Recently, there have been a few head scratching, jaw dropping, “are you kidding me?” stories in the news that reminded me of a time when…
I hurriedly backed out of the driveway. Late, again, to get the girls to dance lessons.
“Oh, great!” I mumbled as I put the car into park. “I forgot something.”
My seven-year-old daughter in the back seat asked, “Mommy, why do you always say, “Oh, great!” when things aren’t great at all?
Well, that stopped me in my tracks. I realized I exclaimed, “Oh, great!” when things were anything but great.
When I dropped the jar of pasta sauce and it splattered on EVERYTHING in my kitchen and I had to stop to clean up a horrendous mess – making us late for our evening activities, “Oh, great!” escaped my mouth.
When I walked in the house and saw the mess the dog made when she got into the trash and dragged EVERYTHING all over the kitchen and living room, “Oh, great!” escaped my mouth as I looked at coffee grounds scattered over my carpet.
When I was speeding (Sorry, Dad! This was years ago – I‘ve quit speeding. Well, except for the other night when I was dashing across the state because my daughter was in labor.) …and the cop pulled me over, “Oh, great!” escaped my mouth.
You get the picture. When things aren’t so great, I call them great. My daughter was confused because what I was saying was opposite from what the situation actually was.
Recently, I was confused as to why a MAN who refused to be in a locker room to watch a GIRL undress, was in trouble with his school. Yes, you read that right! If you missed the story, you can just Google it. Why would he be hailed as anything other than a hero?
I’m not going to get into the politics of it. I just want to suggest that if we use our common sense, we should see that a MAN refusing to watch a GIRL undress is a good thing – regardless of what gender she identifies with. Not only was he protecting himself, he was protecting the child, as well as, the teenage boys who also reported being uncomfortable undressing in front of what, by all appearances, was a girl.
Another head scratcher was New York electing a socialist senator who doesn’t know the branches of government. She referred to the “Three Chambers of Congress – The Presidency, The House and the Senate.” Hmm… Guess she skipped that chapter in her textbook. If someone doesn’t know the basics of our government, are they really the best person to lead? I’m guessing her learning curve is going to be pretty steep.
Every day we can read stories where it appears common sense has gone out the window. We are so afraid of offending, we have become weak in our ability to stand up for what is right, civil and sensible.
And what about the teacher in Florida who was fired for not giving a 50% to students who didn’t turn any work in? She gave them a 0%. Umm, in my day, if I didn’t turn my schoolwork in, I would have received a zero and then been grounded at home for several weeks. My life would be dismal until my grades improved. Oh, wait! Because I knew the consequences I would receive, I never failed to turn my work in – or do my best.
What is wrong with this world when we allow kids to believe they can do nothing and still get something?
“Oh, great!”
I worry about our nation when everything is turned upside down. I know it’s not the first time. I realize my parents thought the same thing in the 70’s when free love and drugs were taking over the youth. And time has shown neither one of those “liberating” changes have made us a better people or a better country.
I really shouldn’t be surprised when I read another news story that makes me scratch my head, blink hard several times and stand with my mouth open in unbelief. <insert wide-eyed emoji that expresses “What?”>
I should be expecting it. God’s Word tells us to expect it.
What sorrow for those who say
that evil is good and good is evil,
that dark is light and light is dark,
that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. Isaiah 5:20
When the world seems turned upside down, we shouldn’t be surprised but we also shouldn’t accept it. I don’t think we should just read these incredible stories, shrug our shoulders and go about our lives because one day, the craziness will encroach into our own little worlds. We need to be on guard and take whatever steps we can to shine Truth into the situation.
I’m not suggesting we grab a poster and protest in the streets – or in restaurants, on arena stages or on football fields. I think we have seen recently how that isn’t working. It just tends to make everyone mad and more divided. I would suggest using some common sense, some civil, well-thought out words AND show love for those we don’t agree with all the time on every issue.
Jesus actually asks us to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:44-45
Oh, great! When things are upside down and backwards, let’s pray, show kindness and more of the love of Christ.
In 1966, Dionne Warwick sang “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”
I agree. I think we should grab hands across the aisles and sing those words today.