Birthday cake...

(I know this may seem like I mis-posted this blog and meant to put it at my cooking blog, but be patient with me... it isn't mis-posted.)

When planning a birthday party, one of the most important parts is THE CAKE.  There are SO many options available to you:

*make a cake from scratch
*make a cake from a box mix
*buy a cake from the grocery store
*buy a cake from a specialized bakery

And there are also a CRAZY amount of hybrid options:

*make the frosting from scratch but the cake from a mix
*pay a friend who dabbles in cake decorating to make a cake
*buy a pre-made angel food cake and frost it yourself

As you see, there are SO MANY MORE ways than just one way to make a cake.

Life's like that too.  There is more than one way to worship God:

*independently
*as a family
*with your church family
*hands in the air
*quietly seated
*flat on your face

And there are a CRAZY amount of hybrid options:

*alone in a private room just you and God
*in the almost privacy of your car
*at church
*at a meal with friends

In just about EVERY area of life there are so many OPTIONS!!!!

*worship
*denominations
*dress standards
*parenting
*diet/nutrition
*fitness

and on and on and on...

I've been pondering the concept lately of why so many of us (especially Christians it seems to me) seem to live with this opinion that we should all "look" alike.  So many of us seem to mistakenly identify differences as sin. Christians can't:

*have tattoos
*dance
*drink
*choose not to spank their children
*send their children to a public school
*vote for Obama (oooooh my she's getting political)
*listen to secular music
*wear pants, shorts, words written on their butts

It confuses me continually. Please do not mistake me. I am NOT exempting myself!  I CONSTANTLY catch myself doing the, "I would never..." thing in my head.  I am not exempt from this disease.  There was a day when I looked VERY disdainfully down my nose at any Christian who would consider participating in yoga and all of its eastern mysticism and SATANISM!  It's funny how God sometimes makes you eat your words... I actually now find yoga to be a very relaxing practice (oh no she did not!  did she just admit in PUBLIC that she is a Christian and she does yoga????).  It is my personal belief that yoga CAN be done for the pure relaxation of the practice and that when calming one's mind and spirit one CAN focus on the one true God instead of anything mystical.  You do NOT have to agree with me on this, but I guess that's my point....

Why can't we all just allow people to arrive upon their own convictions? Why can't we let each person's Christianity and convictions and lifestyles and parenting choices and wardrobe malfunctions be THEIR choices and let THEM live with the consequences?  Why can't we all just get our eyes on the mirror instead of out the window?

I know.  I know.  There's that pesky little verse in Galatians:

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore the person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1

I know and believe in this verse; however, I think too many of us apply it a bit liberally.  See the words that JUMP out at me are "caught in a SIN" and "gently"....

I was JUST discussing this lately with a friend... How when "restoring a person gently" we need to be ABSOLUTELY 100% sure that we are restoring them from SIN. Yoga is NOT sin. Tattoos are NOT sin. Alcohol is NOT sin. Adultery IS sin. Murder IS sin. Lying IS sin.

Here's my challenge today. I said it once already but I blabbered on so maybe the point was lost.  There are MANY different ways to make a cake!  So why not stop looking out the window and start gazing in the mirror. (I know I'm mixing up my analogies but I'm pretty sure you catch my drift.)

Have a great night everyone!