Managing Your Temper

If you are like me you have lost your temper a time or two, only to regret it later.  I thought I would share some tricks, quotes, and Bible verses about controlling your temper and the benefits.  Hope this helps you next time you are about to blow.

Photo taken in Haiti.  Check out my art blog to see more art from my Haiti trip

Tricks

New Research: The Nicer the Mom, the Smarter the Kid -  A great post for moms includes ways to not loose your temper at the very end.
Your Diet and Your Temper - MSN Health discusses some foods to calm your temper as well as other ways your mood
10 Tips to Tame Your Temper  - 10 simple actions to help keep your anger levels low

Anger and Your Health

25 Reasons Not to Loose Your Temper  - Includes tips and health reasons
Losing your Temper is Bad for Your Health - and here is why

The Bible Tells Me So...

and if the above info was not enough here are 28 Bible verses about Anger and Managing Your Temper.

God is Good

As Christians (humans), we tend to be happy when we experience good things or when bad things pass us by.  For example, there was a tornado that just went by my brother and sister-in-law’s neighborhood and it missed their house. The tornado also missed their truck but destroyed everything that was across the street. They were extremely thankful and I do believe that this is a good thing.

This video and a couple others were posted on their Facebook page. Again, nothing wrong with that.

It is good to be positive, but it is not ok to avoid the reality that terrible things just happened to our neighbors.  Our thankfulness should not blind us to the reality that even though God is good, not everything in life is good.  Just because it was good for us does not mean it was good (or even ok).

The part that always makes me think is when you see or hear comments like “God is good! I am so glad y’all are ok,” and “thanking God you are both ok.” Again I agree with these statements.  I am thankful that my family members are safe and that their house wasn’t destroyed. But the reality is that people just a couple blocks away did loose their houses and there are people that are not ok.

Why are Christians often really only concerned with their friends and family? I didn’t comment on the video (posted on FB) because all I could think about is what is being done for those families who did loose their house.  How do we show/tell those people that God is good.

I guess there needs to be a balance between thanking God for out blessings and privileges and realizing that others are not always blessed and don’t always have the same privileges, while keeping in mind that we did not earn these blessings. 

One way that I think we can address this problem is by helping those who are not as fortunate as we are and understanding that negative situations and blessings are not any indication of how good of people we are.  The people whose house had a tree fall on it did not deserve that or earn it in any way.  We need to remember that we are not better than others.  We also need to avoid the mentality that "gee, I am glad I am not in their situation."

Any other thoughts out there?  How can we avoid thinking that we deserved to be blessed?  How can we be thankful and humble at the same time? 

I am also curious to know how this relates to the Problem of Evil (not the Problem of Pain as posed by C.S. Lewis)...I think this might become a future post!!!

Why I Hate Black History Month

First off it is obvious that I don't hate Black History Month but figured I would throw give you a break with some other perspectives.




The Video Below 

Jewish American Heritage Month


Is Black History Month Racist 
I like this video quite a bit.


Morgan Freeman


My Personal Rant (Just some thoughts, I hope they are not too jumbled and I hope they are developed enough that you can make some sense from them)  Just comment if you want clarification or to argue.  I am not dead set on any of these being the right answer (nor am I set on there actually being a right answer).

Hmm I think that culture and the color of skin (this is a little about James Cone - see below) are some things that should be praised and cherished, not ignored. Trying to turn all history into American history is a lofty and respectable goal; however if there is any chance that we would loose the individual and unique cultures along the way, I can not support “one history.”

I can see American culture morphing into one culture over time but I am not going to fight for less variety in culture or a unification of two cultures that don’t necessarily work as one.

