Where do you go to be yourself? I'm talking no critisism, no judgement...you are accepted no matter what you say, how you say it, what you wear, how much money you make, where you live, what color your skin is, what country you were born in, ect. Do you have such a place? As a society in general, we have become critical, judgemental, jaded, cynical...and it shows.
Home should be the place you feel the most comfortable, but what's happened? Parents used to tell their kids things like "You'll never amount to anything, you're stupid, you're to be seen not heard." (which, by the way, is my major pet peeve. Seen not heard? Give me a break.) Now, it's the kids lashing out at the parents. "You're not my real Dad. You embarrass me. Get outta my face."
Remember when the old saying went "I had to come to work to get some rest"? Well, not anymore. The workplace has generated more demoralizing situations than the home. My husband told me a few days ago, and I quote, "I'm not the most optimistic person out there, but I can't stand working with so much pessimism." Companies push employees with the force called "profits". They don't care about the employee anymore, and the employee knows it. The employee rebels, slowing their pace down, still only doing 8 hours of work even when on the clock for 12. And the whole time they moan and complain about the company.
Churches. They definately aren't the family-friendly, God centered environment they should be. There's more backbiting, gossip and outright hate than on a 3 hour soap marathon. As Rick said recently in his blog, "and it seems like anytime I visit a church I feel like I'm looked down at because of something, maybe I smell like cigarette smoke, maybe I'm not dressed as well as the others because I just don't have the clothes, maybe I just look different. Maybe it's because I only have a dollar bill to put in the offering plate.......who knows...........I am glad I can have a personal relationship with God and not have to go through anyone.." I am not down on chruches as a whole-just those that take organized religion to the wall. Centering what they do on a docterine, forgetting the "people" involved.
Whatever happened to "Love your neighbor as yourself"? We know how selfish and greedy we can be. Buying huge tanks to drive, closet(s) full of clothing, jewelry, jetting around the world on vacations..yeah, we love ourselves.
Remember the movie "Liar Liar" with Jim Carrey? He couldn't tell a lie for one day-against his will,none the less. I wish some great force would overtake the people of our world and cause us to live by the Golden Rule for just 24 hours. I'm convinced, if we did it for one day, Like Jim Carrey's charactor, it would change us. So are you up to the Liar-Liar challenge? Try loving another as yourself. You don't necessarily have to take them to the Bahama's with you, but you get the idea!
Rick's new permanent blog site
