The Value in The Hunger Games

Have you read the Hunger Games yet? I read them around Christmastime and was completely sucked in. I loved them. I didn't love them for the violence and corruption. I loved them because of how well-written they were and how they paint a picture of what society could be like if we continue down our current path.

A lot of Christians bash the series without taking the time to read the books. If you are any sort of thinker, you will most likely appreciate the series on some level (unless you enjoy being contrary). I would like to read the series again and post a more in-depth review. Maybe this summer.

In the meantime, here's an excellent Christian perspective on the series. I enjoy just about everything Wendy Alsup writes. If you haven't read these books because you don't think a Christian should be reading this sort of material, check out this article.

Remember, the Bible is filled with violent stories. God uses these stories to warn us against these actions. Some might even argue (inaccurately) that some of the stories in the Bible are sensationalized. I don't think children under 12 or 13 ought to read the Hunger Games, but I do think the series can be used as a cautionary tale.

Don't take my word for it, though. Read the series yourself!

Maintaining Community

"Community" is currently a buzzword in Christianity. We are constantly encouraged to fellowship with other believers and to build relationships and to share our struggles and to bear one another's burdens and to open our homes and to go out to eat with friends and to send cards and to make phones calls and the list goes on and on.

Just thinking about it makes me squeamish. I'm really not a people person. This quote is so me:

Source: funri.com via Melissa on Pinterest

It's not so much that I'm lazy, I just don't like others dictating my schedule. (That sounds way more selfish typed out than it did in my head.) When I was a little girl, I would beg my mom to send away the neighbors who were asking to play with me. I didn't want to have to play the way someone else wanted to play. (Again, that sounds so much more selfish typed out than in my head.)

Just yesterday I was reading an interview with Jean Craighead George, author of My Side of the Mountain, as I was preparing a lesson for my students. The interviewer of course asked George what tips she had for aspiring writers. My heart soared when I read: "You have to like to be alone. Writing can be lonely, although you do populate your head with all these characters." I want to be a writer one day. I love being alone. Maybe it's okay that I prefer being alone in my apartment than spending time with non-relatives. Maybe my hermit-like tendencies will further my writing career. Maybe I can justify not building relationships.

Right now I can count most of my authentic, living, breathing relationships (outside family) on one hand. It's not that I live in the tundra of Siberia. It's not that I get mad at people easily. It's not that I'm extremely unlikable.

I think what it boils down to is fear. I'm afraid of getting close. I'm afraid of baring my soul to another individual. I'm afraid of getting close to someone only to move far away from them. I'm afraid I will annoy any potential friends. I'm afraid my friends are ashamed of how I dress. I'm afraid others will think I'm presumptuous. I'm afraid to barge into pre-formed friendships. I'm afraid to impose. I'm afraid to say the wrong thing. I'm afraid I'll interrupt them while they're busy. I'm afraid of being rejected.

But God doesn't want me to be all alone. He calls us to build relationships with others. We are to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. There are all sorts of verses about friendship in the Bible. Jesus is the perfect example of the perfect friend.

Here's what I'm going to do about it: I'm going to call up my friends (and even family) within the next two weeks who I've been neglecting while hiding myself away. I have at least two friends that need phone calls. I have one friend who just had a baby and might need an outing with a friend. I have two grandmas who need phone calls. I have countless family members who need Thank-You cards. I have a Starbucks gift card that needs to be used. I have a niece who needs some presents. I have a future sister-in-law who barely knows me. I have a cousin who needs a card in the mail. I have siblings in college who need care packages. I have dear friends who need to eat a meal at my house because they've had me over for hundreds.

I'm going to stop padding myself with my messy house and Netflix obsession and blog reading and ungraded papers and get out there and open myself to community. It's what Jesus would do.

Photo by Jeff Johansen Photography

Using Devotionals

Somewhere along the path of my Christian life I picked up this idea that good Christians don't use devotionals for their devotions. Good Christians pick out all they need to know in the Bible just by reading the Bible and interpreting it for themselves. Good Christians are allowed to read books, but they are to be read only AFTER the Bible has been read first.

I don't think anyone ever taught me this concept directly. I somehow pieced it together from various camp sermons and Bible college classes. It is true that the Bible should be our sole authority. However, using the wisdom of another Christian can be quite helpful.

