I have been taking some time to get to others blogs and do a little reading and hopefully a little encouraging here and there. But haven't taken time to write anything on my own. [Though I nearly wrote an essay on AMExpression's post today.]
I've been trying to figure out if I just haven't had anything to say
or whether the busy, busy has just kept me away
As for last night, we had people from church at our house to pray
But that is something we do on Wednesdays anyway
Okay. Cheesy maybe, but sometimes these goofy things just blurt out.
My little brain will just fall into rhyme time.
I sure wish I could do that when I feel like writing a song, but then it just doesn't seem to work.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
I spent some time today reading through the Boundless posts on the Modesty Survey. What an interesting collection of thoughts regarding the matter. It seems to me that what was lost on a great many of the posters on that site was that this was not to set some set of rules, but merely to help make ladies, especially younger ladies, aware of how their manner of dress can affect others. Some merely considered it an excuse for guys to think about how girls look in different styles of clothing. What a spectrum
Maybe most women, young and not so young, know how wearing tight and/or revealing clothing appeals to the eyes of men. Maybe they don't. The bottom line is, that for those who wish to be careful and considerate, like my daughters, it can provide some good information. For those who wish to flaunt, it is dangerous ammunition.
To the ladies Matthew 18:6 comes to mind.
AME and Chris both made the strong points regarding individual responsibility regarding the matter. Women about how they dress and their responsibility and accountability, men about taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus, respectively.
This evening my wife and I were discussing the survey, the blog, and the responses. We came to conclusion that for some that read it, it becomes a set of rules or "Thou Shalt NOT" so they will endeavor to not wear this or that. This leads to bondage, which Jesus died to set us free from.
I take away from the whole matter that we each have responsibilites to one another. That we are to honor and show respect so that we don't cause others to stumble. Our responsibility as believers in Jesus Christ is to point the way to Christ and to do all things as unto the Lord which includes our actions and how we present ourselves (dress). The intent is for us to take our eyes off of ourselves and how things affect us and place them on Jesus, who will lead us by His Holy Spirit in how we are to conduct ourselves.
It is before God the Father that we will stand to give account for our words and deeds. As for me, I long to hear the words, "Well done faithful servant."
3 comments:
cheesy? oh no! not unless you're talking to one of your children! my girls think i'm nuts all the time!
gray? uhhh ... i thought that was *natural highlights* :)
it baffles me some, that so many separate out the way they present themselves from that which they must answer to God for - or, in the case of men, what they choose to think about. and, it baffles me, that when presented with the Truth, they choose to make it what they want it to be rather than what it really is. very sad.
i am so protective of what my girls watch on tv. oldest is now really giving me a hard time about that b/c at nine, the kids have seen SO much and she hasn't seen any of it. i have programmed the tv and remote to only go to a few channels. they have no idea what network tv is or even the news. i hate to watch the news! all those images getting permanently planted into their stored memory - it's just not worth it. hopefully, by the time they begin to watch some of that stuff (b/c they will - if not in my home then in someone else's) that their foundation will be so strong they will be able to see if for what it is. i also pray every piece of the armor of God over them when i put them to bed - i pray the Belt of Truth - that they may always see and know and recognize God's Truth and that His Truth will set them free. because, like you said, it does.
love your wife tonight - give her a great backrub to soothe her aching back!
I'm glad you're back... I've missed your take on the world. I understand busyness, though, especially with everyone being so crazy with stuff at this point of the year.
I like the way you put it here: "that we each have responsibilities to one another. That we are to honor and show respect so that we don't cause others to stumble." Your note that our responsibility is to point to Christ is, I think, really the crux of the matter. What is the point of dressing modestly - or even guarding our thoughts - if that's not ultimately pointing to Christ? Even if it's about "doing the right thing" or "helping each other," it's not what it ought to be: because all ought to be for the glory of God. If we are living to the glory of God, then we will be doing the right things, and we will be helping each other - but it has to come in that order.
Thanks for your prayers of late. I've needed them.
Oh - and yeah, it's cheesy, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Think about the line in the song I sent you starting with "just because..." - how cheesy is that, right?
As for songwriting, I wouldn't worry about rhyme. If it's supposed to be there, it will, and if not, it'll hurt the song to try to force it in. Some of the best songs I've ever heard have almost no rhyme, and what there is is purely incidental. Just let it flow out, and don't force it. When you get lyrics, like you do sometimes, write them down, and then come back to them later to refine them - but not too critically. And then take an idea you've had on the guitar and if it fits, put them together.
We definitely need to do some songwriting this summer.
Love you!
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