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I am not a None—One of the Religious Unaffiliated

I am NOT a none. I have never desired to be a none! And with God’s grace, I will never become a none. So, what is a none? Merriam-Webster dictionary defines nones as “the ninth day before the ides according to ancient Roman reckoning” or “the fifth of the canonical hours”.

However, those are not the nones being spoken about in this article. I am talking about the nones as defined in the Oxford University Press website in an article titled “3 Things You Might Not Know About Nones” by Elizabeth Drescher. Drescher defines nones as “a name for people who answer ‘none’ when asked what religious group they most identify or to which they belong.”

It is based on this definition, I will be providing informational quotes from various writers and researchers that will provide enough information for you to understand and intelligently discuss nones with others. In addition, I have included links for easy location of the entire articles.

Currently, nones or my personally made-up word noneship are not within my everyday vernacular or even official words yet, but I daresay that in the next few years, they will join the Merriam Webster’s New Dictionary Word List along with their most recent newest words such as cryptocurrency, wordie, Chiweenie, Schnoodle, ooh, mm-hmm, and welp.

Who is a None?

Becka Alper from Pew Research says, “a growing share of Americans are religiously unaffiliated. [They] recently asked a representative sample of more than 1,300 of these “nones” why they choose not to identify with a [particular] religion.

Out of several options included in the survey, the most common reason they give is that they question a lot of religious teachings. Six-in-ten religiously unaffiliated Americans – adults who describe their religious identity as an atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” – say the questioning of religious teachings is a very important reason for their lack of affiliation.

The second-most-common reason is opposition to the positions taken by churches on social and political issues, cited by 49% of respondents (the survey asked about each of the six options separately). Smaller, but still substantial, shares say they dislike religious organizations (41%), don’t believe in God (37%), consider religion irrelevant to them (36%) or dislike religious leaders (34%).”

Alper, Becka. “Why America’s ‘nones’ don’t identify with a religion.” Pew Research Center. 8 Aug 2018.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/08/why-americas-nones-dont-identify-with-a-religion.

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“The Christian share of the U.S. population is declining, while the number of U.S. adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing, according to an extensive new survey by the Pew Research Center. Moreover, these changes are taking place across the religious landscape, affecting all regions of the country and many demographic groups. While the drop in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced among young adults, it is occurring among Americans of all ages.”

“America’s Changing Religious Landscape.” Pew Research Center. 5 May 2015.

http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/

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“Curiously, the religiously unaffiliated are “about twice as likely to describe themselves as political liberals than as conservatives.”

  • 63 are either registered Democrats (39%) or lean toward the Democratic Party (24%)
  • 72% support legal abortion
  • 73% support same-sex marriage

Hess, Andrew. “The rise of the nones.” Focus on the Family. Focus on the Family. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/about/focus-findings/family-formation-trends/rise-of-the-nones

What is Interesting about the Nones?

“Look at any survey about the state of religion and you will find the same story of decline. Fewer Americans today than in past decades identify with a religion, attend church, engage in religious practices, and view faith as an important part of their lives. Those who advocate the secularization of society applaud such cultural change because they see it as evidence that people are turning away from all things supernatural. However, these trends may be less about our abandoning the supernatural and more about our abandoning each other.”

Routledge, Clay. “Americans quit church but still search for meaning, now as loners.” Nation Review. 14 July 2018.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/07/traditional-religion-has-social-value-individual-quests-leave-people-isolated/

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This seems like a circular argument: “The nones are growing because the nones are growing! But sociologically, it makes a kind of sense. Some nonbelievers might have stayed in organized religion in previous generations just because it was socially expected, and there were consequences for not joining the religious crowd. The numeric growth of the nones has removed some of those barriers so that other closeted nones feel more comfortable leaving religion too. There is an infrastructure and support system for them.”

Riess, Jana. “Why millennials are really leaving religion (it’s not just politics, folks). Religion News Service. 26 June 2018.

https://religionnews.com/2018/06/26/why-millennials-are-really-leaving-religion-its-not-just-politics-folks/

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“In 2014, 23% of adult Americans identified as what media and academics have come to refer to as religious “nones.” Although the term covers a lot of territory—atheist, agnostic, unaffiliated, “nothing in particular,” and “spiritual but not religious”—it does not include anyone who identified with a particular faith tradition.”