Sometimes I wonder if the main reason for the argument that we should not have an African-American, and a Mexican-American, and a Italian-American and all the other hyphenated-American cultures is because some of the histories are too hard to deal with.  I guess what I am trying to say is that we already don't talk about "the other" or the US history of "the other."  If you want to learn about more of some of these histories, click on a name.  Asatta Shakur   Mumia Abu Jamal  Sojourner Truth   Marcus Garvey  Maya Angelou   Langston Hughes  Still on the way - W.E.B. DuBois  James Cone (see my above rambling)  Dead Prez  Bob Marley  The Marroons   Malcolm X   MLK Jr  Emmit Till  Harriet Tubman.

At some point I would love to do a series on Native American History, maybe I will for Native-American Day.  I think that many NA's got the shaft more than many blacks in the US.  Many people don't even know what is going on, on many of the Indian reservations.

Maybe people don't want to admit that there are still problems, they don't understand that there are still problems, or understand the nature and history of these problems.  It is ok to not understand or think that we should just get over our past histories but it is not ok to sweep the history under the rug of the dominate culture because we want to maintain our naive ignorance.

Here are some more responses to the original video

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=why+i+hate+black+history+month&aq=f

My favorite response
These guys are pretty funny, but watch "I hate Black History Month" first.

Jewish American Heritage Month

I like this girl too



Another response I enjoy
Hah, I don't blame Bush for the events she is discussing but for more conspiracy theories check out my Illuminate you mind project (my blog post and website)


I have heard that they don't study the Holocaust in Germany nearly as much as we do in America. Is this true? Does Germany ignore some of the events that we see as blatant facts? Just curious, because if this is true it does show that "the winner" controls the history. If anyone knows, I am really curious to hear input.

Marcus Garvey

The official Marcus Garvey website
The Influence of Marcus Garvey Video series
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

I had little knowledge about Marcus Garvey and the details of his life. Some of the things that I did know about him prior to these videos include the “Back to Afrika” movement and that he had involvement in Rastafari.

Wikipedia has some great information about the man.

Garvey played a large role in the African American religious scene in the 1920s, some even claimed that he was the reincarnation of John the Baptist and was preparing the way for Haile Selassie 1 of Ethiopia.  I will post about Rastafari in the future (though probably not for Black History Month).

I think that I will also post on the significance of these flags at some point.  I used to know what the colors specifically represent (both the slang and the traditional symbolism, but I do not remember).

New Goals

My Goals for 2011 

A cute post

1.Do Art
a. I would like to make money off my art and continue marketing both for my design work and art as well. I would either like to sell work in a gallery, gift shop, farmers market, bazaar, on ETSY or any other venue.
b. I would like to create artwork for me. This could include working in mediums that I enjoy but don’t have as much time to use while in school. This also could include more crafty and upcycleing projects.
c. Mat ink drawings and photographs

2.Stay Healthy
a. I would like to continue to make exercise a part of daily life. While in Laramie I want to continue to go to weekly yoga classes, the rock wall and the break dance group. I also plan to continue riding my bike to class.  The hard part will be if we go somewhere else over the summer. The yoga classes are no longer free and I may not like them as much. I was not a fan of the yoga class I took over the summer and it was really too hot to ride my bike everyday.  The rock wall is also really expensive.
b. Think positively.  This may need to be broken up more but I know that I struggle with depression and in response negativity.  I know that it is not as simple as changing my thinking but it could help.  Maybe I will write more on depression...Maybe I will do some "art therapy."  I have been wanting to come up with lesson plans.  This would be a good way to do art and take care of myself.
c. Take time to relax by myself (baths and yoga).
d. Eat healthy snacks.

3.Read the Bible every day
a. Well I have been going strong for quite a while now. I read the whole Bible in the last 6 months and have started reading sections in more detail as well as opening up the Bible and reading where I open to. I was reading at least a chapter but I might start to read a couple verses over and over (like Lectio Divina style). I think that I will not really have any rules as long as I keep reading.

4.Grocery lists and food.
a. I would like to make a grocery list for two specific meals and cook both meals that week. As a part of this I would like to come up with ways to use the leftovers. I don’t expect to be good at this or do it every week but maybe once a month would be good.

