God's Gotta Change Her Heart

Last night we went to a homeschool skate with a different group, although some of our friends from the local group met us there. It was fairly pleasant. I was the first to arrive of our grouping, and found myself the only woman wearing pants in a gathering of pentecostal women. The first alarm bell was when we brought in our Christian music CDs, and were told that this particular group stopped allowing anyone to bring music and now had two CDs that they used, and the owners were not allowed to play anything else for the skate because they had rented the rink for the homeschool skate night. No biggie - it ended up being praise and worship music that could be skated to fairly well, but my kids were a little disappointed.
Kendra brought her punk-haired friend Michael, wearing a t-shirt that said "Disturbed" and jeans with holes throughout. There were a couple of boys who I know are raised in very conservative, pentecostal homes who treated him just like he was one of the guys - and that was so cool.
There was another girl that came in wearing tight black biking shorts and a tank top. I noticed only because she stood out in the flurry of long skirts and uncut hair. Although quite tall, she was one of the last ones left when they did the limbo.
At some point in the evening, a lady who had coordinated the homeschool skate walked over and introduced herself to us. She said she was glad we had come, and then commented that they noticed a few "visitors" were inappropriately dressed, and that they would have to figure out something to do about that. WHAT does she think they are going to do about what other people wear? I have been furiously angry since I got home last night over this - and a line from a song on the new Casting Crowns CD keeps running through my head "God's gotta change her heart before he changes her shirt." To paint the picture in words, the young woman didn't have any of her body exposed - she was just wearing form fitting athletic clothing for skating. I passed her as we walked out and stopped to look her in the eye and congratulate her for her longstanding in the limbo game, and she was beautiful. Maybe she just doesn't know it yet. Maybe she doesn't realize that she is priceless in the sight of a Father who loved her and cares about her and has immeasurable value - that the appearance of her body doesn't even play into.
I am sick to death of this brand of Country Club Christianity. People like that need to get an island.

Post note: I was thinking about this in the shower this morning, and remembered something I was telling my kids last night. There are some kids they have met who behave as if they are "better than" Christians, judging others for listening to certain music or reading certain books or seeing certain movies - and they have had a hard time with it. We talked about the danger of having a bias against someone who has a bias against you being equally wrong. My rant was put in check remembering what I told them - which doesn't change that the issue is wrong, but helps me keep my attitude in check. Maybe I'll send a care package to the island.

T13 Edition #5 - Thirteen Movies for a Deserted Island

If I were to be dropped on a deserted island, and the only thing I could have is my personal DVD player (equipped with several extra battery packs – okay suspend disbelief for a minute would ya?) and only 13 movies, here is what I would take:

1. The Passion of the Christ - when I need to remember Jesus’s sacrifice

2. Little Women - when I need to remember the value of family

3. Facing the Giants - when I need encouragement to “keep going”

4. Spiderman - when I feel like climbing a wall – or a palm tree – whatever!

5. Return to Me - when I lose heart

6. The Titanic - when I feel like I’m sinking in a cold world

7. Tuck Everlasting - when I faint at the thought of growing old

8. Oliver! – when I feel like nobody loves me

9. Cheaper by the Dozen – old version - when I think I have too many kids!

10. The Astronaut Farmer - when I need to remember how to dream (Okay – I know it is not on DVD yet

11. The Prestige – when I am bored and need to stretch my brain a bit

12. Gone With the Wind – when frankly my dear I don’t give a – oh yeah this is a family friendly blog!

13. The Sound of Music OR Fiddler on the Roof – when I feel like singing!

This list could have a few variables on any given day – but this seems to be a good mixed list of movies I’ve seen recently and ones that I’ve loved for a long time.