Taking your own advice isn't as much fun

I have posted rantings on this forum before, and then I rant about someone ranting about someone on a forum such as this. Hippo wha?

I don't "name names" but the involved party, if they happen to read the blog, would most certainly recognize themselves.

I had that happen once, actually, with an un-involved party recognizing my reference to the involved party and alerting them. But that resulted in a phone call which is cool.

That hasn't happened lately.

But I do feel badly ranting about someone ranting about someone in a blog in a blog.

So enough of that.

Then there's forgiveness.

I said that we have basically no "rights" as human beings. We get to take a breath following the last because of the grace of God alone. I don't always live this way, however, and I would like to be able to demand
Honesty
Fairness
Understanding

I don't get to demand.

I have the command to forgive, however. It's one of those "if" clauses we all like to ignore. I want to know God has forgiven me, but I want the one who has wronged me to plead for and somehow earn MY forgiveness. And yet He clearly states that we have to open up our hearts to give and not expect anything in return.

So shall I forgive the one who has harmed me, or harmed my child, or shall I refuse to forgive until there is an apology and an admission of wrongdoing?

The answer to that one I figure I really know; having it written on my little heart when I was three. It's still there. Hard as it is, it's the thing I have to do in order to be obedient. Hear little Greggy singing "O B E D I E ansuh E" (at 3 he didn't realize he was spelling something) "Obedience is the very bes way, to show dat you believe"

But what of the one who hurts themselves by walking away from God's way, and acts like all is well? That's where I'm stuck.

I don't know what to do with chair #3. You'd have to have been there for the very powerful sermon which left a number of us literally on our faces or knees. Chairs were used to represent peoples' places spritually. Chair 4 was the unbeliever. Chair 3 was the unfortunate soul who fancied himself/herself to be a Christian (Perhaps "Christian/other" as I have ranted about regarding MySpace before!) and yet have NO idea about giving their heart and motives over to the control of God Himself. They are more "club members" who feel they have, somewhere in the dust under their bed, a ticket to heaven. These are the ones who will be utterly shocked and dismayed when faced with the horrible truth on Judgement Day when God Himself booms "Depart from me. I never knew you."

So you talk to them, and they happily nod their agreement to being that Christian/other and yet you know... No way. You see the plumb line; the Bible. You see their lives; the world. They don't line up, or even remotely look alike. WHAT DO YOU DO?

Gotta try.

If I knew that they were eating little bits of poison each day which would eventually kill them, would I stay silent????


Arrrgh.

I'm glad I'm reading Romans right now because I SO identify with that book.

Tonight we went to a Warren Barfield concert at Canyon Hills. AWESOME.

Now I just feel defeated and weary and wonder if I will ever be bold enough to confront and hopefully rescue.

Eye Dunno.

I'm gonna try to post a picture. It's me and Laura on our girls only outing day Monday. She makes me laugh. A lot. That's happy.

Ok, bye then.