Sunday Sermon: Tracks in the Valley

I told you I would be posting every day in October.

I didn't tell you what time, though.

Some time during the day, and that sometime is now.

I thought I would get away from my usual tomfoolery on Sundays, and let it be a day that I post something spiritual that has been on my mind. You know, something that has been on my mind all week. I read a lot of stuff, listen to a lot of things during the week. Certain things stay on my mind, though. Not everything. But a few things tend to stick, especially as applied to my own life.
And right now, I am looking through the biblical book of Jeremaiah. Moreso because a friend is reading it, and I want to be able to have an intelligent conversation about it.

I must say that I have tried to read this book of the Bible in the past. I haven't succeeded. It's too unnerving. And interestingly enough, my nervousness about it stems from it being so closely related to the general attitude of people in this day and time. And it hits even closer to home when I recognize some of my own personal issues there also.

But I think for October, it will be one of my goals, this getting through the book of Jeremiah. All 52 chapters. I will do what I tell others to do: eat it like you eat an elephant- one bite at time.

Lots of bites there indeed.

So I will post from that this week. There are 2 particular verses of scripture that I saw that stuck with me. They left me just a tad bit disturbed, because of their truth. I am more interested in the parts highlighted in bold red.

Jermiah 2:23 How dare you tell me "I'm not stained by sin. I've never chased after the Baal sex gods."
Well, look at the tracks you've left behind in the valley.
How do you account for what is written in desert dust.

Jeremiah 2:34-35 You cut and hurt a lot of people to get where you are. And yet you have the gall to say, "I've done nothing wrong."

Contextually speaking, much of what I have read in the early chapters of this book is about the serious amount of distraction that occurs when the people are unning around hard out in the valley worshipping the sex gods. It's really interesting to go back and research what all THAT was about. Let's just say that a couple of weeks ago, a sex temple was shut down out in Arizona. That type of thing apparently goes on now. And interestingly, the setup there is the same as was in ancient times. Hmm...

Yeah, yeah, people should be allowed to worship as they please. Of course. I do agree with that. Trust me, I am the last one to bother anybody about what they do. To each his own?

But what are the results of such?

And these verses speak to something deeper... our personal addictions, our personal secret stuff, our habits. Our self-centeredness, self-preservation and self-gratification.

Our human nature is to move towards pleasure and to shrink away from the painful. Who around us is being affected by it all? What are the results?

I mean, we can holler that we are innocent and can do what we want to do, because we aren't hurting anyone, but is that really the case? Or are we so focused on self that we don't notice?

All interesting questions. Questions, I ask myself.

I think the whole example of the sex gods is an extreme idolatry example, more indicative of that day and time. Something we frown upon in this day and time. But we have our own brands of idolatry in this day and time.

Like being power hungry. That's the easiest example: a person so power hungry that they cut and hurt people on the way to the top, then turn around and play innocent.

I saw that this week at work. Someone in charge left for a new position. And that person will probalby be quick to tell you that they were the best manager in the world. One can play innocent all day, but we can examine the "tracks left behind in the valley", and they will tell the truth.

On the flip side of that, one of our most respected colleagues retired suddenly on Friday. I think it brought a bit of sadness to all. He was well honored and respected. I myself have lost someone to go to ask about how to prepare certain samples. I don't like that at all. He can say he did nothing wrong, and it be true. The "tracks left behind in the valley" support that.

You know, I feel like, if I cut and hurt a lot of people to get what I want, well, it is a red flag. It's a strong testament to my character. It is indicative of who I am as a person, who I am on the inside. That's what I think of when I read that verse.

And at the same time, I have to take a look at myself and some of the things I do. Some of my secret life, and some of my own idols, and I have to examine my own "tracks left behind in the valley. Did I hurt or hinder myself doing the things that I do? Did I hurt or hinder others in the process?

Or am I standing around hollering "I've done nothing wrong."

I also look at this in context of my current goals. Have I met my goals? A close examination of my "tracks left behind in the valley" will tell the whole entire story.

For these "tracks" represent one thing: results. They also represent evidence. They are evidence of something. In a courtroom setting, they will be the "Exhibit A", "Exhibit B", etc...

I want my "tracks left behind in the valley" to be worth something. To be meaningful. I want to first of all, be willing to examine them, and second, be open and honest about them.

Finally, I want to make the necessary adjustments and changes to have better tracks.

And that in itself is an ongoing process for someone as imperfect as myself.

Blog family hollers "You think too much, LadyLee".

No I don't. Just reading along in my bible. It's not a story book for me. I consider it a life manual... Just using it to examine myself in light of what I'm doing and what happens around me, instead of getting all religious and using it to beat you upside the head with.

And ain't nothing wrong with that, my dear.

This has been Sunday Sermon, scrawled in big block letters high upon the wall of the House of LadyLee, brought especially to you commercial free by your Friendly Neighborhood Oldgirl, Ladylee.

And I have to put up a song. I don't like a lot of gospel songs, but I like this one here.




*Lee closes laptop, and walks away*

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.