"This Here Is What It Is" Or "Musings of a Pinko Commie Leftycrat"

First of all, I am not a Socialist. Not in the Marxist sense of the word (not that there's anything wrong with that). Actually, in my heart of hearts, I am an Ayn Randian flavored Libertarian. (don’t judge) Unfortunately, both Socialism and Objectivism are fiction. Both rest on the assumption that man is rational and operates according to his better nature. If only it were true.

Socialism is the ideal result of the dialectical process described by Marx. The idea is that our economic system is on a evolutionary path. The rise being from an agrarian economy to industrialization to capitalism to communism to socialism. (a VAST oversimplification of the dialectic, but bear with me). Not even the Soviet Union could be considered a communist economy, since they bypassed industrialization and capitalism all together. To say, "socialized" medicine, or whatever, bears little if any resemblance to socialism itself. It simply means providing for the common good of all citizens, something the US does regularly. We maintain a public education system, a common national defense, health-care for children, veterans, the disabled and the elderly. Does this make us Socialists? The answer is no.

Let's talk about symbolism in politics and pendulum theory. In my opinion, this is what has happened in the United States. These could very well account for the election of President Obama. I think that a rising majority of Americans were fed up with what they saw happening in America. I think it had less to do with Obama, race, or the downward spiral of our morality and more to do with a rejection of corporate welfare, a growing American underclass, and the disenfranchisement of young voters (among other things). America finally said, "ENOUGH!" Voters didn't necessarily embrace Obama, so much as reject Bush (resurrected as John McCain). I think this happened symbolically again when President Obama was awarded the Nobel Prize. The whole world was saying, "Thank you for coming to your senses America!" Most recently (and just as controversial) we saw the passage of the Health Care Reform Act. The majority of legislators, who have been bullied and manipulated by special interests and lobbies, finally said, "Enough!" as well. Enough of catering to big business and large insurance companies. Enough of capitalism run amok. Free market capitalism is a fiction. Stop drinking the kool-aid.
 
Here's my thing. The system is broken. It was broken when we got here. It was broken when Bush was in office and it is still broken. The few prosper at the expense of the many. The rich get richer - not by working hard and adding value to our society, but by siphoning off our wealth into offshore bank accounts and foreign factories. If we have to embrace a broken system, why can't the system benefit those who really need a leg up, even if it is just once in awhile?

Here is a great example of what is wrong with the status quo. My friend's husband was laid off recently. He was then rehired by the same company as a temp, with no benefits and less pay, to do the same job. WTQ?
 
Is the Health Care Reform Act perfect? Of course, its not. But did you know that in as little as a few weeks children who were denied coverage on their parents insurance because of a preexisting condition will now be covered? Would we be a better society if they weren't, because that is the world we lived in before the bill passed. The uninsured are one catastrophic illness away from complete financial ruin.
 
The hardest thing for me to accept is that most conservative Christians voted against Obama. Most supported our intervention in Iraq. Most were passionately opposed to health care reform. Most are afraid when the right wing media shouts, "Socialism".
 
Here is what the Bible says of the early church,
Acts 2:44-47 (NIV)
44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and no goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Does the church in Acts 2 sound like capitalism to you? Does this sound like the U.S.? Does this sound like the church in America? I am not asserting that the Bible condemns capitalism, but hasn't God called us to be set apart from the world? Haven't we been called to a higher standard and a higher law? Are we standing up for the disenfranchised and the poor? Let's not forget the real reason why Sodom was destroyed.* From scripture we know that the Lord commanded that every third year the tithe should be given to the poor. Caring for those in need should be the task of the church. When there is a vacuum, the government sometimes steps in (and thank God for it).

We have had some shining moments in the last few years. I think back to a post-Katrina New Orleans when the church flooded the city with workers, resources and money. We rose to the call in Haiti. When we give up our own comforts and rights to benefit those in need, shining the love and the light of Christ, then we are truly the church. Let's throw off our selfish natures and rise to the calling of our better nature - not in our own wisdom and strength, which is what Socialism falsely claimed, but in the strength and power of Jesus.

You don't have to be religious to appreciate the Amish and the Mennonites. They stand as a stunning contrast to the world. The are a literal representation of what it means to be set apart as a people of God. Recently, when a gunman opened fire in an Amish school, the community responded with forgiveness. These people are pacifist, honest, and humble. They are a positive reflection of the church. Wouldn't it be nice if that's how all of the church represented the Kingdom of God?

I don't want you to agree with me. I am just saying this: if you are yoked to Christ, test every political ideology with scripture. Heck, test everything with prayer and scripture. Don't just accept what the conservative media and neocon politicians serve up as gospel without checking it out in the real Gospels. Don't let insignificant political differences divide us. Remain united by the Truth, by those things that are "main and plain". Let love be what motivates you. Let your personal activities guide your larger ideologies. Remain philosophically consistent in action as well as belief. Don't give the world a reason to call us hypocrites. Love is the only voice they will hear. ~

Warm Regards,
Debby

* Ezekiel 16:49 (NIV) 49“‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

~ Loose papraphrase of Jason Morant - Thanks!

