Cement Girl

I've become very aware lately of how much words (and hurtful laughter) can really hurt people.

mostly the laughter from other students about my church last night. Before they found out i went to that church.

most the conversations I hear people having... about their own friends.

In our striving to be Christ like -- do we forget about words? or are we just wanting to feed the hungry and clothe the poor?

I'm an absolute firm believer that the Church cannot successfully do ministry until we begin to edify each other. Where this is no trust and no honesty there is no ministry.

Along those other lines- the things said about my church were so hurful, i sat in my bed and cried last night. I feel odd and strange and a freak for wanting to attend my church. Yes, it's old fashioned. Yes, it's hickish. Yes, we have problems- but doesn't every church?

Someone was talking about getting a list together of area churches that kids could go to and HAVING to put churches from our association on the list. and someone said "aw man- we have to?" Like they aren't good churches? Not everyone wants to go to Imago Dei. They said the criteria was that they have a strong college group. What the? My church has no college group and I love it.

Personally- I'm living in a community where I'm surrounded by college students constantly- and I get sick of it. I see one mindset, one way of thinking, a generation of "me me me". And i hate it.

My retreat is to my church, where I really interact with no one my age (besides my friends). I love hanging out with my parents's friends, talking to my grandma's friends, teaching kids. The Church is so much more than twenty-somethings. No one should have to cater to you because you think you're the "it" generation, or that you're the generation that's going to bring around some great change. What change? You're just like the rest of us. You are no different. You worship the same God, you've been saved by the same blood. You act like you are the ones that discovered it, like the 70-year-old in the pew has not a idea of how these things work.

I'm just sick of the segregating. I'm sick of the laughter. I'm sick of people saying hurtful things. And maybe i said hurtful things in this... and I apologize. I'm having to watch myself constantly.

And i'm urging you guys to watch yourselves too. Not only in talking about your friends, but in talking about the people you don't know.