Fruits and vegetables

One day over lunch, a wonderful friend of ours engaged the boys in a discussion on fruits and vegetables.  And as I'm not aware of many fruit and vegetable discussions that don't end up in this direction, we were all trying to remember the difference....what makes a fruit and what makes a vegetable?  Fruits grow on trees, vegetables in the ground?  I don't know, something like that.  I am aware that there is probably a very specific scientific answer to this question, but even as I ponder it I can't help but wonder if the person who started classifying the differences between the two isn't beating his head against a wall somewhere right now.  You know, like every time someone starts an argument over avocado (which is a fruit) and a banana (which is not) he just wants to scream out, "Who cares?!!!  Just eat it!"

Or maybe John Calvin when he broke off from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1500's.  Did he have any idea that his idea of reform would develop into over 40,000 different denominations, sects, movements and organizations of the Christian church worldwide?

Who should take communion? 

Can I get married here? 

That's a sacrament! 

What's a sacrament? 

I thought it was an avocado.
 
An avacado's a fruit!   

It boggles the mind, doesn't it?  When did it get so hard to follow Christ?  Does anyone else have a picture of Him up in heaven beating his head against a wall as we argue about what color the altar cloth should be during the season of Epiphany? 

Don't get me wrong.  I know it's not as easy as that.  I know that even with the most open-hearted, open-minded intentions we will still open God's word and, human as we are, each read something slightly different.  Some of us don't read it at all.  We just go by what we are told.  Or by what clever little poster someone puts together for their Facebook page.  But there is a difference between religion and faith.  There is a difference between going to church and following Christ.  And while I think both are necessary and important, the first doesn't mean anything if we don't make the latter our priority.

I personally love all types of fruits and vegetables.  Except jalapenos.  Don't even get me started on jalapenos.  And hominy...that stuff is disgusting.  And red delicious apples.  They may be red, but they are not delicious. 

But I'll praise their maker while I've breath, and follow Christ with them any day. 

XOXO.....Kelly

Michael, Blake and I in a pumpkin patch fall 2008.  A pumpkin is a fruit!

IKEA People

I made my semi-annual trek to IKEA last week.  It's about 30 minutes from our house, so I don't go often.  But I see something online or get their catalogue in the mail and I eventually convince myself to go check out whatever it is I saw. 

I took Parker and Zachary with me.  I learned really quick that you can't take 4 boys with you to IKEA because even though they have a "family plan" or whatever that is, by family they mean leave your kids in the play area because we don't want them to touch our stuff.  We wound our way through the maze of couches and dressers and kitchen stuff, etc.  If you've never been in an IKEA, you have to follow these blue arrows through almost the entire store until you can get out.  They have these little short-cuts every now and then, but they're a little hard to get to and, again, you have to risk touching the merchandise to get there.  Best to just stick to the path.

We probably made it about 20 minutes this trip before someone ticked me off (that's actually pretty good), so, as per usual, I found myself sitting in the café halfway through the store glaring at everyone around me.

IKEA people. 

IKEA people, despite the fact that they're looking at very inexpensive furniture, are a little snooty.  It's like you have to check your southern hospitality at the door when you go in there.  And they're always dressed a little nicer than I am and know how to use things like Instagram and Twitter and they don't eat gluten or sugar.  IKEA people.  Sitting there all smug with their bergdorfs and ilkentops, trying to decide where to put their shurgenburgens at home after they've plugged their electric cars in. 

And then it occurs to me.

I'm in IKEA. 

I'm enjoying lunch and a beverage in the café.  I'm carrying around a carefully designed Swedish product with instructions that I'll never be able to understand.  Am I an IKEA person, too??!!!

And there it is.  The great human equalizer.  The realization that you are no better and no worse than the people around you (despite my inability to use Instagram or Twitter and being totally accepting of both sugar and gluten).  Did I not just drive myself 30 minutes to get here?  Our van may not be electric, but I use the eco-boost for fuel efficiency!  I kind of don't even mind that they don't give you a plastic bag to carry your stuff home in.  Sweet mother of Lionel Richie....I have become an IKEA person.

So my message for today....cut the world some slack.  We all need forgiveness and we all get grace.  No matter how far up or down your nose you're looking at someone....you aren't really all the different from them in the end. 

God loves us each the same.  REALLY.  He does.  No exceptions.  Even the IKEA people.

Especially the IKEA people.

 

XOXO....Kelly