if we're just nibbling. 

Do we not trust that God's table will satisfy? That it will not bring us pleasure? 

It's not so much a do and don't list dear friends, it's so much of a trust thing.....why do we simply doubt that God's table will suck the fun out of things? That it will leave us boring, legalistic, & stiff? Doesn't His word promise the exact opposite?

Doesn't it say He will give us life and give it more abundantly. That in His presence is fullness of joy. Why do we doubt the very one who created us & knows how we're wired?

Understand, this is not a post about Halloween. This is a post about anything you may feel the slightest bit convicted about and choose to nibble at...For me, it just happened to be Halloween. 

Facebook just happened to be something I couldn't control well. It was a downfall for me. I justified staying on for family and many other reasons, but God has to be our first priority and if something keeps you away from that then you need to let it go. Others control it well and it doesn't mean anything to them, and yay for them! Boo for me. :)

So, in conclusion, never feel that I am judging any of you. Ever. Judgement should always begin with ourselves and always compared to how short we fall to God's holiness and HIS standards, not compared to others. I have friends that do Halloween and we love them immensely & they know all is grace here, and I love how they can extend that grace to us in what we feel. There's no condemnation on either side. 

My sister and a friend asked me recently how I'd been doing without facebook. That question almost makes me laugh because I feel like I'm being weened off a drug & people sincerely asking, How are you??? 

In response and for all those who truly care and wonder, I am doing great. My mind doesn't feel so cluttered and I feel like I think more clearly. I feel more organized and more patient with the children. I don't feel as stressed or burdened. Why did facebook make me burdened? I don't know. I'm just odd, remember? Justin, would always tell me, "Krysten. Facebook is not real." And I would say, "Oh yes it is. It's interacting with very real people & real situations." He just did not how real it was for me...those situations carried into my home & my actions. So, yes, I am doing well without it, and surprisingly enough do not miss it. Mostly when I think about it, I remember the feeling it left me with day in and day out--and I certainly don't miss that. 

Thank you all who follow me here & keep up with us. You all mean very much to me & I am honored that you cared to stay in touch with us. May God bless you all this weekend. 








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