Winston, Diane. “Millennials and the ‘none’: Why 40 years of religion in US Elections may change in 2015. Vice News. 30 June 2015.

https://news.vice.com/article/millennials-and-the-nones-why-40-years-of-religion-in-us-elections-may-change-in-2015

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“Nones are building communities in myriad ways, some of them more organized than others. From meditation groups to the very church-like Sunday Assemblies,  the religiously unaffiliated are finding ways to connect with one another.”

Blumberg, Antonia. “How the ‘Nones’ can find a sense of community outside of religion.” Huffington Post. 22 July 2015.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/religiously-unaffiliated-nones-community_us_55afe508e4b0a9b948535f3a

Why Do the Nones Believe Like They Do?

“Today’s young nones, immersed in their online lives, may feel as though they are very connected. But as many are collectively realizing, online connections are weaker than advertised. We may have many [acquaintances] within digital reach, but numerous online relationships are no substitute for deep, real-life friendships. Similarly, a wave of spirituality apps promises to supercharge your mindfulness and positive thinking. Although beneficial, app spirituality, too, leads to a solitary practice.”

Asma, Stephen. “Religiously unaffiliated ‘none’ are pursuing spirituality, but not community.” L.A. Times. 6 June 2018.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-asma-nones-spirituality-20180607-story.html

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“As a pastor, as a researcher, as an educator, as just a Christian who cares, the single greatest contributor to the attrition rate [of the Christian faith] has been the breakdown of the family,” McFarland said in an interview with the Christian Post.

Blair, Leonardo. “Parent Failure to Transmit Faith to Kids Helping Fuel Growth of Religious ‘Nones,’ Study Suggests.” Christian Post. 20 Sept 2018.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/parent-failure-transmit-faith-kids-helping-fuel-growth-religious-nones-study-227489/

How Can the Nones Come to Know Christ?

An important new survey by Pew Research asks, “why people who were raised in religious homes but who now identify as religious “nones” — having no religious affiliation — decided to leave the faith of their childhood. The results were varied, but according to the survey, “Half of ‘nones’ left childhood faith over lack of belief, one-in-five cite dislike of organized religion.

So today, America needs another great awakening, one which will convert the unconverted, restore the backslidden, and set the complacent on fire. Whether they know it or not, the “nones” are crying out for this very thing.”

“God’s solution to the ‘Nones’ who have left the faith.”  The Stream. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.

https://stream.org/gods-solution-nones-left-faith

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Conclusion

So how can you know God? It all starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ provides a relationship with the Father and eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection (Romans 5:10)

Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, [A]men.

“How do I accept Jesus as my savior.” In Touch. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.

 https://www.intouch.org/read/content/how-do-I-accept-Jesus-as-my-savior

While some people have no idea what is their purpose in life, some are convinced their life journey is to seek knowledge, to pursue status, to become wealthy, to promote tolerance, to reproduce or a host of other purposes.

The bottom-line is, what do we believe is the meaning of life?

As believers in Jesus Christ, we should believe that our purpose is to fulfill what God has appointed us to accomplish on this earth. When the spiritual dimension of life is void of the Trinity—God, the Father; Jesus, the Son; and the Holy Spirit, we become part of the none community. Let’s not let that happen!

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Bible Verses:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to believe in You. Help me to see You with new eyes. If You are real, let me know that. I’m tired of the life I am living. I want to know that beyond what I can see, there is a God that loves me and wants what is best for me. Help me to leave my proud behavior and unbelieving thoughts at Your feet. I want to know if You are real. Amen.

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Edited by E. Johnson

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Please share, forward, retweet, and/or comment if you liked this article or find it might help someone you know. Thanks.

In addition, I would love for you to join either my blog or newsletter. Just go to GreenePastures.org and look on the upper right-hand side of the blog to join!

Books by Patti Greene: Available on Amazon

#bgbg2, Christian Living, Church and Ministry, GreenePastures.org, Life Issues, Most Recent Post, Patti Greene, Politics and Current Events, Testimonies, Uncategorized

No More Christian Celebrity Quotes – Except Here!

1 Comment

Once upon a time, I wrote a devotional prayer journal titled, God, It’s Me. In the book, I put a quote from a “celebrity” Christian at the bottom of each page. I thought it was a reasonable thing to do and the publisher encouraged it. However, the book hadn’t been out long before I regretted my decision since a few of the “celebrities” had fallen from grace shortly after publication. I have since republished the book under the title of Anchor Me; Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer without using any quotes from anyone. Okay, I have quoted Jesus, maybe Paul too, but that is permissible. You get the drift.

I learned my lesson or, so I thought.

