Monday, August 3, 2009

Wishes...

I know it's pointless to wish for something you don't have because it would sometimes change your life drastically. Like for example... I wish I didn't have people related to me who were Jehovah's Witness. But if they weren't related to me then I wouldn't be married to Paul and I wouldn't be a Lutheran.

*sigh* I love my relatives... I wish I were better at being able to defend my beliefs. I know what I believe but I am horrible at defending it. Which then I have to question, do I really "know" what I believe if I can't even defend it.

Eh, I just had a conversation with my sister in law about the Trinity... why would I go and do that with a Jehovah's Witness... *sigh* it's the one thing she says she won't ever be able to understand and I wish I knew how to explain it without sounding like I have no clue what I believe. After that conversation though I do feel like I have no clue what I believe. I wish I could be like Matrix style and just plug into some kind of manual on the Bible and just know where things were written. Although I am pretty good at learning things, maybe I just need to study the bible more. It would definitely help things to be able to go "Oh it says here in John..."

Does anyone know of any good resources for me? I think I will ask my pastor tomorrow if there's anything in the church library that can be used. I really do hate not knowing how to defend the Trinity belief.

The other thing is I wish that I felt more comfortable with expressing why this whole shunning thing is wrong. or why their interpretation of scriptures here is wrong. Oh I wish for a scholarly Bible brain.

Onto other topics... I have a job come October 5th... I will be babysitting Paul's cousin, Phoenix Michelle is her name. I think I will call her Little Bird Girl. Her grandma already calls her Little Bird... so yes that might be my name for her. She will be 5 months old... I think, born May 19thish.

I also got a sewing machine last week from church. A lady in the congregation passed away and her kids didn't want her machines, she had three of them. Two are still at the church, I got the middle one as far as age goes. It's a Singer model 401A, it was made in the 50's and 60's. I found a manual for it online that I can print off or save. Now if something happens to a machine I won't feel like I broke someone else's machine.

Mmm I don't really know what else to say, I am working on my mom's quilt, I did that quilt along where I got that quilt top made, but I feel like it isn't wide enough. So i am making more strips and going to cut more blocks and will add two more rows. Then I am going to cut more blocks and make a blocked backing out of the extra blocks and some other fabric I have. I need to do the two baby quilts that I have on my list, those two babies are getting closer to their due dates.

Wow I am hot today, not nearly as hot as I was last week, but still hot.

Well I have to run downstairs and get the mail and pay the rent, so I am going to go...
Talk to you later.

6 comments:

Susan said...

Cassie, there are definitely some good things about being able to defend what you believe. But sometimes other people are so intent on arguing logically that no matter how well-versed you are in arguing, they'll still come up with some reason to refuse to listen.

So don't worry too much about arguing. Instead confess the faith. You know the Creed. You don't have to argue about chapter and verse. Just confess what is true. It is the gospel that changes hearts. It is the Holy Spirit who creates faith through the word. So talk about Jesus. Talk about the forgiveness of sins. Talk about the grace of your merciful God who took on human flesh to join Himself to you, so that He might take your sin upon Himself and give to you His righteousness.

The reason JWs like to talk about the Trinity is because they know it can confound Christians who struggle to explain it. Well, you know what? We can't explain it! All we can do is confess it. Look at the Athanasian Creed in the hymnal. We can say those things about the Trinity, but it doesn't mean we understand it. The Trinity is a mystery.

Sin, forgiveness, Jesus' blood. That's what you need to talk about. He saved you you. He loved you. And He died for your JW relatives too. They need to hear about the inability to be perfect, and about Jesus gift to them and for them. That's what will change their hearts -- not logic. (Although logic will have its place if and when you are more able to get into theological arguments.)

Unknown said...

Thanks Susan. This helps a lot, and is encouraging. It is definitely discouraging to go head to head with a JW and to go scripture to scripture, I don't enjoy it at all.

I will continue to confess the creeds. Thanks for your encouragement.

Susan said...

Yup. I think of all the times I would argue with JWs and Mormons who wanted to convert me. We could go round and round, not getting anywhere. Sometimes I'd listen to their logic and get upset or even full of doubts because I began to think they sounded so logical, so together, so right. But they pick and choose the parts they know, and leave out a lot of the rest that clearly contradicts what they believe. It took me many years of arguing before I finally realized that I could talk to them about the most basic parts of what I believe, and that's what they couldn't answer. They want me to become a JW and do what they do ... why? So that I can do the things I need to do to earn a spot in heaven? But I can't be good enough for heaven. If I do it the "Christian" works-righteous way or if I do it the JW works-righteous way matters not. Because I can't be good enough in either system. But Jesus is good enough, and He died for me, and He made me His child in Baptism. And if they believe that's a lot of malarky, then I'm no more damned than if I try to be perfect their way and fail at it. So I will stick with my Savior who shed His blood to save me.

Oh yeah, one more thing I intended to say earlier. Pastor Bender says that all the answers you need, to ANY question, are in the Small Catechism. The more time passes, the more I realize that he's right about that. The answers about the Trinity are there too.

Unknown said...

That is true about the small catechism, I was reading it last night. I kept thinking to myself while talking to my sister in law, just look in your small catechism.

So often it's easy to forget the things that are right there in front of us.

And yes they do go round and round with scriptures, and to the point where they just put something in quotes without even siting where they got this quote. I had to ask several times what verse was being looked at.

It is always good to have reminders of where to look for support when you need it. Thanks! I will stick with my savior who shed His blood to save me as well.

Katie said...

Hey Cassie, it is always a good thing to read and to know God's Word... so don't just turn to the catechism and hymnals. Read the Bible through and through and trust me, the Holy Spirit definitely will start to tattoo it in your heart and you will start to remember which book has what. I've been doing devotions regularly since January and my knowledge is increasing everyday even though I am never going to remember it all, I do remember quite a bit. I recommend this site that I use to help me get through the Word: http://lifejournal.cc/ . Your friend is right about the creed though. That is the most important part. That's why most preachers always resort back to the creed at the end of their sermons. John 10 is my favorite chapter in the Bible. Read it. But our Pastor always tells new Christians to read the book of John over and over - it is the one book of the Bible where Jesus talks the most. How can we know Jesus and live like He did if we don't read what God says about Him and His life? :) Love you.

Sara said...

Cassie,

I wish I could shed some light on what you are saying - but, I don't even know where to begin. (I've read your post four or five times now and have not been able to comment until today...really needed to think about it!)

For me - I just let people be who they are and refuse to discuss such things as religion and politics...I do what my heart tells me is right for me...