Who said you have to go to church every time the doors are open? I am writing this blog in response to a Facebook post from a youth pastor, I went college with, put up on his page. The gist of the post was he hoped that Basketball Leagues would change their schedules so the youth could be at church on Wednesday nights. Now step one before people start ranting at me, I have nothing against people going to church, I am a born again Christian and believe going to renew a one spirit and have fellowship with other believers is a very good thing. My problem comes when traditions take precedents over doctrine, such as the “tradition” some denominations place on a person being at the church every time the doors and the shame put on others who choose to rest on one Sunday, that for many Wednesday night is family night, or not get themselves killed because when there is six inches of snow on the ground and it is not safe to drive. It never says anywhere in the Bible that you must show up for every church event on the calendar; because, oh wait it did not exist when church started. (If it does in Fourth Timothy < note there is no Fourth Timothy>) 

I went to a Christian College, which I loved, but every school has ups and downs, and mine came in forms of bible studies, Christian college student unions and gossip. On my Alma Mater campus, there is a big hill and at the top is the Christian College student union building, which for many was the center of their college life, not in of itself a bad thing. I could count about the number of times I went up that hill in my three years there on my fingers, if not one hand. I got a lot a of a shame, because I wanted to do my homework, or just enjoy the quiet of my dorm or watch tv with no one in the TV room.  The real reason I did not want to be there was  because that was where the worst gossips on that pristine campus like to hang out there.  That was something I did not want associated with, since because I was always taught if it was not necessary, true, kind or loving don’t say it, nor am I a master at this by any means? NO, but I do try to, do this and this was not practiced by many at the top of this hill and they were called the leadership on that campus, which was just sad. I have known girls who got kicked out of their own rooms because their roommate was having bible study and their roommate who did the kicking was consider one of the most "respected" girls on my campus.

Now back to my original point, Jesus never said that you have to go to church to worship or fellowship with Him or fellow believers there, but that's where one or more are gathered there He will be also, or be still and know I am God. To think that only place a person can learn about Jesus is in church is just a flat out lie or that unforgivable sin  is not go church on Wednesday night, is just horrible out and out lie. What you, who have said things like this are just, pushing legalism on the rest of the church and since the Youth Pastor, who inspired my blog, we went to the same Church my senior year ( an amazing Church) that I only once went to Sunday School (not even on Easter Sunday), I never went to Sunday night service,  I never  went to Wednesday night prayer service and still grew while I was there. What I am saying is that legalism does not belong anywhere near the church. We are to seek Him out and being a family is more important than, giving a good face at Church or to reach those who really need the Lord, because the world is lost and they not coming to Wednesday night services they are going to their kid basketball games.   

There is more to Life than Roses: A Youth Leaders Response to Juliet Capulet

There is more to Life than Roses: A Youth Leaders Response to Juliet Capulet

By. Mary E. Petrie

Oh sweet Julie girl, who is this boy you long for so deeply. He came to your family home while you were celebrating, as a prank. He did not even give you his name, you had to learn that from you nursemaid. Romeo Montague, is he not your father’s reveal, he would not wish you meet him. Sweet Julie girl you are so young, you have your whole life ahead of you, please don’t let sweet words blind your sight. You are not the first one he has loved, the lovely Rosaline he has also loved, they say she is in loved him so and now he turns around like the sun.      

“O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet… 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; -- Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title:--Romeo, doff thy name; And for that name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself.” (Shakespeare 2.2.33-48)

Sweet Julie there is more to life than roses, and kisses, please wait you have just met. Please wait a year or two, yes he very well could be your one, which means he could be the one in year still. Please wait, please sweet child don’t let your feelings sway, visions of truth. Keep yourself pure as the driven snow, so you can stand before heavenly Father with a heart even more pure. Your earthly father’s reason may not be that of the Lords but he is still your father and that has not changed. You are only thirteen sweet one; let your love grow over time.  

“Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament: They are but beggars that can count their worth; but my true love is grown to such excess, I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth.”

 Friar: “Come, come with me, and we will make short work; For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone Till holy church incorporate two in one”(Shakespeare 2.6.30-36)

What have you done sweet, why good man such as Friar would have done? You are but a child yourself. How can you be a wife? It is too late complaining; you must tell your father, he and your mother, must hear the truth from you, before it comes from some ells. Lies only bring pain, and both of your families have known too much of that. So please sweet Julie, be honest. Please also refrain from sex.  You know that is why you, have wed, so that you can be one with Romeo. Sex at such a young age will only bring pain to you. Sweet Julie, you have so much life ahead, high school, college, friends, family that very well will not happen if you bring a baby into the world. If you bring a baby into the world, you will not sleep then you will not study. You are right that as married ‘woman’ your body is not your own, but if your husband demands sex, he does not love you like Christ loves the Church, because he would know he cannot provide for you or the baby by bagging groceries at the corner store. So please wait, sweet Julie girl for sex till you are older and tell your friends to wait till the wed too.