In this blog, I am taking some liberty and I have decided to do something different! The reason is that I have been super busy, and I have been reading a lot of good books and I would like to share some of the quotes I have read with you. Note that I usually read both sides of an issue and compare anything questionable to the Bible, so you might not like my chosen authors. Another reason is that if I find someone who is no longer in good Christian standing, I can delete the quote using one click on my computer. A blog is not a book that is FOREVER in print. As mentioned, you may not like or approve of the people I quote, but maybe their quotation, thought or illustration will give you room for thought.

So here goes!

Taking a creative approach to my blog and for time’s sake, I will be taking my quotes from pages 32, 34, or 36 from the books—only because those are the ages of our children. I could just use my age, but . . . Nah, that’s not any fun!

Enjoy!

Book Quotes

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“The ambassadors Satan prefers are chiefly of four sorts: persons of prominence and power; persons of superior intellect and diplomacy; persons of holiness, or at least reputed to be; and persons able to influence those in power.”

  • The Christian in Complete Armour by William Gurnall; p.34.

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“Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is.

  • Adrianisms: The Collected Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers by Adrian Rogers; p. 32.

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“Now, our Lord Jesus Christ is a Counselor in a threefold sense. First, he is God’s Counselor; he sits in the cabinet council of the King of heaven; he has admittance into the privy chamber, and [he] is the Counselor with God. In the second place, Christ is a Counselor in the sense which the Septuagint translation appends to this term. Christ is said to be the angel of the great council. He is a Counselor in that he communicates to us, in God’s behalf, what has been done in the great council before the foundation of the world. And thirdly, Christ is a Counselor to us and with us, because we can consult with him, and he doth counsel and advise us as to the right way and the path of peace.”

  • Spurgeon’s Sermons by Charles Spurgeon, Volume 5; p. 32.

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“You are never too old to start again. My favorite people are those who have grown older biologically, but never stop growing spiritually.”

  • Principle Preaching by John R. Bisagno; p. 36.

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“God created the family to provide the framework for us to learn about relationships—how to relate to one another. Those first relationships often affect how we communicate and establish friendships for the remainder of our lives.”

  • Friendship: Iron Sharpening Iron by June Hunt; p. 32.

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“Doctors often say that persons who work seven days a week, only to spend months in the hospital trying to regain lost health, are really just catching up on their Sundays in arrears.”

  • Positive Obedience by John R. Bisagno; p. 34

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“Just because a brilliant mind can’t conceive of God does not mean that God doesn’t exist; it simply means that God’s reality exceeds the intellect and imagination of the human mind.”

  • Receiving and Giving by David A. Peterson; p. 34.

**********

“What biblical examples show the benefits of joint ministry? Who ministers alongside you? If no one, why not?”

  • Be Distinct: Standing Firmly Against the World’s Tides by Warren W. Wiersbe; p. 32.

**********

“It’s been a long time since I got a thank-you note for a Christmas present.” ‘Oh, that’s my training from my mother,’ she said. “We were always told that a written thank you was important and required for any material gift. And we couldn’t use the presents until the thank-you notes were written.”

  • A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life by John Kralik; p. 32.

**********

“I sleep with a BIPAP machine. Somehow, I lost the location of the store where I get my supplies. It was time for new supplies. For six weeks “it was time for new supplies. Three or four different times, I spent hours searching the part of our city where I just knew it was, trying to find the store. I know now why God blotted the memory of the place out of my mind. He wanted to show the great power of His hand. Sitting down to write this morning, out of nowhere (yes, I know where) came a thought. It was extremely clear and accompanied by a warm glow. ‘I wonder if I forgot to mention my presidency of the Southern Baptist Pastor’s Conference in the biographical sketch that I send to my speaking engagements?’ I walked over to my filing cabinet and pulled up the tab, BIO, for ‘biography’ to check it out. Guess what’s right next to ‘BIO’? BIPAP! I excitedly opened the file and there was the name, address, and phone number of the BIPAP store, complete with directions. What can I say, but ‘Hallelujah!’ I think that’s Latin for ‘YAHOO!’”

  • The Power of Positive Praying by John Bisagno – 50th Anniversary Edition; p. 36.

**********

“Obedience to Him is always the issue. Filling [water pots] may not have made sense to those servants, but they did it anyway. God’s command may not make sense to you, but don’t parade it by the judgment bar of your reason. Just obey. That’s the secret to a miracle.”

  • Believe in Miracles but Trust in Jesus by Adrian Rogers; p. 34.