I think it's time for me to step back and allow another Christian walk me through the Word for a little bit. I heard an advertisement on the radio on Sunday for Laura Story's new devotional: Blessings. So I ordered my own copy as soon as I got home from church that night. It came today! It was only like $6.00 or so.

I can't wait to start it tomorrow morning. I'm hoping it helps me get over my aversion to using devotionals. We'll see!

Photo from freeccm.com

Consider the Lilies

I know I post on this subject all the time. It's probably because it's on my mind all the time. I worry. I worry a lot. I imagine the worst that could possibly happen and let that imagination control my life.

I recently came across a great blog post that really knocked me upside the head. Click here for the whole post. Here's the part that really got me: 

"I don’t know if it’s a me thing, a woman thing, or a people thing in general, but I have to fight a tendency to make every opportunity the be-all-to-end-all: if I don’t get this done, it’s all over. If I don’t succeed at this one thing, I am such a loser. If I can’t navigate this one relationship, I’m not worth anybody’s time. I put my worth, again, and again, in things that I can lose. And I jeopardize the blessings I do have by putting every ounce of my energy into what may or may not happen.

So, here’s what I’ve started to do: before I turn in a paper for school… or call a parents whose kids I’m tutoring… or send in an application… or *cough* go to a job interview, I ask myself, 'What’s the worse that could happen?' 

But my identity isn’t wrapped up in any of those things. Or at least, is shouldn’t be. My identity is wrapped up in the fact that 'nothing can separate me from the love of God.' {Romans 8:38-39} It’s wrapped up in the thing I cannot lose."

This post came at a crucial time for me. I've been worrying my self sick (yes, literally sick) over a situation. I worry that I failed in so many aspects in this particular situation and my punishment is going to be swift and painful. The thing is, God is working this situation out above what I ever expected. And I'm throwing it all right back in his face with my worry. It's like I want to be miserable.

Sometimes I feel like it's my job to over-analyze every little mistake I make. I worry that if I don't think through every possible scenario, I will get blindsided. I feel like I'm dropping the ball if I don't worry. I feel like I'm not taking my imperfections seriously if I don't dwell upon them.

I need to remember Romans 8:38-39: "nothing can separate me from the love of God." I need to remember Luke 12:25-27: "²⁵And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁶ If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin..." 

It's so easy, though, to automatically say God's love isn't strong enough to wipe away consequences. It's so easy to think God wants me to suffer for my mistakes.

His sending his son to the cross, however, offers a completely different message. He sacrificed his one and only son to pay the penalty for my mistakes. Clearly he offers unconditional love despite my worthless state. I need to accept that as enough.

So, I just need to keep preaching this to myself. I must get it through my thick skull. I'm sure I'm not the only one who struggles to push past the sin of worry. Hopefully these truths from God's word help you to overcome these struggles. I think it's something I will battle my whole life, but with God's help I can stay strong and avoid the mental institution. 

Photo from Microsoft Office Collection

The Ugly Side

This is a great post by another blogger that totally captures the purpose of my blog. Sometimes I worry I talk about my failures too much. I probably do, but my hope is I can be real and encouraging to others.

Check it out!

It's so easy to paint a beautiful picture of ourselves for the cyber world to see. I mean, how many pictures of myself have I untagged on Facebook? How many times do I clean my house before I take pictures of something? How many times do I worry that my mother-in-law thinks I'm a terrible housewife after reading my posts?

Embrace your failures, learn from them, and move on.

Changing Perspectives

I currently have a lot of faulty perspectives in my life. I tend to imagine situations that don't/won't exist. I tend to think my house is too messy to ever get cleaned. I tend to think I need to watch as much TV as I can possibly cram into the few hours of free time I have in the evening. I tend to think leaving a restaurant without being stuffed is a waste of money. I tend to think everyone is laughing at how ridiculous I am/look.

All of these things detract from true happiness. Whenever God gives me the strength to rise above these perspectives, I experience glimpses of what life could really be like. So why don't I banish these perspectives from my life? Why do I allow them to dictate my happiness?