“'Tybalt is dead and Romeo banished.' That 'banished,' that one word 'banished,' hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt's death Was woe enough, if it had ended there: Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship, And needly will be rank'd with other griefs,-- Why follow'd not, when she said Tybalt's dead, Thy father, or thy mother, nay, or both, Which modern lamentation might have mov'd? But with a rear-ward following Tybalt's death, 'Romeo is banished'—to speak that word Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, All slain, all dead: 'Romeo is banished,'-- There is no end, no limit, measure, bound, In that word's death; no words can that woe sound.” (Shakespeare 3:2. 112-126)      

Oh sadden Julie girl, death, blood has stained your happiness, the sun has not set on your marriage and it's all but over. Your pain is there for all to see and that grieves many to see. The hot blood of youth is spilled on the streets of your home town. Please be honest with your family? It was your cousin whose blood was spilled, but has not been the only blood spilled the prince may find mercy in his heart, for he could see your pain as others do. The sun has set on this your wedding day with the loss of your husband, all but dead to the world you know. You will not tell your parents the truth; don’t let your selfishness cloud your judgment sweet girl. Only a never ending night can come from your lies. Romeo is banished, he cannot come back he must leave and if you had been honest with your family you would go too, but have continued in your lies and now separation is the only outcome.

“Now by Saint Peter's Church and Peter too, He shall not make me there a joyful bride. I wonder at this haste; that I must wed ere he that should be husband comes to woo. I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam, I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear It shall be Romeo, whom you. I hate, Rather than Paris:--these are news indeed!” (Shakespeare 3.5.116-124)    

Julie girl, there are more than roses in life, flowers will wither and die, as has your purity has with mornings light as sweet as last night may have been, it can never come back. You have been honest with your parents— almost you tell them of your love for Romeo, but not that you have given yourself to him awakening desire long before its time. Lovely Rosaline did the same you know and he left her like blink of child’s eye, like a leaf on the wind. What is to say that he will not now leave you too? For the next pretty young thing, who gives him a sweet smile? Turn to God; turn to His great unending love. It is not like the love of a man, which uneasy with a guild or given without a care. Yes, you do not wish to hear this, you want pretty little words, saying everything will turn out for good. You gave your greatest gift away to a boy who may not care, and even if he does he must leave with mornings light for he is a murder. Please sweet Julie girl; get your relationship right with your true Abba, His arms are always open to you he can and will forgive you always, you are a part of His bride, can be clothed in white waiting for Him still. Ask for forgiveness it is always given to those, who ask the Father of all, sin is always forgiven.

“What's here? A cup, clos'd in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end: -- O churl! Drink all, and left no friendly drop to help me after?--I will kiss thy lips; Haply some poison yet doth hang on them, to make me die with a restorative. Thy lips are warm!...Yea, noise?--Then I'll be brief.--O happy dagger! [Snatching Romeo's dagger.] This is thy sheath [stabs herself]; there rest, and let me die. (Shakespeare 5.3.161-170)          

Sweet Julie child, it is too late… to tell you it is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Suicide is never the solution, would Romeo wish for you to die, no. You never think of the ones you leave behind. You were the rose that has loss its bloom that will never see to think you could all you have done. That now will never be, you will never hear the giggles of babies, or another sunset or sunrise, no light shall shine in your eyes every again. This was not the way to ask for peace that now your family now has done. You left this world for the next; you have not seen the pain you have caused your mothers' tears have not stopped, they are red and swollen as are your nurses. A mother should never entomb their children. Why sweet Julie did you do this? For a boy who killed himself too! For peace between your families! Because your parents said no to you! Why? Is all one can ask…Why?  

When Life gives you Paint Bombs… Not Lemons.