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“Often the Enemy will put an easy solution in your way. He points to someone and whispers, ‘That woman over there, that man over there. If you want happiness, break free from your spouse and start again.’ Now I’m not denying that a marriage can end up in a heartbreaking mess, but if you put happiness before everything else, you will not only persuade yourself into a divorce, you will probably wreck your next relationship too. That’s how the Enemy works.”

  • Conquer Your Battle Plan for Spiritual Victory by Michael Youssef; p. 36.

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“When communicating with others, those of us who have Powerful personalities need to remember the ‘magic words’ and be especially careful of our tone of voice . . . a good verse for the Powerful personality to memorize is Proverbs 16:24: ‘Kind words are like honey—enjoyable and healthful.’”

  • Talking So People Will Listen: You Can Communicate with Confidence by Florence and Martha Littauer; p. 32.

**********

“So many of us feel like failures when we try to share our faith—all but the few who can really do it well. That may be the way we feel, but it’s not supposed to work that way. Somehow along the way we’ve become confused about what it means to represent Jesus to the lost world around us.”

  • Conspiracy of Kindness by Steve Sjogren; p. 34.

**********

“God employs anyone and anything to expose and extract the flaws that keep you from being established at the center of His will. Without haste, He deletes distractions. Thrashes those nearby crutches that provide alternative routes. Dispossesses your demigods secretly tucked away in your pockets. Strips you of all attractions. Shuts you in. And out. Beyond the reach and help of man. These and much more, God allows in order to make you absolutely dependent on Him. Completely surrendered to His will.”

  • Shekinah! Manifestation of the Sons of God! by Glory C. Odemene; p. 35. (I’m breaking my own rules on sticking to pages 32, 34, and 36! Oh well!)

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“And Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ So, the two of them walked on together.”

  • Hebrew-Greek Keyword Study Bible-NASB; p. 32.

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And how awesome is God!!! This quote from Genesis 22 (on page 32) is the exact key verse I am using for a “Hot Topic” class I am teaching at my church. God is so good in confirming I’m on the right track. I love how He works! Even in these blogs!

Conclusion

So now you have seen the last 15 books I have read plus what version of the Bible I am using, I would love to know what your repertoire of reading consists of. If you don’t mind, please comment, and let me know . . .

  • The last book you have read (Christian, non-Christian, fiction, non-fiction, biography, ebook, audiobook)
  • The author of the book
  • A  ‘cool’ quote, thought or illustration from the book, and
  • Don’t forget to share the page number if available

And one more thing . . . Next time I decide to do this, I might take the quotes from the page of my age. It seems the books get deeper and more interesting by the time I get to my age page!

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Bible Verses:

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding. (Proverbs 2:3)

Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. (Romans 15:27)

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You so much for all the wisdom You provide to us—through ministers, Bible studies, and books. But, let us always remember that Your Word is the #1 go-to source for all our needs and desires. Give us discernment and understanding in all we read and hear knowing that many false prophets abound. I pray for Your Word to penetrate my heart, mind, and soul. I want to serve You. Keep me balanced and loving to all. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

____________________

Please share, forward, retweet, and/or comment if you liked this article or find it might help someone you know. Thanks.

In addition, I would love for you to join either my blog or newsletter. Just go to GreenePastures.org and look on the upper right-hand side of the blog to join!

Books by Patti Greene: Available on Amazon

Devotionals, God's Will, Most Recent Post, Prayer, Testimonies, Uncategorized

A Call to Writing

A Call to Writing by Patti Greene / Greene Pastures by Patti

[From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]

POSTED BY  AT WESTBOW PRESS ON DEC 14TH, 2016 IN AUTHORS IN THEIR OWN WORDS |
If you would like to learn more about Patti’s life or work, visit her blog Greene Pastures. 

Childhood Interests

Growing up my family valued books and reading. The bookshelves in my parents’ home were always overflowing with novels, magazines, and encyclopedias. Newspapers were delivered in abundance to every home we owned. My two brothers and I were raised to believe that bookcases were an essential piece of furniture in every room.

Where I lived in the northeast, there weren’t any brick-and-mortar libraries close by. Despite that,  I found much enjoyment going to the bookmobile that showed up weekly at the local shopping center. While my mother was in the grocery store, I would anxiously and excitedly climb the big bookmobile stairs. I was always in search of the perfect books to check out. Every Christmas I looked forward to receiving good books to read.

By the time I went to high school, I was not as interested in reading anymore. I remember one day my father restricted me to the dining room table until I read an article in a Newsweek magazine. Reading was always valued in my family, and it still is.