I've really been doing some soul-searching lately. I KNOW I would be happier knitting the evening away than frittering the evening away on Facebook. I KNOW I would be happier spending a significant amount of time reading my Bible than reading annoying articles by stay-at-home moms about how hard their lives are. I KNOW I would be happier living in a clean, organized home than living in a pigsty. I KNOW God wants me to rise above my laziness and faulty perspectives. I just need to get up and get moving. Like I said yesterday, it's the getting up and moving that stinks.

So, I'm going to finish this post. I'm going to start a load of laundry. I'm going to wash dishes while listening to Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. I'm going to grade papers while watching reality TV on Netflix. I'm going to knit for a little bit before bed (if there's any time left over). I'm going to enjoy my evening. I'm not going to invent imaginary impossible situations. I'm going to think of this list whenever I'm tempted to waste time on Facebook.

Source: Uploaded by user via Melissa on Pinterest

I'm going to live life the way it's meant to be lived.

Getting off the Couch and Other Nearly Insurmountable Tasks

My spring break is over. It was glorious. This morning I woke up multiple times wanting to throw up before my alarm went off . No, I'm neither sick nor pregnant (I always have to clarify that). I've just been dreading going to work lately. It's not that I work in a miserable environment. In fact, it's a pretty good environment. I just keep conjuring up these impossible situations in my head. Once I got in my classroom and started chatting with my students, I was completely calm and remembered why I enjoyed teaching. It's the getting up and moving part that stinks.

My parents left on Sunday afternoon after my husband left for work. When they left, I ate a bunch of leftovers and watched a chick-flick. I didn't try too hard to clean up my messes. Monday I woke up in a foul mood. I didn't really want to go fishing as my husband and I had previously planned. I just wanted to mope around on Facebook looking at other people's "glamorous" lives while I was stuck in crummy Pennsylvania. My husband's messes were added to my messes. I just kept telling myself that my life was miserable. Once we got on the pond and I started catching fish left and right I remembered why I love being outside so much and why I am so happy with my current life. It's the getting up and moving part that stinks.

My apartment is now really, really, really, really, really messy. It's Hoarder's quality. It's a perfect reflection of my heart and mind right now. Messy. My husband is miserable in this state, and I'm miserable in this state. Once I get up and start cleaning, I know I will be happier. Once the house is clean, I will have an overwhelming sense of accomplishment sweep over me. It's the getting up and moving part that stinks.

Here goes.

                                                                                  Source: citygirlchichome.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

What Should We Call the "Easter" Holiday?

Today is Easter. A lot of people have a problem with calling it Easter. I don't. Sure, it did originate from a pagan holiday worshiping a goddess of spring, according to my favorite website Online Etymology Dictionary. Here's what the entry for Easter said:

Easter

O.E. Easterdæg, from Eastre (Northumbrian Eostre), from P.Gmc. *Austron, a goddess of fertility and spring, probably originally of sunrise whose feast was celebrated at the spring equinox, from *austra-, from PIE *aus- "to shine" (especially of the dawn). Bede says Anglo-Saxon Christians adopted her name and many of the celebratory practices for their Mass of Christ's resurrection. Ultimately related to east. Almost all neighboring languages use a variant of Latin Pasche to name this holiday. Easter egg attested by 1825, earlier pace egg (1610s). Easter bunny attested by 1909.

 But, I firmly believe the meaning of the word "Easter" has come to be synonymous with "Resurrection Day." Now I could be wrong, but I think one of the reasons the early Christians kept the name "Easter" was they wanted to create an alternative holiday for the pagans who were converting to Christianity. Keeping the name "Easter" maybe made the transition a little smoother. I dunno.

What I do know is correcting every individual who say's "Happy Easter" is awkward and makes you look like a bit of a weirdo. Non-Christians often think Christians are weirdos already. Why give them one more reason to think that? The Bible does say we are to be a peculiar people, but it also says that we shouldn't spend a great deal of time squabbling over meaningless jargon.

So instead of correcting those who greet you with "Happy Easter," smile and say "Happy Easter" right back. Focus on fostering healthy relationships, not on creating enemies over an innocent phrase. As always, keep the spread of the Gospel your main focus.

Happy Easter, everyone! He is risen!

