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.

Sunday Sermon: You... and Your Friends

One day a few weeks ago, some of the ladies in the cubicle got the notion to play Youtube gospel music.

Morale is in the toilet, and it may be uplifting. Plus, it was somehow concluded that it kept management out of the cubicle area (You can draw all KINDS of conclusion for that).

I wasn't involved. I placed my headphones on my head, and listened to my EWF.

They'd decided later on that they would pull up some preachers. But no one didn't.

Except my cubicle mate Cowgirl Cre.

"Lee," she said, as she pushed play on a video on her facebook page. "Take a look at this. This is something we talked about awhile ago."

I scooted my chair over towards hers and watched the following 8 minute TD Jakes video.

Subject matter: the three types of friends in your life.



You know, I was looking at this and said to Cre, "I have to take some notes, because this is interesting."

But, I wasn't writing fast enough.

During this, I was whispering to Cre "What about them Ninjas! Them suckas you gotta watch, the ones who walk in and mess up your life, dropping carnage?"

She and I laughed. He ain't talking about enemies and frenemies. He's talking about people who come along to help you along your path.

Hmmm... Me and Cre had a talk about this long time ago. But my categorization of my friends was a little more complex.

I look at it in the light of us being temples. Only certain people are allowed in the very inner parts of the temples. Some folks are out in the temple congregation. Some folk are out on the temple steps.

And then there are those folks outside the temple gates. Waaaaay outside the gates.

We laughed about that. But you can't get folk mixed up and miscategorized, man.

But what was said in the video concerning Confidants, Constituents, and Comrads...

Wow. Very interesting take on things.

And the thing said in the beginning about character. Everything comes down to character.

People always tell me "Lee, you're a great judge of character. You always see something before everybody else."

No, I'm not being haughty. I don't deal to well longterm with characters that are a bit shady. I know that's one of my weakness. I don't tolerate much and I don't deal well with you ruffling my feathers.

On a deeper level, I don't feel the best about my character, and it helps me take a closer look at my own character and straighten things out. (That may be hard to understand, as I am the most wonderful Oldgirl in the world, but it's my way of working my own issues out.)

Those categories he spoke on were interesting, and I have my own thoughts on them.

Confidants. Those people in my life who love me unconditionally. People who feed and mentor me. They are with me, down for me no matter what. They ALWAYS have my back.

Only a few people should know what's going on within the deep depths of "inner-me". Because everybody can't handle it.

I am far from perfect, and don't like apologizing for being imperfect. There are very few people who understand the total arc of LadyLee and don't hold it against me.

Do you know there are people who try to make me feel guilty and take it personally when I have a bad day, or a bad spell? Those people... I suppose they thought they were special, or confidants or something.

NOT!

I'm bad about not talking to them anymore. I'm not going to be made to feel guilty because I'm hurting. Shows you don't know me.

Confidants. They are important. I need you when I'm in a bad way, need advice, need to rant, neet my tail kicked. I NEED YOU. I'm glad my confidants know that, and know how to work with me.


Constituents. People who are not really into you, but into your particular goals, missions, causes, and interests. Yeah! This is all over the place, especially in the blog community. We all online, and congregate based on interests, etc. I see it more than the other two types, all over the Bible. We tend to group ourselves in life in general.

Nothing wrong with that, as it is wholly important. Nothing negative there. I myself am down for a lot of different people, but at the same time, I don't think we share our whole selves with all of our constituents. Because it's not really important. We're helping each other reach that goal...

Comrads. People who aren't into you, aren't into your life's plans and purposes, but are against what you are against.

Me and Cowgirl Cre laughed about that. There's some comrad action going on at work, mayne! LOL

I think of the tea party stuff here. That's an easy one. And coming out against various diseases, etc, like the special breast cancer walks, etc. We all against the same thing, man! Let's work together to come against it mo' harder!

What I don't care for when it comes to comrads and constituents is the seasonal nature of each. They are there for seasons of my life, not for a lifetime.

And me, I tend to get attached to folks. I think it's just our nature as women to be that way.

As was said in the video clip, the scaffolding comes down, those people are gone, but the house is still there. I think that's a good thing. Although like I said, I get attached. The older I get, the more I understand the seasonal nature of some of my relationships.

The negative slant surpised me, yet it is something that I think about. He touched on something that I fully understand and am very mindful of.

Do not share your uncommon dreams with common folk.

I've been trying to get this through my sister's head. I told S23 this once, and she posted it up on her blog. (She does that sometime... makes me want to holler "Chick! That was a private convo between us! lol. But I think she thinks it will help some of her clientele, and that's cool).

But a HUGE clue to who is down for you and who is not is their reaction when you share with them a dream that you have.

THAT IS SO HUGE.

Do they turn their nose up? Or do they get critical?

I automatically put these folk on my outer-temple-gates list. Always criticizing. Messy. Taring me down.

Stuff don't even go that far with me. Because I look at something a little more telling.

How do you react to your friend's dreams, and to what level do your support your friends? Do you tare down your friends, cause a lot of mental carnage?

(Can you tell by now that I can't stand mental carnage??)

I look at that. I base a lot on that. I may be wrong for it. But I can't take you serious if you treat your peeps like crap. I'm certain you will treat me the same way.

It gives me insight into your motives and agendas. (You know how I feel about motives). It even causes me to examine how I treat my own friends, and make the proper adjusments. Really.

I wanna be the best me that I can be, and be the best help I can be to someone, whether in the role of confidant, comrad, or constituent.

This was a good clip. Glad I had a chance to see it, as it made me think, and confirmed a few things for me.

You all have a fine, fine Sunday.

On Purpose.