As I write this article, my 91-year-old mother is sitting at the kitchen table taking notes from her medical books.

A Call to Writing

As a child when we traveled on our vacations, my parents had my brothers and I write diary entries on our days’ adventures. This was my first recollection of enjoying “collections.” When I was seventeen, I began logging my prayer requests in various types of note-books. Basically, I found myself prayer-journaling before prayer-journaling came into vogue.

For many years I worked as a librarian. One day after retirement, I prayed fervently about what the Lord wanted me to do. In his own way during my quiet time, I was impressed to go into my bedroom closet. My first thought was, “Oh no God, you aren’t going to make me sit in my messy closet and pray, are you?”

As I stood in my closet, I was impressed again to, “Look up.” There stood 42-years of prayer journals on my top shelf. It was then I heard the still, small voice saying, “Patti, I want you to write prayer journals. This is what I have been preparing you for all these years.” While I have tinkered with writing articles and stories most of my adult life, I became serious at that point. My mission was to write prayer journals so others could experience joy, comfort, and security. Blessings which I’d experienced throughout my entire adult life.

Prayer Journals

My devotional prayer-journals combine Bible study and prayer. The two cannot be separated. Each journal includes black datelines, topics, and Scripture verses. As well as a suggested Bible reading, prayer request sections, and a section to honor God with your thoughts.

My prayer is for others to become serious about prayer and Bible study. I practice my writing skills on my own Christian blog Greene Pastures. While I believe “practicing” a skill is of utmost importance, I believe continuous daily practice in communicating with God is essential. That is why I am honored to have the following three journals published with WestBow Press.

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer – A 365-day devotional incorporating interesting phrases from the Bible.

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer – A 181-day devotional filled with both spiritual and social issues.

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for God – a 90-day devotional prayer journal for those desiring how to have a deeper prayer life. NEW RELEASE.

– WBP –

To Order from Amazon:

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 90-day devotional prayer journal for all ages; This informative and how-to book on prayer is for seekers, new believers, and mature believers. It encourages commitment and devotion to the art of prayer. Learn how God reveals himself through Bible study and prayer. ISBN: 978-1512760453 (Paperback) $11.95 on Amazon.

Other Books by Patti Greene:

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers. ISBN: 978-1490893181 (Paperback) $27.95 on Amazon.

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. It comes with a group study guide. ISBN: 978-1490893174 (Paperback) $19.95 on Amazon.

Christian Living, Life Issues, Uncategorized

Consequences

We all have done something STUPID in our lives. I have. It can be that we haven’t thought through a situation, it can be that our emotions or thinking processes have been compromised due to drugs or alcohol or it can be we are influenced by others to participate in an unwise activity. Regardless, looming consequences for our actions may be just around the corner. But, even after our “s_ _ _ _ d” actions, we can turn to God, trust Him, and depend on Him to see us through.

I don’t like to use the word s_ _ _ _d, but in the case below, there is no other synonym that fits! Merriam-Webster’s thesaurus uses other words like airheaded, birdbrained, dim-witted, empty-headed, half-witted, and more, but honestly, sometimes s_ _ _ _ d is the only word that works. But so as not to offend anyone, I will substitute the word half-witted in this blog.

In the January 12, 2016 edition, USA TODAY posted an article about an Ohio fugitive who texted a photo of himself to the police to use after seeing a mugshot they posted he found unflattering.

“Here’s a better photo that one is terrible,” Donald “Chip” Pugh, 45 said in the text. He attached a selfie with him wearing a blazer and gold-rimmed sunglasses sitting in a car.

The police have a warrant out for him and his new photo is now posted on the police department’s Facebook page.

I don’t know about you, but I would call that half-witted.  As for me, every so often I have been known to do something half-witted too.

My Story

One Thursday, this past December, I was scrambling to get to the Olive Garden Restaurant to meet Dee for our annual Christmas gift exchange luncheon. Unfortunately, I got carried away with time causing me to leave home later than I anticipated. I deplore being late — even a little late. So, I reached for my cell phone to call Dee to notify her that I would late but realized in my rush to leave the house, I also left my cell phone at home. Not being able to call her made me doubly anxious about being late.

As I drove up to Cheddar’s, I absent-mindedly drove right passed the restaurant’s one and only entrance. To remedy the situation, I would have had to drive all the way down the service road to the next exit; make a U-turn and go under the freeway; drive all the way down to the correct exit; make a U-turn under the freeway; quickly veer to the right; and pray I didn’t miss the entrance the second time around. However, I decided not to do that. I turned quickly into the Olive Garden restaurant that was next to Cheddar’s. I pulled into a parking space that faced Cheddar’s. While I originally thought I could just walk over to Cheddar’s, there was a problem — a major problem! Between the two restaurants was a great big, deep overgrown drainage ditch that sloped at least 15 feet down.