**If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out this link to find out more. If you are still confused, please send me an e-mail at melissajrhine(at)gmail(dot)com.

What's the big deal about Good Friday?

As a Baptist, Good Friday is something we never really celebrate too much. Sure we have the occasional Good Friday service, and most of us think about the significance of the day. But, overall we tend to shy away from celebrating it too much. We have liturgical phobia. The Baptist church was born out of other denominations which were much more liturgical in how they did things. We tend to reject liturgy because it often leads to dependence on works over grace as a means for salvation.

When I was in Bible college, we were in a very Catholic town. In fact, our campus was purchased from Notre Dame. It used to be some form of a military school or something. We didn't have Good Friday off from classes. We never had any required Good Friday services to attend. All the college did was tell us not to participate in any outdoor activities that day because it would offend the locals.

A lot of Baptists go as far as downplaying the day. They come up with all of these excuses about how it's not mentioned in the Bible, it should actually be on Thursday, etc. This frustrates me. The day Christ paid the punishment for my sins is a day I should hold in reverence. I really couldn't care less what day of the week it was supposed to be. Jesus wasn't born on December 25th either. So what? Without his death on the cross, I would have to pay my own punishment for my sin with eternity in hell.

Our church has a service tonight. I'm not going because my family is here, and we feel the need to spend time with one another at home. However, I'm taking this day very seriously and will be thinking about my Savior's sacrifice throughout the whole day.

If you don't really understand the whole significance of the day, check out Matthew 27. Or, check out this great website: www.needhim.org

If you're still confused, please contact me at melissajrhine(at)gmail(dot)com. I'd love to share my faith with you!

Spring Break.....ahhhhhhh

I'm so relaxed right now. I'm on spring break! Since January 4, I have had two days off of work not counting weekends. I'm sure many people have had even fewer days off of work than that. But, I had 23 middle-schoolers to deal with who also had only 2 days off since January 4. I was fast-approaching  extreme burn-out. I was waking up nauseated every morning  (no, I'm not pregnant) dreading the day to come.

Today I plan to get my house back into some semblance of order before my family arrives. When I'm stressed/depressed my house falls into shambles. I'm currently sitting on clean clothes I folded on Sunday and never put away. I hate it when that happens.

Even though I had a rough few weeks, God really blessed me yesterday. He sent the principal to take over my dreaded lunch duty and caused a family to cancel their parent/teacher conference with me (which was the main reason I was miserable every morning). Lamentations 3:22-26 (ESV) pretty well sums it up:  

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
   his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
   “therefore I will hope in him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
²⁶ It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

My Jesus, I Love Thee...

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

-William R. Featherston

This song was playing through my head over and over and over again as I watched The Passion of the Christ in church tonight. I wasn't sure I wanted to go to church tonight when I heard they would be showing The Passion. I watched it my senior year in high school right after it came out on DVD. I watched it alone after my family went to bed. I have never sobbed such wretched sobs as I did that night. Watching my Savior be treated like scum of the earth ripped my heart out.

I was worried that I would start sobbing uncontrollably in church. I tried to see if it was on Netflix Instant Play so I could watch it in the privacy of my own home. It wasn't. So, I headed over to church hoping I wouldn't make a big scene. Thankfully, God helped me to be calm. 

As I was watching it, my sin struck me. Jesus endured excruciating agony and unbelievable shame because of my selfish sin. He was perfect, blameless, yet he took on my guilt and my shame. All I could think was "My Jesus, I love thee..." over and over again. 

The scenes with the devil and the devil baby really disturb me. I don't really like Mel Gibson's portrayal of him (especially since a girl with shaved eyebrows played the part), but it did cause me to want to claw out the devil's eyes every time he showed up.

Jesus had to endure a great deal of unfairness. Right now, I'm dealing with a situation that seems unfair to me. Watching Christ suffer for me reminded me that he had to deal with far worse unfairness than I ever will. None of this life matters after Christ returns. I need to stay focused on him and on leading others to him rather than focused on my own petty problems.

I'm praying this movie helps to jump-start my spiritual revival. I've been lagging behind lately. I need to keep the power of the cross at the forefront of my heart and mind.

***Sidenote: I've lost a total of 4.4 pounds!