I Stand With Phil Robertson

Hey there!  It's me again.  This post is going to be a little different.  If you watch or read the news you have probably heard about Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson getting suspended, or placed on "indefinite hiatus", from filming.  If you haven't heard about this, Phil made some anti-gay remarks to GQ magazine and due to A&E's (the channel that films DD) support of the LGBT community, they removed him from filming.  Whether it is permanent or temporary, we do not know.  Here is what A&E said about Phil's comments:

"We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson's comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series 'Duck Dynasty'.  His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely."

Here's what I want to know: you are filming a show about a family with strong morals and faith.  Phil has always been outspoken about his faith.  Where you really expecting him to keep his mouth shut on an issue this important?  I'm surprised he hasn't said anything like this before.  Personally, I think the Robertson family needs to make a statement and quit the show entirely.  Sure, it would be sad to see them go, but I believe standing up for their faith is more important than filming something for our entertainment.  Granted, they do provide the secular entertainment industry with family friendly, faith based content.  However, we can still buy their DVDs and watch those.  Like the family always says, it's faith, then family, then ducks.  Faith first, not TV.

Leviticus 18:22 states, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."  Jesus did not stutter.  He says it plain and simple.  Homosexuality is wrong according to the Bible.  However, I want to make another thing clear: I am not judging members of the LGBT community.  I love the sinner, but hate the sin.  I'm a sinner, too!  Don't think I'm being a hypocrite.  We are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  But He forgives our sin.  God loves every single person in the world, but He despises the sin.  Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression, of the law of God.  Sin is what has set us apart from God, but He offers us redemption.  Phil, do you think you could help me out?

Phil:  “I myself am a product of the ’60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs, and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

However, this is what GLAAD spokesman Wilson Cruz has this to say about Phil's comments: "Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil's lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe.  He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans -- and Americans -- who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Phil's decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families."

Umm, Phil plainly said he would never treat anyone differently due to their sexual attractions.  He believes we need to give them our love and leave the rest to God: “We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love ’em, give ’em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort ’em out later, you see what I’m saying?”

Also, everyone is saying he compared homosexuals to drunks and terrorists.  No, he mentioned them in the same sentence.  He says we love them even if they are homosexuals, drunks or terrorists.  Phil is not placing them in the same category, he is just saying we need to love everyone, no matter what the sin.  

I think this is just another example of people losing the freedom of speech and religion.  Oh sure, Miley Cyrus can do whatever she wants and the press just says she is going through a rough time.  But when a Christian stands up for what he believes in, you would think the world is ending.  Christians are expected to keep their faith taboo.  We are constantly being pushed back, bombarded with people saying our faith is ridiculous and useless.  We are expected to tolerate everyone else's beliefs, yet no one tolerates our own.  Apparently the first amendment only applies to everyone except Christians.  However, this should only make us Christians stand up and fight harder!  Don't let the secular world roll right over us like this!  Stand up for what you believe in!  God is always right next to you, so do not be afraid!  

Read the story about Phil here: http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/-duck-dynasty--star-s-anti-gay-remarks-spark-outrage-134231650.html

I'm not trying to offend anyone by this post.  I'm just trying to present my views and beliefs.

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

Holiday Hubbub: Christmas

Let's talk Christmas! One of my favorite holidays!  It's also the most wonderful time of the year! Did you see what I did there?  Ha!  I'm clever like that (not really).  Christmas is such a broad topic...where do I even start?  I guess I'll start in Bethlehem.

Micah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  If you haven't read the Christmas story, you can find it in the Bible, Luke chapter 2.  Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, born Christmas Day.  Hence the name Christmas.  It was originally a sacred day, used to remember the birth of Jesus Christ and everything He did for us.  It's a long, amazing story which I can share in another post.  However, today Christmas has blown up into a huge holiday filled with dinners, decorations, and, of course, shopping.  I feel like the true meaning of Christmas has been lost.  I know that sounds cliché, but let's examine what Christmas has become.

It all starts the day after Thanksgiving with Black Friday.  It's the biggest shopping day of the year with deals galore.  The entire week of Thanksgiving is filled with sales flyers, Christmas wish lists, and preparation for the big day.  Unfortunately, the big day is no longer Thanksgiving, which is supposed to be a time spent giving thanks to God with family and friends.  The big day is now Black Friday, where people trample people in order to save a few dollars.  Is it really worth it?  We just spent the day talking about what we are thankful for, then we go straight to the stores and greedily grab everything we think we need to have.  Now, I'm not saying Black Friday is bad, in fact, I enjoy Black Friday shopping.  I just think it's getting out of hand.  With stores opening earlier and earlier each year, people are beginning to leave their Thanksgiving dinner to go stand in line outside a store.  That's pushing it way too far.  Shopping and gifts should never come between you and your family.  Thanksgiving is a special time, why ruin it by leaving in the middle of dinner?  Plus, you're wasting all that good food.  Either your family can't cook or you're crazy.  I'd say it's probably the latter.  Also, you are making the poor store employees leave their dinners to help serve you.  That's not right.  I'm not saying Black Friday is a bad thing, I'm just saying it should not interfere with Thanksgiving.