No problem, I thought. Confident I could handle crossing the ditch; I took the plunge with my purse and a Christmas gift bag in tow and began my adventure down the ditch. I must admit, I was a little nervous as the grass became thicker and taller on my way down. I thought of withering snakes making contact with my feet in the grass, but I was too far down to turn back.

When I became closer to the center of the ditch, I felt a swampy wet sensation on my feet. Yes, I was wearing “my favorite, black, wedge-heeled flip-flop fastened to my foot by only a small strap”. And, before I knew it, when I was at the bottom of the ditch, my right foot slipped into muddy “quicksand” and I was being sucked in.  Within seconds, my right leg became entrapped all the way to my thigh by swampy, murky mud. I knew that I was in trouble and it would be awfully dangerous and hard to escape if I didn’t act quickly. I fell to the left, quickly dragging my right leg out of the muddy, putrid water and pulled myself to a wobbly standing position. My right flip-flop was entrapped in the murky sludge over three feet down; I looked back, like Lot’s wife, and saw my left flip-flop a few feet away. Scared to retrieve the left flip-flop, I ran up the other side of the drainage ditch like a mad woman.

Miraculously, at the top of the ditch, I pulled myself together and proceeded to walk into Cheddar’s, barefoot and all. As soon as I arrived, I saw Dee. After sharing the short version of what just happened, we checked in at the reception desk and the host brought us to our table. I hoped no one would see my soaking wet bare feet and my muddy jeans and ask me to leave. If anyone saw them, they didn’t say anything. From the waist down, I was freezing. It didn’t help that the restaurant’s AC was in full force right on our table either.

God works in mysterious ways! Dee happened to have a few bags of clothes in her car that she was going to drop off at the recycling center after our lunch, so she went to fetch them for me. I felt like the poor Samaritan who was being helped by the kind-hearted person passing by. I took a few pairs of socks, a pair of overalls 6 sizes smaller than I am, and a sweatshirt. I proceeded to the restroom to change. I had to walk all the way to the other side of the restaurant, pass by a ton of waiters and waitresses, just to get to the restroom where I could change. Mind you, no one mentioned my condition or bare feet or my smell. I was fortunate — I was able to put the tight overalls up to my waist when I unbuttoned all the buttons; I let the bib and straps hang down, and I put the sweatshirt over me.

Then, Dee and I had a lovely Christmas lunch!

The Secular Moral of this Story

Sixty-one-year-old females should never run down a 15-foot drainage ditch without expecting some kind of trouble. It’s just plain half-witted.

In my secular story, I was lucky — all I lost was “my favorite, black, wedge-heeled flip-flop fastened to my foot by only a small strap.”

But, when dealing in the spiritual realm, sometimes the consequences of our actions can be a lot more catastrophic.

The Spiritual Moral of this Story: Dealing with Consequences

If an individual decides to wander away from the right path, they might lose their virginity, their reputation, their license, their family, and/or more. But, as believers sometimes we do mess up. Temptations will always be upon us and our choices lead to consequences. However, there are some things we should all understand when we have done something half-wittingly.

We need to understand that . . .

  • God isn’t surprised when we do something unwise or sin.
  • If we sin, God will forgive us.
  • There are consequences to our actions.
  • God is compassionate.
  • We need to trust the Lord when we mess up.
  • God will help us out of our difficult situations, but we must let Him.
  • God knows we can make a bigger mess of our lives if we don’t let Him help us.
  • God knows why we do what we do or did what we did. He understands our poor judgment.
  • God sees the big picture of our lives.
  • God can use our mess-ups to develop our character.
  • God wants us to learn from our mistakes and become closer to Him by depending on Him for everything.
  • The Bible advises us to obtain wise counsel from people who can help us.

And please, whatever you do, try not to lose more than a pair of shoes like I did. It’s NOT worth it!

God bless you.

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

 

Bible Verses

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Romans 7:15

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:10

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to always honor you in all I do. I can try on my own to be a good person, but I find myself failing so often. Teach me to think like you. Help me to behave like you Jesus. I need your wisdom and your mind to be all you want me to be. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/01/12/ohio-fugitive-hates-his-mugshot-sends-police-selfie-replace/78682094/

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