There is a room in the basement of my parents' house. It's a small room. It has two small windows, and a door that leads out into the den. Today it houses a computer atop a desk. Lining the walls are different stringed instruments, all which sound beautiful at the fingertips of my daddy. This time of year, this room begins to be the storage room for wrapped Christmas presents as they await their opening by the three kids and my nephew.
This room has changed quite a bit over the years. At one time, it was a bedroom. There was a twin bed in it. I can remember my Grandaddy sleeping many nights on that little bed when he and my Grandmother would visit. One morning we shared many laughs as he recounted his night of sleep, awaking to a mouse cuddled on his pillow beside his little bald head. My mom made sure his bed fella was gone and disposed of by the end of day.
When I was a teenager this room was where I did homework. But as a preteen this room was adorned with New Kids on the Block paraphernalia. Posters from floor to ceiling, covered every inch. A sleeping bag and pillow with Jordan Knight's face laid on the floor. A "boombox" sat in the corner. Many nights I was told to turn down the music of the Hangin' Tough album. Pretty sure my parents were happy to have this phase behind us, as they cocked the thumb tack holes and painted over the tape marks on the walls.
But this room was magical when I was a little girl. It's where I was the doctor, the teacher, and the princess. It's where I rocked baby dolls and put them down for naps. In this room, Barbie met Ken. They married time and time again and filled "Cindy's World" with their families. In this room is where my older sister and I played and laughed and, as all siblings do, fought and argued over who played with what. She left this room before I did. I missed her.
She always took such good care of her toys and this room. The baby dolls were always dressed and clean. The Barbies had the latest fashions and their hair was styled perfectly. When she finished with a toy she put it back. "Cindy's World" was always in order, with the furniture arranged in the correct rooms, neat and tidy. The dishes in the play kitchen were always washed and stored and the fridge was stocked with all the appropriate items.
Enter Aletha.
I rearranged the Barbie furniture and misplaced the tiny fashionable shoes and clothes. And if I needed a haircut, so did Barbie. And Ken was prone to car accidents, which always produced bruising. Markers and crayons did the trick. Some dolls didn't fair that well; some were missing extremities. Baby dolls looked better in diapers and liked to play in the mud and ash pile in the back yard. Who needed pretend plastic food when you could use Elmer's glue for milk and hide half eaten apples in the tiny kitchen cabinets?
It didn't take too long for my mother to catch on and take some action. These days she will pull out a couple of baby dolls to show the grandkids. Nancy Caroline and Sadie love to hold the dolls and play with them. They always giggle as their "Aunt Sissy" points out that their mom never played with those dolls. She tells them of my antics and how I could not be trusted, so momma hid these dolls and they are the only survivors.
Pretty much I was the female version of Andy's nemesis, Sid.
So dear sister, it's been a long time coming, but I want to say something to you. I owe this to you for wrecking so many of the toys you took such good care of for so many years...
I am sorry. And I am searching Ebay for that Barbie that had the kissing lips. I really have no idea why I ripped her lips off.
And I know at this very moment you, the reader, more than likely are chuckling, thinking how silly and funny this all is. But as grown ups haven't we all been guilty of taking something great and messing it all up?
The Creator gives us a beautiful world in which to live and enjoy. We throw down our trash and pollute the air and water, without much thought at all. We waste our resources and live in excess. Why be happy with what you have when you can have more? Even if it means a few less trees and others are going hungry.
Us Americans live in a country where we boast freedom and the right to speak, but yet we abuse these concepts. We develop the opinion that we are the elete ,that we have it all figured out. We scream our beliefs at each other like toddlers on a playground. We must state our thoughts on everything and everyone; we must be heard. We turn things like social media sites into an arena for arguing and fighting and bullying, instead of maybe what it could have been...a way for friends to stay connected and a mode to promote joy and love.
Sex. Instead of keeping it special and intimate and private, it's turned into something funny and nasty and wrong. We use it to sell products. We let it dominate our lives to the point that it's an addiction, a thirst that can't be quenched. It's by products are now pornography, prostitution, and slavery. We also have turned it into a political issue. It seems we have forgotten that God created everything, even sex. How it's treated today, what we've made of it...yeah, I am sure that is not what He intended it to look like.
We have really messed up Christianity. CHRIST-ianity. Jesus Christ. What did He look like? How did He behave? Do we resemble Him? He met people where they were. He became a friend. He held their hands and healed their wounds, both physically and emotionally. Today, many of us close off our circles, only interacting with those people that look and act like us. Many hatefully condemn others for wrongdoing and sins that they deem "greater" than their own. I think we forget that on many occasions we read the accounts of Jesus befriending others, extending love and kindness, and then simply saying, "Go, and sin no more."
We could talk about lots of things. Food, marriage and family life, freedom, school policies, and so much more. We could talk about how awful so many things have become at the hands of us humans. But what if we stop complaining, and get to work. Ever heard of a re-do? Ever heard of an apology?
There is great healing in the words "I am sorry". There is even greater healing in a change of action. Make an amends and start living differently.
Take care of this world. Pick up trash, reduce, and recycle.
Post one positive comment each day. Stay silent when you want to fire back. Instead of spending five minutes looking into someone else's business for the sake of being nosey, send a message to someone you miss. Respect other's opinions and beliefs.
Teach your children about how beautiful a thing sex is and God created it. Teach them the boundaries He gave us, and those boundaries are in order for us to have joy and be healthy. Pray for purity and peace for yourself and for so many that struggle in this matter.
Put the CHRIST back in Christianity. There is hope in anything when we start to resemble our namesake.
Whatever it is that you have had your part in messing up in this beautiful life...apologize in some way and start helping to fix it. If we all do that, what a wonderful world it would be!
There is great healing in the words "I am sorry". There is even greater healing in a change of action. Make an amends and start living differently.
Take care of this world. Pick up trash, reduce, and recycle.
Post one positive comment each day. Stay silent when you want to fire back. Instead of spending five minutes looking into someone else's business for the sake of being nosey, send a message to someone you miss. Respect other's opinions and beliefs.
Teach your children about how beautiful a thing sex is and God created it. Teach them the boundaries He gave us, and those boundaries are in order for us to have joy and be healthy. Pray for purity and peace for yourself and for so many that struggle in this matter.
Put the CHRIST back in Christianity. There is hope in anything when we start to resemble our namesake.
Whatever it is that you have had your part in messing up in this beautiful life...apologize in some way and start helping to fix it. If we all do that, what a wonderful world it would be!
