Have you noticed? (Part 2)

Haystacks aren't as much fun as they look. They're not soft and there's a high probability that you'll come out in a nasty rash.

Market Research

I answered the phone last night to a market researcher who wanted to ask me loads of questions about health and leisure. He was a very nice bloke and I quite enjoyed answering his questions, so I got more co-operative and loquacious as the survey went on. At the end he asked me my name, so I obliged with ‘Anne’. I then thought that might not be enough, so I said, “Do you need my surname as well?” to which he replied, “If you’ve got it to hand”. Luckily for him, I did have it scribbled down on a bit of paper...

Have you noticed?

I’ve noticed that wherever there is an abundance of shops with names like ‘Cheap ‘n Cheerful’ or ‘Fancy goods 4 U’ there is always an old lady who’s just bought a mop.

Drummin' up the wall

I went to the Baltic art gallery recently, which has some cracking exhibitions on at the moment. One of them involved a drum kit that has been stuck on its side half way up the wall. As I am interested in all drum-related things, I was admiring it when one of the gallery attendants came up to me and said I could have a go. I had to climb up a ladder to a wooden platform which had a mattress on it and lie on my back to play the kit. It was such an interesting experience and I got quite carried away with various beats and fills. When I’d finished I noticed that a whole crowd of people had gathered to watch me!

Christians and homosexuality

There are some issues that Christians always seem to be kicking off about, and homosexuality is one. The public reactions of Christians to this sensitive issue usually make me feel very disappointed.

I have been a Christian for 10 years and I believe and trust in the Bible in its entirety, which means that I don't believe that sex outside marriage is within God's will. However, that isn’t a licence for Christians to attack the lifestyles of others or seek to point the finger. I have been involved with a number of evangelical churches over the years and also with some para-church organisations. Whilst most Christians do seek to be loving and accepting, I have found that there is some homophobia in the church. Although this isn't usually expressed in violence, it can be just as damaging. I think there is an ignorance about the issues that gay people face, and an unwillingness to actively reach out to the gay community with God's love. Sadly, the church often isn't a safe place for someone to be open about their sexual struggles and work through issues with God's grace and healing.

In the light of all this, I think that instead of Christians being defensive and unwilling to admit that they sometimes get things wrong, it would be much more constructive to do the following:

(1) Humbly repent of personal and corporate homophobia.

(2) Contact gay organisations to express regret when they feel the church is homophobic and to clearly show God's love for gay people.

(3) Write a letter to the national newspapers saying that God loves gay people and they are just as welcome in church as everyone else.

(4) Speak to gay people inside and outside the church and ask them how you can respond to gay strugglers with sensitivity.

(5) Show more active care and understanding for those struggling with homosexuality within your congregation.

(6) Stop writing defensive letters which just go to add fuel to the argument that the church only ever mentions homosexuality in a negative and confrontational way.

When life is hard...

Today has been really hard. That happens sometimes. I have spent a lot of today crying about the pain of life. Then this afternoon I picked up a Christian book about love with a smug looking family on the back (always a bad idea!) and it was full of 'life will be rosy if you just do this...' and 'answers' which quite frankly didn't scratch anywhere near where I was itching. So I thought 'Bobbins to that' (or words to that effect!), threw it on the floor and picked up my Bible. I had a look through at Job, Ezekiel and other interesting characters who know all about real life and real struggles and who also know the real God who is bigger than all that. Life's complicated, messy, excrutiatingly painful and just plain crap at times, but I'm glad that I know a God who doesn't try and 'explain away' suffering but instead bottles my tears, listens to my ranting with compassion and never leaves me even when I can't stand to be with myself. And he's the only one who is able to promise that there WILL be an end to all the pain. Amen to that!

My new friend

I bought myself a hamster today!! She was the only one left in the shop (I don't know whether that's a good thing or not...). She is a dwarf hamster and I have decided to call her Betty. According to my RSPCA 'Care for Your Hamster' book, I am supposed to let her settle into her new surroundings for 24 hours before I attempt to pick her up. I might start by wearing oven gloves just to be on the safe side as she may be small, but her teeth look quite sharp. I'm going to try really hard not to bury her alive like poor old Alf.