Whitney Houston, Lent, and the Difference Between Boys and Girls.

Whitney Houston


  I was so saddened and shocked to hear of Whitney Houston's tragic and young death.  I was further saddened and shocked by some of the responses I heard from Christians.  It broke my heart that it seemed to be a time to further bash Houston, her life choices, and weaknesses.  Casting stones at someone who's dead sure does make me uncomfortable.
  What I don't understand, is why?  Why would we respond this way?  Why would we decide that this tragic ending further demanded our criticism and judgment of Houston?  If her heartbreaking life wasn't enough to call for our pity and prayers, couldn't we let her death at least do so?
   I wish that we all could have instead been impacted by power if sin and Satan and humbled to remember that "But for the grace of God go I."


Lent


  I've blogged about Lent a few times before, so for more on that, please check those blogs out!:)  Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday which means the beginning of another Lent season.  It was hard to figure out what to do this year, as pregnancy really limits the choices- a lot of things I'm already giving up, and some other things I really can't give up.  So this Lent me and the hubby are giving up TV except on the weekends.  For us, this really is a big deal!  As I "put off" TV I'm planning on "putting on" a lot more reading of a stack of Christian living and theological books I've been needing to get to.  I'm very excited for how God will use this Lent in my life to bring me closer to Him and prepare me for Easter!


The Difference Between Boys and Girls


  John Piper recently came out with some interesting and controversial statements on Masculine Christianity.  He refers to Christianity as having a God-given "masculine feel" and the church as having an ordained "masculine ministry".  He lists reasons such as Jesus being a man; the disciples being men; God presenting Himself as King, not Queen; and the leaders of the home and pastor's of churches being designed to be men.

  To be fair, I don't totally understand Piper's point.  And, as a side note, please know I'm a huge Piper fan.  But being a Piper fan doesn't mean I have to nod and smile at everything he says.

  I think Piper's comments seem like a reaction to another argument, and I'm not sure what that is.  I feel like he is unclear about what exactly he means and how exactly this "masculine ministry" plays out.  But I do know this: I am 110% uncomfortable with assigning Christianity a gender either way.  I am also uncomfortable with the lower level that he seems to give women.  I don't mean this in a Feminist rights way, but in a common sense, normal way.  If ministry is to be always masculine and women are to merely "come alongside men with joyful support... helpfulness... and partnership", as Piper says, then I would like to see men taking over church's hospitality committees and nursery ministries.  You see, I think sometimes men want leadership and control when it fits their "manly" feel.  If men, as Piper seems to be saying, are to always lead ministries, then they need to step up more in the "womanly" areas of church service.  And quite frankly, I'd like to see how this plays out.  You see, church's need women and they need women to be leaders too.  Men couldn't do it all nor could they lead it all.  They were not meant to.

  I think Piper also ignores the points that the Church is referred to as the Bride of Christ and is given female pronoun referrals.  That Lydia had her own business selling purple linen.  That women were chosen to find and declare Christ's empty grave.  That there were female prophetesses.


  I think some have gotten stuck in the culture of the 1950's, and have since then claimed that era's lifestyle to somehow be equated with a biblical lifestyle.  We need to step back and keep God-given boundaries and roles where He placed them, and not spread them into areas He never intended.