A little update.

I haven’t written about my husband and his struggle with addiction for a couple of months, so I figured it was time for an update.  Yay!  Updates!  Well, the progress report is very good.  When I last wrote about him, really, I was pulling my hair out and ready to move back to California.  I was soooooo ready.  I was also kicking myself for not having some sort of financial back up that would let me leave at a moments notice.  So that was then.

The church stepped in and took Jon under its wing.  I had so much support from the ladies.  The pastor and his wife met with us several times, then the pastor put Jon in his back pocket for a few weeks and got down to the nitty gritty with him.  He took the time to lay out what alcoholism was doing to Jon spiritually, the danger it was putting him in.  Not just physical danger, but eternal danger.  The pastor charged Jon with getting into God’s word every day, listening to Christian music, and reading Christian authors.  Basically, he wanted Jon to wash his spirit clean.  This may all sound hokey to you, but so far, it’s working.  The changes are amazing to see.

My impatient, stressed out husband has become more understanding and tries to not sweat the small stuff.  I am NOT saying he is perfect and is Mr. WON-der-FUL.  He still sweats a lot of small things. He still can get snappy. ( I do too.) But, overall, he speaks differently.  He carries himself differently.  His eyes and smile are different.  There is change.  He is bearing fruit!  It’s such a difference from before.  No more trying to desperately patch things up.  No more wrestling furiously to keep the alcohol monster at bay.  The attitude that life is unfair and doesn’t make him “happy” is dwindling.  I love it.

The Bible reading, and prayer have been number one in his healing process.  I would have to say a very close number two in the process is our church.  Every week we are recharged with such amazing messages of hope.  We don’t HAVE to live the American dream.  We can throw off those shackles!  We were not put here to serve ourselves, but God and others!  We have the HOPE of eternity!  We have a calling on our lives that makes us different.  We have the responsibility to be a light that shines for people, and draw them near to God.

I don’t know about you, but when I look at the world through the eyes of God, and His plan, my own selfish desires become trivial.  I know that  same force is at work in Jon.  He can’t drink, feel sorry for himself, and then have the joy of the Lord.  He is learning, and succeeding, so far, at letting himself go, and letting God work.  So, I am glad that God has been working behind the scenes. I’m glad that I did not take off with my kids and a wad of cash.  I’m thankful for God’s love…even if Jon stumbles again…even if the world says I am bonkers…even if the stars fall on my head.

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Christian Fatty

The Fatty Christian

Think my title is a little harsh?  Let me explain how I came to this finger pointing post.  Before you get all crazy and think I am pointing my long slender digit at you, rest assured it is clearly pointed at me.  I’m first!  And it’s not slender, it’s chubby.

The Christian Lifestyle (insert flashing lights) is supposed to be our model to the rest of the world.  A light is supposed to shine from inside us so brightly that those who are outside of our realm will press their squinched little noses against the windows of our lives.  We are supposed to tackle situations, conversations and confrontations in a way that is just plain different from our secular counterparts.  We are SUPPOSED to HAVE what they WANT.

I think it is high time for a little tough love.  I could be gentle and say that we as Christians have put on a little around the middle.  I could laugh and tell the story of how my kids say I’m fluffy not fat.  The cold hard truth is, the Church has become alarmingly large.  I’m not talking about the number of bottoms in the pews; I’m talking about the resizing of the pews to accommodate the bottoms.  It’s sad, it’s unhealthy, and I guess we have forgotten, it’s sinful.

Who in their right mind is going to want to sign on to the Christian life when the representatives look like death?  Is this the Lord’s Army?  I think we have become a lot less Samson and the ass’s jawbone, and a little more peel me a grape.  With creaking bones, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and outfits with more material than a circus tent, I would say there is a deep need for a spiritual boot camp in the American church.  I specify the American church because it seems to be the leader in the lard lamentation department.  How much less time would we be praying for the healing of God’s people, and spend more time praying for His workers on the mission field, if, we just put the fork down?

If you are super ticked at me, great!  I am super ticked at myself.  My pastor tells us that even the most poor Americans are wealthy compared to some 90 percent of the world.  We have access to health information, workout regimens and healthy foods.  So?  What’s the problem?  Is this what we are doing to advance God’s kingdom?  Starbucking and scone-ing our way through life?  How pompous and ridiculous we look with our crumbs all over our shirts.

Pastors of churches need to be calling out their congregations.  If the people get up and walk out at least they got some exercise that day.  We can’t afford to let the church become like the doctor’s office.  We live in a society that won’t let a physician tell the patient they are too fat.  WHAT???  Sad to say, if the patient doesn’t like it, they can go find another doctor who will just load them up on meds.  Alive and miserable.  The church cannot be the same way.  We were not called to be alive and miserable.

I’m not talking about the health and wealth gospel either.  I’m talking about lost people.  People who need to hear the gospel.  This world gets more jaded every day and they don’t want to see me coming with my bible and my muffin tops.  I’m not talking about looking like a super model either.  I want to look like I have been set free.  Free and light to travel this earth and meet beautiful people.  I don’t want the flesh to hold me.  I want to tame it.

The taming of the flesh is not just a neat idea; it’s a necessity for the believer.  We are to put our flesh to death every day.  How can I squeeze into my fat pants every day and feel like I have tamed my flesh?  There is a disconnect, a mental block, a wall made of double fudge brownies.  The time has come to break it down.

Maybe it’s gotta start with me bringing carrot sticks to the church pot luck.  Good grief, we’ve got cobblers, pies, crumbles, cakes, cookies, and crisps served up to believers like it’s okay.  You may cry “EVERYTHING IN MODERATION!!!”  Is there any moderation for poison?  How can I do my very best for God’s kingdom when I have my fingers stuck in the giant moderation pie?  It simply doesn’t work.

I am putting out the call.  It’s time to stop wallowing in our Honey Buns.  Time to wake up and get moving.