So, first we have Black Friday to kick off the Christmas season.  Then it's nonstop commercials, flyers, magazines, and emails promoting the best, lowest prices for that perfect gift.  We are constantly bombarded with material things, but what about the true meaning of Christmas?

Fun fact: You know how people abbreviate 'Christmas' 'Xmas'?  Well, I was always offended by this because I thought it was another way people were trying to take Christ out of Christmas.  The X is the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Χριστός meaning Christ. So they aren't taking Christ out of Christmas, contrary to popular belief.  Just wanted to let you know.

As a Christian, the holiday of Christmas is very important to me.  It is the birthday of my Lord and Savior.  Seeing His birthday turned into a commercialized, materialistic holiday is disappointing.  The original idea of gift giving on Christmas came from the wiseman presenting Jesus with their gifts.  While it's fine to give gifts on Christmas, don't make that your focus.  Always take time to remember the birth of Jesus Christ and everything He did for us.  Spend time with your family and friends.  Enjoy the peaceful, serene feeling of Christmas.  Don't go overboard with gifts and material things.  Remember: "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!" (The Grinch)

Keep Christ in Christmas! Because, as Kutless reminds us in their song "This is Christmas":

What is Christmas,
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger?
What is Christmas without Christ?

Remember how the story goes,
God's gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Beneath the star, one great and holy night.
The shepherds heard the angels sing,
The wise man brought an offering,
Peace on Earth began in Bethelehem
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?

This song holds so much truth.  I'd post the entire song but that would be too much, so here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm_g9ix30ek  
 
Merry Christmas everyone!

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

I'm Hungry: Second Breakfasts

For my crazy, awesome Uncle Gene:

This one is for you!

Ok, so we are supposed to have three meals a day, right?  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Let's examine this for a minute...

Let's say you eat breakfast at 7 a.m. Then lunch at 12:30 p.m. Then dinner around 5 o'clock.  Does that sound reasonable?  Not to me!

That's a whole 5 and a half hours between breakfast and lunch, and another 5 and a half between lunch and dinner.  I am not amused.

Furthermore, if you are usually rushed in the mornings like most people, what can you manage to eat, anyway?  Maybe a Poptart or a granola bar?  That hardly constitutes a filling breakfast.  You'll be hungry in the next hour or two!  But you really expect me to wait a whole 5 and a half hours or more before I eat again?  Umm, that's crazy talk.

This is why I am all for second breakfasts and even second lunches or pre-dinners!

You need to keep your energy up!  Especially if you have an active job or play sports, you need to pack in the food!  Hobbits always have second dinners, why can't we? (Can you tell I really like hobbits?)

Now, if you are awesome and have seen the movie 'Elf', you know what the four main food groups are.  If you haven't seen 'Elf', you must be a really unhappy person, come here and let me give you a hug! Maybe you're a South Pole elf...(You would be laughing at that reference if you had seen the movie).  Anyway, the four main food groups are: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup.  Obviously we need to have second breakfasts so we can fit all that in!  By the way, syrup in coffee and spaghetti...delicious!

Another reason we need to eat second breakfasts is so we don't become skinny little Harry Potters.  Unless you live under the stairs with your horrible aunt, uncle, and cousin, eat that second breakfast!  Harry was practically starved growing up because his stingy uncle would barely feed him.  Obviously we don't want to become as fat as Vernon or Dudley, but I don't think a second breakfast would make us that big.

So, in conclusion, I think second breakfasts are extremely important to one's diet.  However, we have to keep running and exercising so we can work it all off.  And remember, no matter how slow you run, you are still lapping everyone on the couch!

Hope you enjoyed my attempt at comedy....my attempt.

Thanks for this idea, Uncle Gene! Hope I gave you what you were hoping for!

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

Night at the Cinema: The Hobbit

Let's Talk Movies!  This time it's the Hobbit!

First of all, can we just admire the amazing director Peter Jackson and the awesome job he did on this movie?  I know it doesn't follow the book exactly, but cut the guy some slack, it was still a good movie.

For those of you who haven't seen The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, stop reading this right now and go watch all four movies.  Also read the books. (Still working on that part).  Although, if you are reading this after the other two Hobbit movies come out (one of which comes out in three days!!! So excited!!!) that would be six movies.  But if you start now watching the three LOTR and the first Hobbit you can be done in 841 minutes, or 14.1 hours.  Go on, I'll wait.....

Never mind, you're taking too long.  What I would really like to focus on in this post is Gollum.  For those of you who don't know anything about LOTR, read this:

The greatest of the all Rings of Power and the most powerful artifact in all of Middle-Earth, the One Ring was created by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Orodruin (Mount Doom) during the Second Age. His intent was to concentrate and enlarge his own power, and in time gain overlordship of all of Middle-Earth. Sauron also wanted control over the other 19 Rings of Power, which had been made by Celebrimbor and his people with Sauron's assistance.

