21
May
2007
By Pattie
(originally posted at Pattie’s Place)
This is a tough week at our house. Chaplain Hubby is shipping out for the “World’s Largest Beach.” I have been reading “mil-spouse” (military wives and husbands) boards and blogs of all branches of service, but nothing has prepared me for the heaviness of heart and sadness I feel as his departure looms ever nearer. The longest we’ve ever been apart up till now is with a military assignment which was around five weeks.
I have it so very easy compared to others. I met a woman a few weeks ago who cannot talk to her husband the entire year he is deployed. He’s in special ops of some kind and is in communicado. Another wife I know is home alone with her two sons while her husband has a remote assignment for a year. Thankfully he has leave around the holidays, and can come home, but then back he goes. I worked as a para one year for a teacher who had that same situation, and it was okay. Tough, but okay. Four months is nothing in comparison.
If you think of me, pray for us, my girls and I. We’ll be fine, and we’ll be strong, and we’ll stay very busy and play and pray and travel and keep a scrapbook and take lots of pictures on my new Mother’s Day/anniversary camera and go swimming and play at parks and attend a wedding and visit family and see our friends and eat fast food sometimes . . . and miss him with all our hearts.
Written By: Pattie
Posted under: On Being a Parent, Women's Voices . 
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7
May
2007
By Barbara
My coworker rushed through the hallway shouting “Thank you, Jesus! Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord!”
Later that same afternoon we threw a goodbye party for this same staff member who is leaving us at the end of the month to build another career. After she was presented with her gift and cards and cake, she stood to say a few words. She looked around the room and called most of us by name, telling us what made her feel close to us or what we had done to make her feel loved.
In the process she began telling us what she would be doing in her new career - helping women heal from hurts – teaching groups and the like. And, then the words came that stopped me short - and I found I could no longer listen to her. My ears hummed and I felt my face flush.
She stood there and told us this . . .”you all deserve what you want out of life. We are gods. We are goddesses!” . . . and there was much more, but I had grown cold and hot all at once. I was listening to blasphemy being blatantly proclaimed in a place* where we Christians are not supposed to proclaim His name. Just earlier in the day I had heard her take my Lord’s name in vain, for that is all it could be.
How can one believe firmly that he or she is a god - and still proclaim that Jesus is Lord? I just don’t get it.
That night I shared the day with my husband. He heard me out and then said - “but we WILL be gods.”
“What?”
“It says it in the Bible - when Jesus comes back we will be gods with Him,” he continued.
“No, it says we will be like Him - not that we will be gods with/like Him.”
Rather than make it a huge argument - because it is not my place to teach him and because such discussions in the past have only led to pain, I stopped there. (My husband proclaimed belief in Jesus long ago, but does not live for Him.)
I cannot forget either my husband’s or her statements. Those words ring of idolatry. They take me right back to Genesis chapter 3 where the serpent tempted Eve with the words “and ye shall be as God . . .”
While I cannot give a whole answer as to why my coworker’s comments seemed to be blasphemy, I can fully agree that I am NOT a god(dess) nor do I want to be. I am comforted by the knowledge that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His Father God and the Holy Spirit, in a blessed Trinity are the One and Holy God.
*I work for a non-profit agency and we are not to be blatant in our beliefs. For example, we have “holiday” parties, not Christmas parties!
Written By: barbara
Posted under: Women's Voices . Email This Post
