Hi all!

Have been engaging in a vigourous debate on someone's blog regarding Hills and someone's impression of it, and all of it has got me thinking... how much of our Christianity is cultural?? The guy who's blog it is seems quite adamant (from what I see of him from his blog) that HIS (evangelical non-charo) way of doing things is THE RIGHT way. And I'm fairly certain that he wouldn't be a proponent of tongues, or gifts of the Holy Spirit, or lifting your hands in worship (which he described as "a Hitler-like salute" or something like that)- things that I strongly believe in. And on top of these two differences...there are millions of Christians around the world who have a different way of doing things- different from the both of us! This being the case, I wonder...how can one be so admanant that they are doing things the RIGHT way?? I dunno...I guess Christianity and all it's absolutism in terms of faith has kinda infiltrated into an absolutism of method. Hrrrrm. Teaching and doctrinal issues aside, I think it's be a whole stack better for the Body of Christ if we ALL learned to have a bit more of an open mind as to other people's method of Christianity as I don't think that anyone can have the ultimate monopoly on what the "right" way of corporate worship is. Who knows, when we get to heaven, someone may be in for a rude shock...who knows??

Take the good with the bad people!! Confront the dodginess but acknowledge the good contribution that's happening as well!!

In other news...

I'm having a crisis of faith in one dimension of my life. It's funny- I can be having a crisis of faith in my family dimension of life, but when it comes to God in other situations...nothing has changed and my faith isn't shaken. I wonder why that is. Hmm. But yeah...my sister isn't getting any better- and if the truth be told, she's actually looking worse these past few days. It's been quite bad. She just got a new Pocket PC, and while I was taking a look at it just then, I looked where she tried to enter her name and email address, and it was all wrong...I think it's because she can't see properly and didn't even realise it was wrong. It's horrible...pitiful. Tragic. Sigh.

I have this issue with prayer at the moment. I'm like...what's the point of prayer? Actually, it's not that I don't believe in it's power. I think it's more that...I don't know what to say. I've said everything before. And I wish I knew the words to say to really sway the heart of God. But I don't. And I really don't want to keep saying the same things over and over....I mean, He's heard me already and I have nothing new to add to the matter.

The words He HAS heard me say however...don't really reflect my true heart and I don't want to be fake (what's the point when He knows my heart better than I do??). I mean...I can use the somewhat formulaic "Heal her so you can bring glory to Your name"...but do I really mean that?? I mean it to the extent that if that gives Him a good enough reason to do it, then fine! Hey, do what works for You! But really...I just want my sister back. And I don't particularly care what has motivated God to act and heal, be is glory or otherwise. Just that He does it. So I don't particularly want to pray those things anymore. And since it seems selfish to pray "Please heal her because I want you to", I content myself with the fact that God has heard me before, and knows my heart, and knows that I want Him to heal her, if that's ok.

Firstly, I hope you understood what I was rambling about.
Secondly, I hope someone can shed some light on my crisis of faith. Help!

Hrm. Well you probably won't be seeing any more of me this week cos I have a busy day tomorrow and the retreat on the weekend, so I'll bid y'all farewell now then...

ta!