5.Blog consistently
a.I would like to post in this blog and my design blog at least twice a week in addition to the Thursday 13.  In the summer I would like to post in my photography blog at least three to four times a week.

Of course these are general ideas and since they are mine I can change them at any time.

Black Liberation Theology and the Gay Community

Edit: 

Though Black lib theology definitely played a role in my life and bringing me to where I am today I absolutely do not agree that Black Lib theology is Christian or representative of the Gospel of Christ. It is another example of "Jesus + Religion" in that it preaches a social justice gospel. 

We do not worship Justice but rather a just God. Though both are important my Christian identity must come before my Black identity.

I'm thankful to worship a patient God and for a pastor who is so scripturally rooted but also who, though white was ordained under Pastor Pew. Pastor Pew Studied James Cone in depth and was ordained under Tony Evans, the first Black man allowed into DTS.

Original post 2010. Edit 2024 🖤🖤🖤

This NPR interview helps the listener to understand more about Black Liberation Theology by interviewing James Cone, the main theologian. Cone was writing largely in the 60s. He striked a respectable balance between all that was going on. There is a little Malcolm, MLK Jr. and a little panther (but not too much).

The interview begins by defining Black Liberation Theology. This theology sees God as concerned with the poor and the weak in society. The thology comes from the black community so it is called Black Theology, however, it is not just for blacks. It represents concern for every one who is poor, weak and oppressed. It sees justice for the poor and weak and believes that we were not meant to be slaves or to be exploited. Cone believes that God takes the side with the poor and the weak

The interview discusses the origins of the theology. This denomination of Christianity was inspired by MLK Jr. and Malcolm X. Malcolm contributed the black identity aspect of the religion and King represented the Christian aspect. Cone simplifies this by explaining that king taught us to love our enemies, but Malcolm taught us to love ourselves first.

Leaving the argument of whether being gay is a sin or not behind, it seems that Black Liberation Theology would relate to the gay community the same way it does to the back or any other oppressed people group. There are many similarities between the black struggle and the gay struggle and I realize that , the GBLTQ community hasn’t experienced the same struggles that the black community has, I still believe that God is their God and he wants them to be a part of the same body of Christ (Rom 12).


Versus or stories that Cone references
Exodus out of Egypt – deliverance from bondage is a central theme
The prophets (Jeremiah, Amos, Isaiah, Hosea Malachi) – all spoke for the poor/weak
ex. Let Justice roll down like water and righteous like an ever-flowing stream (Amos)

Verses Against Segregation
In Christ there is not male or female, no slave or free we are all one in Christ Jesus (Paul in 1 Corinthians). 
Out of one blood God has created all people (Acts 17)

Cone Quotes
“The Gospel is not about what happens when you die.” James Cone
“We are God’s children and not someone else’s maid…or janitor.”

My Suggested Readings
Strength to Love – MLK Jr Sermons, I am currently reading this - Maybe I will post on some of the sermons some day.  If you have never read theology or black theology this is a good start for both.  Simple, true, intelligent and bold.
Black Theology and Black Power – Cone, I read this one about 4 years ago. This book influenced many of my social justice beliefs.  That is a whole different topic.

Response to How Can You Be Sure That God Loves You?

How Can I Be Sure That God Loves Me?  Soulforce.com video and video.google video
By: Reverend Mel White

In this sermon, Mel White begins by explaining how Universities (campus ministries) and Christians are the two groups that show the most hostility toward him and his partner. At one of these Universities a young gay boy went up and asked how Mel White was “sure that God loved him.” White begins to explore various ways to explain God’s love. He addresses science and history and decides that neither are going to help this boy believe that God loves him. White then addresses the possible ways that the Bible has been misinterpreted and concludes that this will not help. Maybe the person of Jesus will help people understand God’s love.