When Life gives you Paint Bombs… Not Lemons

By: Mary E. Petrie

When life gives you lemons; you make lemonade. Or that’s what “They” say, but me being the person I am; I say, who is “They”. Well “They” is the wise men and women, who came before us; but “They” is also the world and we are not of the world. So when life gives you lemons, what should I do; is give it to God. I don’t always do this and that is when the lemons, become paint bombs and start staining up my life, and things get messy. I know most people want a neat, clean little lives with white picketed fence, with two and a half kids, big dog and you should have  all of this and by the time you are thirty years old. And for the longest time, so did I, but then God told me in a not so gentle way, that was not going to be my life. I was to at age sixteen when most girls are at high school dances, I was taking care of my bedridden late grandmother while she lived with us this ended up being until her death when I was twenty. At age Twenty- two when most “good” Christian girls are meeting the “One”  and getting married. I was studying the word, at a small bible school, and spent the whole of ‘07’ studying the bible and serving the Lord up in the far away land of Michigan. I thought the Lord was calling me to go into foreign missions, but as usual when I try to control my life. I got a two by four upside my head, and paint bombs thrown at me from all sides. So covered in paint I came home over Christmas break— kicked out of the school I loved so much with my heart broken and scared, not sure where my life was headed. I got two jobs and found a new church where I could grow, with hopes of going back in a year, well a year comes and goes, I feel out that application and call them up and get told that they don’t think I’m ready. I got the Lords message that time, I was not to be a missionary. On the same night, I go back to my Junior college and try my hand at animation that lasted a whole year till, one late night, while looking for cheap Christian colleges with English Majors and Biblical Studies minors— I found Blue Mountain College the only school to show up in my search. What I did not know, was my life was going to change forever that night, because  had found my Alma Mater, what would become my second home, my second family and a start of new chapter in my life. 

I went there in the fall of ‘10’ when most “good” Christian girls were starting to have babies at the age of twenty six, I was starting literary analysis papers and honing my skills as a writer.  I hoped that this would be the time when I would meet the love of my life, but all found was a few Peter Pan's want a be, a man who did not know what he wanted and not willing to take a leap of faith, and one “oh my zing ah ha moments” with a real man, whom I have yet to meet again, but more because I was too scared to say “hi my names is…” because he was the single chapel speaker with the warm eyes. And right in the middle the Lord gave me another two by four upside the head, he took my Mamma home to be with him, breaking my heart again; making piggy back ride him, like I need to be all the time. I lived through that New year and the next, finishing school, with plans to go Dallas Theological Seminary.

 My family had moved on and was getting bigger, but not the way I had thought it would when I was sixteen, I gain a step mom, two step sisters and one nutty chiweenie, who likes to wake me up in the morning. Life was going good and then I got a small letter in the mail from DST, the Lord had shut that door again, I was not going to be trained in formal ministry. I was going home, back to my old room, back to live at home with a stranger, who was now part of my family and told to shine, with another two by fours back upside my head again and paint starting to fly, I ask what now.

I ask that for a whole summer, “what do you do with a B.A. in English?” you work in a coffee shop in a grocery store, with a whole group of introverts, who are just like you. You start teaching junior church and start the Golden Duck Tournament for the third through fifth graders, you take up your first commission paintings and apply to the secular Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico. That you had been looking at as your plain B, so you can maybe go back to the state you once called home, knowing you can get in and praying God will take care of the rest; and maybe you might teach young minds about Shakespeare and MLA.

I know that God will give us the desires of our hearts, I want a husband, a man who serves the Lord with every fiber of his being, who puts his faith at the center of his life and not just as a foot note in it and my dream is still to have that family, but now it’s with ten kids, five of my own and five adopted, so I can sing the song  Jesus Loves the Little Children and when the chorus comes I can point at my kids as all the colors of the rainbow, and I dream of writing and being on the New York Best Sellers list with one of my many ideas for some unwritten novels that are just wiggling around in my head. I know that God does give us the desires of our hearts, but what we don’t always know is we don’t always know our hearts. I did not know my at sixteen-- when I thought I would be married by the time I was twenty and had two to three kids by time I was twenty five, and may not know it now. What I do know is that God knows my heart's true desires, and that amazing God fearing husband and those amazing kids, who I ready love even knowing I will have one will be just like me and God bless me like my sister, but I still long for anyway, will come into this world someday and may already be here. That book will be written, someday, and more so will be published. I know, God knows. What in my life will come and what road He will take me and that is what I will put my faith in that. Not, plans of man, which would have said to make lemonade out of paint bombs, and at twenty nine, single never dated anyone. But a person, who has known heart break more than most at my age, I do know if I don’t give it to Him; my life will be meaningless. That at the end of this road, when all the paint bombs have past,my life will be a masterpiece shining for His glory.