Christianeese

Thursday
9-27-2012

I just started a comment thread on my Facebook page about cell phones and public places. How every time someone is using their phone, critical looks, sneers, jeers, and big ears, will listen, judge, pick on, or demoralize the use of a smart phone in public. Take a look at the thread if you're on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cindy.scinto/posts/4083792167565?notif_t=feed_comment

MMA Fighters. Look familiar?

You'd think I'd let the captives free! We are all, yes, us humans, so quick to pick on each other. In a previous post, "Freedom is For Real," I whined about freedom of electronic speech. We're turning our technology into an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) round with the bloodiest participant loosing.

When we take opinion, scripture, doctrine, and personal beliefs and use them to rip at people's hearts, we break all the rules Jesus taught us. Actually one--Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

I'm writing a book titled, The Christians Guide to Terminology. It's a spoof with the truth added to each chapter. I go through the alphabet, A-Z, and come up with one Christianeese word for each letter. Here's an example:

For "A," I use our "Accept the Lord" phrase. Do you realize what that means to someone who has never been exposed to Christianeese? On the right side of the page spread is the Webster's phonetic spelling for  ac·cept [ak-sept] the Lord [lawrd] ... and a real Christian summary of the concept. Of course, the opposite page has a cartoon:

Mimi has answered the door. She's in her house dress and curlers. The mailman needs her signature on a box he's delivering. On the box, in large letters is the name LORD. Mimi is signing the form. She's accepting the Lord. [tehetehetehe]

I'd like to get this book written and publish it as a cute, but informative look at Christianeese.

But it makes me think of our isolating language, cruel judgments, condemning attitudes, and mean spirits.

I quote Anne Rice, one of America's most read and celebrated authors; "No particular church really owns God."

Stop the madness, drop the obsolete Christianeese, leave revenge and vengeance in the garbage bin, and let people live. Amen.

Visit me at http://www.cindyscinto.com

2012 The Sky is Falling

Back in May, my husband, John, brought me this tiny egg. He was mowing the lawn and found it before sucking it up into the lawn mower.

His callous hands held the little treasure. "it must have fallen from the nest," he said as he handed me the fragile object.

I took it and held it up to the light from the window. It revealed soft hues of white and yellow. But no dark silhouette from a fledgling bird.

"They tossed the egg from the nest because it's not fertile," I told John. He returned to mowing and I laid the delicate egg on a towel.

It's still there in my kitchen as September 2012 ushers us to the end of the year. It's been an overwhelming year for me. I don't want it to end. I don't feel like I got everything done. I feel robbed of things I hoped for. And the little egg makes me think of the unfulfilled dreams gone by.

December 2012 is supposed to be the end-- again, of our world. It's merely superstition and an epic fail with a calendar. I'm not worried about the sky falling in December. I am concerned about my dreams falling infertile like the small egg.

But with the unfathomable trials I suffered in 2012, I still believe God is always directing me. One day my dreams and desires will hatch.

What dreams are you waiting for? Do you hold infertile expectations in your hand?

Lay them down and wait.

3 In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

Psalm 5:3, NIV1984

Jesus Loves Me This I Know

Wednesday
9-12-2012

I know, no one appreciates when a shopper is on their cell phone. In fact, cell phone users, urrr, like all of us, get harassed for using their phone in public. Isn't that what a cell phone is for?

So yesterday when my cell phone rang in the grocery store and I didn't recognize the number, I wasn't going to answer.

Hmmm, looks like it could be a speaking event contact. So I answered the call.

"Hello there, Cindy." The man's voice was older sounding. "This is the man you met in the doc's office last week. You know, the kidney transplant office. I wanted to sing you a song I wrote, but you were in a hurry."

I was mad at myself for answering. Another wanna be was calling me to ask me to help them. No one ever calls just to cheer me up or encourage me. And the day I met this man, I was certainly not in the mood to listen to his song or anything else he wanted to say. I was having one of those very bad days.

"Can I sing you my song now?"

I hesitated. His voice was gentle. That very moment I was distraught over personal problems, health scares, new medical diagnosis, and felt like I was abandoned and alone.

"Okay, sure. I'm walking around the grocery store. Go ahead and sing." I figured I'd be listening, not talking so it was perfect. Though I hoped he wouldn't go on forever and make me have to be rude. After all, I was in a bad mood.

Jay began to sing. The song was simple--words and verses that reminded me of "Jesus Loves Me This I Know." He sang about how good Jesus was to him and how Jesus saved his life. The whole song took a minute or so.

"Jay, that was so beautiful. I'm shopping and in a terrible way emotionally and spiritually, and you called me at the perfect time. You know, God used your song to remind me of his care and love for me."

"I'm glad," he said. "I've lived a rough life and did drugs and drank. I lost my kidney and had to clean up or I'd die. So I did. But more than that, I met Jesus and now I'm a new man with a new kidney. And I got married four years ago to a great woman. Do you wanna hear another song?"

"Yes," I answered. I really did.

Jay sang me another song just as sweet and simple as the other. But the words were all testimonies to the love of Jesus.

God sent me a phone call from Jay to speak directly to me. To me.

Jay and God weren't asking for anything.

Call someone today simply to ask them how they are. Talk to them. Bring them coffee. Sing them a song from your heart.

Even if your in the grocery store.


Visit me at http://www.cindyscinto.com