White then decides that the life and actions of Jesus will help prove that God loves gay people too. Jesus loves all outcasts. Jesus was an outcast. He was born an “illegitimate child to a teenage mother.” He was poor, homeless, an illegal alien (in Egypt). Jesus was a person of color. He was headstrong and disobedient and “made the radical right church leaders of the day every time he spoke.”

Jesus not only was an outcast but loved the outcasts. White discusses several well known New Testament stories in which Jesus interacts with outcasts and sinners. These stories, all based on loving the outcasts, included Jesus turning the tables, the bleeding woman who touched his robe, the centurion, and the Samaritan woman.*

The sermon did a wonderful job of showing that Jesus loved and died for everyone especially the outcast. God made everyone, even those who are seen as flawed by society, and God loves every single person on this earth.

More Soulforce.com videos 

*Maybe I will discuss some of these stories in more detail.

I Believe in the Power of Learning New Stories

This I Believe was a project that was started several years ago to encourage a variety of people to write.  Some of the essays have been played on NPR and CBC.



I Believe in the Power of Learning New Stories.

I will post more links to other peoples audio essays and maybe discuss them a bit.

Possible Benefits of Ex-Gay Ministry

This NPR interview discusses aspects of various Ex-Gay Ministries. Issues covered include the use of Reparative Therapy, the power of communal living, and accountability. The various groups in the Ex-Gay movement are is many ways similar to various Alcoholics Anonymous groups. For someone who wants to change, the 12 steps are often effective. Forcing someone to join an Ex-Gay ministry could potentially cause more harm (or only harm) rather than good; however, the person that does fit the criteria for Reparative Therapy and does not want to be gay, or maybe wants to learn more about himself, could benefit from the various aspects of the program.

Accountability is a beneficial aspect of life. Confession sounds bad, but being able to tell the truth about yourself is extremely liberating. Having a group of people to share your downfalls with is powerful. You are able to learn that you are not as strange or messed up as you think. I am not sure if the Ex-Gay ministry focuses on grace, but as a Christian organization, it should.* In a group that understands the **grace of God, people will not judge you, nor will they shun you. If there is not mutual respect and brotherly love there is no community or accountability. The accountability would be transmogrified into forced actions.

If there is a habit that you want to change, having people who want to support you and want you to be healthier is going to help. The person who is quitting smoking, can not do it on his own. There are various forms of help include: the patch, for the nicotine cravings; candy cigarettes, for the person addicted to the action of lifting the cigarette; and people, who are willing to encourage you and ease your guilt. Everyone needs someone to talk to at some time.

We need to be supporting each other through our struggles, but in order for us to fully support one another, we need to be open. I was a camp counselor for a couple summers***. One of the camps is set up like an 1880’s style log fort. You live here with around 40 people for 5 nights a week and you live in cabin on the weekends. You shower about once a week. The weeks consist of around 40 miles of hiking. You also have horses popping their noses in you cabin window. Basically, you smell. You get to know your staff very well. You experience the “happies and the crappies” of life with these people and they love you no matter what.

Various types of therapy (I would argue group therapy) are beneficial for most people. If you have access to free therapy as a benefit of you work or school, go. Going to therapy does not make you crazy. That belief is a stigma that our society has inaccurately created. On the other side of that maybe we are all crazy and that is why therapy benefits us all. We all have our issues and mis-beliefs. Why not challenge ourselves to improve these fallacies?

Regardless of my personal thoughts on Ex-Gay ministries and the movement, some of the same aspects that are beneficial in the 12 step programs may also benefit members of the Ex-Gay ministries.


Future Posts - If you want me to address these soon, just ask.
*I will address it later but read The Ragamuffin Gospels or What’s so Amazing about Grace if you don’t understand the arguments that say it is wonderful.
**Christ was 95% grace, and someone labeling themselves with his name should attempt to be as well.
***I am in this camp video.  It is a bit of a big deal, not really, but my hair was sweet. - go to 5:02.