To do this, he concentrated within the One a great part of his own fëa ("soul" or "spirit") by cutting through his hand that was holding the gold, and letting his evil bind with the molten gold. In a sense, the Ring became an extension of Sauron himself, and his power became bound to it.  The story of the Quest to destroy the Ring is told in Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, as is most of the Ring's history. (courtesy of http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/One_Ring)

Put simply, it is an evil ring that corrupts any person who wears it.  Even if the person wearing it has the best intentions of helping people, Sauron's power slowly corrupts the mind.  Frodo Baggins, an ordinary hobbit from the Shire, is given the task of taking the ring to Mount Doom and cast it into the fire.  He brings his trusty gardner and friend Samwise Gamgee along for  the ride.  Their journey is wrought with dangers lurking at every corner.  The boys encounter a creature named Gollum, who is the focus of this post.  

Gollum has a split personality.  He was originally a hobbit named Smeagol.  The hobbit finds the ring and keeps it for himself.  He slowly descends into madness, the new personality of Gollum forming with the original Smeagol.  Gollum wants "his precious" for himself, but Smeagol is confused and helpless.  This poor creature has suffered for years and years, consumed with concealing the power of the ring so he could keep it for himself.  

Now, most people that I have asked about Gollum always say something like this: "Eww that creepy guy? He's so weird!" "Eww, he's creepy. I don't like him." 

I don't agree in the least bit.  Yes, he may appear creepy on the outside, but what's on the inside?  He's a tormented soul, crying out for help.  Does he really want the ring?  I don't believe so.  I think Gollum wants the power, but Smeagol is begging for his normal life back.  What does the Bible say about this?  2 Peter 2:19 (ESV) states:

"They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved."

The ring seemed so inviting and exciting when Smeagol found it.  However, he turned into a slave of corruption, enslaved by the ring.  The ring turned into an idol that Gollum worshiped.  It became his ruler.  Psalm 115:4-8 states:

"4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. 6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. 8 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them."

I guess I'm just trying to show you the true Gollum.  If you found him creepy or weird, take a look at him again.  Don't judge a book by its cover, right?  Don't judge a person by his looks.  You can't pass judgment on anyone.  I have much sympathy for Gollum.  He is so misunderstood.  Even though it looks like he's leading Frodo and Sam to harm, it's not truly him.  It's the ring that is controlling him.  He has become corrupt with power and greed.  I pity him.  Although, I'm not the only one who pities him; Bilbo does, too.  In 'The Hobbit', after Bilbo and Gollum have their game of riddles, Gollum realizes Bilbo has stolen his ring.  He becomes enraged and starts chasing Bilbo.  Bilbo puts the ring on, which makes him invisible.  He draws his sword and creeps up behind Gollum, prepared to kill him.  However, Gollum turns around to face Bilbo, unknowingly of course.  Bilbo steps back and lowers his weapon.  The look on Gollum's face is heart breaking:

The look on his face is one of desperation and hopelessness.  Without the ring, Gollum has nothing left to live for.  His entire world has been stripped away from him, and now the one thing he has to call his own is gone.  How can you look at that face and not feel an ounce of sympathy for this tortured creature?  I certainly can't, in fact, tears come to my eyes when I watch this scene.  He's so desperate for help, but he has been cast out by everyone.  He has nothing left to live for except the ring.  With that gone, what is he supposed to do?  Nothing.  His life would be over.  The thing that consumed his life was gone, and now he had no idea what to do.  

That is what we become when we let material things consume our lives.  When we take our focus off Jesus, Satan pounces on us.  We also become corrupted, and when the material thing we needed so bad is taken away, we are lost.  It is then we need to get on our hands and knees and go crawling back to Jesus.  It might take us our whole lives to realize Jesus fills every void in our life, but no matter how many times it takes for us to realize this, Jesus will wait patiently for us.  No matter how many times we stumble and forsake Jesus, He will welcome us back with open arms.  He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, even if we forsake Him.  What an amazing God we have!

So to all of you who thought Gollum was weird or creepy, think again.  I think he deserves our pity.  Because, in reality, I think some of us experience what Gollum did.  The only thing different is that we have a Savior to go running back to.  

Hopefully this has shed some new light on Gollum.

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

My name is Sarah Beth and I am second.  Second to God, that is.

I've decided I have a few things to say.  Things about life, Jesus, movies, books, everything.  I'd appreciate it if you would read the words I will write in the future.  I know I'm not C.S. Lewis or J.K. Rowling (two of my favorites) but I'll do my best.

Sometimes it feels like our words can get lost in this big world.  Sometimes it feels like our words can't even be said or heard.  Well, God always hears what we say, even what we don't say.  He knows what we are going to say before we even know.  That's what makes Him amazing!

Anyway, I just wanted to share a few of my ideas and opinions.  Because just like Matthew West says:

You got something to say 
If you're livin', if you're breathin' 
You got something to say 
And you know if your heart is beatin' 
You got something to say 
And no one can say it like you do 
God is love and love speaks through 
You got it, you got it 
You got something to say 

Listen to the whole song with this link because...it's awesome :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkBMjnmZ2ng

Thank you for reading! Enjoy!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21