Thoughts on Passover, Grace, and Head Lice

Passover is, by far, my favorite holiday.
First, God commanded that it be celebrated:
Exodus 12:17 (NIV) 17“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.
Exodus 13:9 (NIV) 9This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. 10You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.
Second, Jesus revealed the mystery of Passover and His fulfillment of it:
Luke 22:19 (NIV) 19And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
Finally, Paul suggests that we continue its celebration in remembrance and in honor of Christ:
1 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV) 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

1997 - 2001
Honestly, even as a believer, I had never heard of Passover. While Michael and I were in graduate school a friend of ours, Andres, invited us, along with a number of other friends, over to his house for Passover. Andres had cobbled together a Haggadah and assigned us roles. It was fun and pretty cool. The sweet Kosher wine was pleasant. I think that was in 1997.

With a nod of thanks to my archived Outlook calendar, I can confidently say that we began celebrating Passover as a family in 2002. During Passover of 2001, I sent out this mass email:
"Consider painting a red stripe or putting a red ribbon over your door to commemorate the Passover and as an outward mark of being a home of faith and prayer. Passover begins Saturday April 7 - 15."
I sent it to everyone in my address book at the time. Why? Because the Holy Spirit told me to. I know, I know - first of all, "What??" Second of all, those of you who know me, also know that I would NEVER forward a flaky email or send a mass email, but I really felt compelled to do it. Stranger still is what happened next. In obeying what I felt was the voice of God, I was filled with the Holy Spirit. Many church traditions call it different things, baptism in the spirit or being filled with power. *

I didn't speak in tongues, but I had a very real experience of the power of God. After that time, my whole life as a Christian changed from simply going to church and calling myself a believer to walking in the fullness of joy and peace. I also developed a previously unknown love for people and a deep desire to serve God, which continues to this day. Before this happened, I lived what I would term a "compartmentalized" faith. Afterward I began to see and hear from God in my everyday life.

Why?
Passover, or the feast of unleavened bread, is unique in that it is a tradition that was begun by the children of Israel when they were delivered out of slavery in Egypt. As a Jew, Jesus celebrated it and then its celebration was continued by the early church. It is not a syncretism of paganism and Christianity. Passover hasn't been corrupted by our materialist culture in the same way that Christmas and Easter have. It can be celebrated in "sincerity and truth." I feel strongly that God gave it as a gift to our family, both as a way of celebrating what He did for me in 2001, but most importantly, a way to celebrate the gift of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, that is truly meaningful. It is hard to imagine that Jesus could be central to an ancient Jewish festival, but that's what Passover is about.

Head Lice and Grace ...... What???
From our family Haggadah:
"Leader: And though we celebrate our liberation, our happiness is not complete as long as others remain bound to slavery and death. (Leader raises cup, and continues.) A full cup is a symbol of complete joy. Let us, therefore, diminish our cups as we recall the plagues which befell the Egyptians.

All: (Each participant empties a drop from his cup for each one of the ten plagues.) Blood. Frogs. Lice. Flies. Cattle disease. Boils. Hail. Locusts. Darkness. Slaying of the first-born."

I am always grateful when God reveals a new truth to me. I might not always appreciate the way in which He chooses to reveal it. Thus, the head lice incident.

One of the most touching parts of the Seder is the remembrance of the plagues which befell the Egyptians prior to the exodus. In doing so, we learn that we are not to rejoice over suffering - even the suffering of our enemies. The Cup of Sanctification is diminished by ten drops of wine because of this suffering. It is a demonstration of God's great love and grace. At first God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go!" When a direct request failed, God turned the water to blood. Plague #1. Hey folks.....God is speaking here......maybe you should consider what He has to say....?

What in the world does this have to do with head lice?

The other day I received a call that no parent ever wants to receive. It was the school nurse, who informed me that my child was being sent home from school with head lice. I spent the better part of 7 hours that day washing, combing and picking through hair. I spent the next week laundering bedding, coats, and clothing  and cleaning the house. Between pesticide shampoos, vinegar, tea tree oil and shower caps, I probably spent close to $200. At one point I lay down on the floor and cried. I felt like our home had been violated. That was when I remembered that lice was one of the plagues in Egypt. Multiply my experience by all of the households in Egypt during the time of Moses. What a personal and public disaster.

Grace.
God, who is slow to anger and quick to forgive, could have zapped Pharaoh and Egypt, but instead he gave them multiple opportunities to repent and obey. God moved mightily to demonstrate his power and authority, yet his patience and mercy were also manifest.

Grace.
What if a foster child came to our home with lice? Would I have had grace toward them? Probably not. I learned some very valuable lessons about treating and preventing lice through my own child, toward whom I feel love and sympathy. Maybe God is preparing us, finally, for a foster child.

The sweetest news came last week when my child returned from school and announced that the nurse had checked heads again and all was well. I repeated the shampoo treatment and inspected again today. More good news. I feel like we have finally beaten this plague. I feel so grateful for this victory. This is one thing I hope I never take for granted again.
Grace.

Passover 2010
As we prepare for this year's celebration I marvel on how God has broadened my perspective, again, on the Passover story. I'd prefer to not have any new plague narratives next year. I could live without water turning to blood or a swarm of locusts. I am so very thankful, however, for the reminder that He is not content for us to remain either in bondage or in disobedience. He will do whatever it takes to get our attention and that He will move heaven and earth to rescue His children. God gave a blueprint when he freed the children of Israel from slavery, so we would recognize the Redeemer when He came.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptism_with_the_Holy_Spirit