International Women's Day

Today is international Women's day and as a woman, I believe I have some words to say on this day. Before anyone asks, I am a feminist. Why? Doesn't feminism go against Christian doctrines? No, it does not. There are many places where the Bible holds women in high regard. The most quoted and probably most obvious place is Proverb 31, which talks about the Virtuous Wife, or the Capable Woman. It states:

"What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, son of my vows?
Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates."

Let's first off realize, that these words are not coming from the man writing, they are a direct quotation from his mother. This is what his mother has taught him, and this is how the author views women. He sees them as wise, strong, virtuous, thrifty, and a leader within the household. He respects women. He does not see them as silent creatures meant only for childbearing and housework, she is the financial analyst, the teacher of the children, the director of the massive play that is the servants and housekeepers. And then, we see in verse 24, "She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants." She works to gain an income. Let me repeat that.

In biblical times, the women were allowed and encouraged to make and sell goods as another means of income. I don't know how much I can stress this. Women, if you want to work, even if it is selling things on Etsy or whatnot part-time, then by all means, you can work! I know there are some women who have no desire to work outside of the home, and that is fine. But don't let any religious leader tell you that the Bible does not allow women to work. This is not true, and this theology should not be allowed to oppress anybody.

Let's see what else she does. She does good for her husband and not evil. What does this mean? Well, mainly, don't be disrespectful to your husband. But I think, as some of you are single like me, that it means don't disrespect anyone. She willingly works with her hands; She does things for her family because she wants to. If someone willingly does anything, it is probably something that brings them joy. She finds joy in providing for her family. She rises while it is yet night. I'm not going to lie, this seems to be strangely far-fetched for today's society. No one likes getting up before the crack of dawn, so this seems a little out there for most of us. But it helps her get things done, and have the most productive day possible. She provides food not only for her family, but for her servants as well. She treats everyone with equality and decency. No one under her roof goes without. She is business savvy; She considers a field and buys it. You need fields for one of two reasons. One, for crops. Two, for livestock. Now, in Israel, or at least in the Jerusalem area from what I have learned over the past few years, many people kept their livestock in collective groups, and they had big open hills where they take their livestock, especially their sheep, and as a community keep them and take care of them from there. So, the virtuous woman is most likely buying a field for crops, which means she has to know what kind of plant works with the soil in that field, what time that crop blooms and needs to be harvested, and what kind of profit her household is going to make from the crop. That's a lot to remember. She girds herself with strength and strengthens her arms. She doesn't sit around doing needlework all day, this woman is busy. She is involved in some kind of physical labor. She is not only mentally and emotionally strong, she is physically strong as well. 

She extends her hand to the poor. Again, she treats everyone with decency and respect. She gives what she can to those who need help. She makes sure her household is properly clothed and prepared for all seasons, and she does not fret when the winter comes. She opens her mouth and speaks with wisdom and kindness. There is no anger in her voice. She does not eat the bread of idleness; Again, she doesn't sit around and do nothing, she is an active participant and leader within her own home. Her children and husband call her blessed and give her praise.

So, we see the Bible praises women as an integral part of society and of a household. Women are permitted to work, and women can work and be good mothers. So what does this have to do with International Women's Day? Well, not much actually. But I wanted to show what I base my feminism on.

International Women's Day is all about women's rights. It is about equality for us, and respect for us as a gender. Around the world, women are subjected to violent patriarchal standards, and are not permitted to have the same freedoms that men are. It has gotten better, but is nowhere near where it should be. Women, we are the voice, and we need to stand up for those of us around the world who do not have the liberties that we have in Western society. So many women are forced into prostitution, slavery, and bondage because that is the last resort when you are needing to provide for your family. Women who work, are paid on average, less than half of what men across the globe is.

And you know what? This makes me angry. This hurts my heart. My heart breaks, my soul dies every time I hear a story about how these women across the world are not able to fend for themselves. That girls aren't getting an education they deserve. That they are continuing the cycle of poverty because they have no other choice. And it physically hurts my heart. How do I go about my life, with my set education, and my endless opportunities and say that I have no way to help them? Can I help them? I don't know. I feel so utterly hopeless when I look at the world and see how big the problem is and how small my actions are. 

But you would be dead wrong if you think that ever stops me from trying. That is why I write here. Because even though I do not have the ability nor the means to go and fight for my fellow women's freedoms, I have a voice. And you can bet your bottom dollar I'm going to keep writing until I no longer can. 

Women reading this, you are strong, and you are an integral part of our world. I am sorry for the oppression you may be facing wherever you are in this world, and I am sorry I cannot help you. My heart goes out to all of you on a daily basis, and I pray that you will one day have the equality and freedom that God wants you to have.

Emily E.

Update

I know, I know. It's been two months since I've written a real post. And you all are probably wondering why. Well, for several reasons. This semester has been busier than I thought it would be, and I have had to do a lot of research and writing for a lot of my classes, and I spent all my creative energies on that. I've also been doing a lot of stuff away from the computer, so when I get the idea for a post, I forget it by the time I get to a computer. But mostly, I just haven't been all that inspired to write anything. So, I'm sorry for being absent, but I don't think you are going to be seeing a lot of me in the near future either. There is still a half a semester left, and it is packed full of speeches, concerts, tours, and papers. After that, is graduation and then working my butt off over the summer to have as much money for college as possible before beginning my life at Liberty in the Fall. I'm sorry this is so short, but hopefully I'll have something of substance for you all soon.

Busy and loving it,
Emily E.

Mugshot Metaphor Project Submission

My style is like the weather. Bright, colorful and cheery one day, and sad, bleak, and gloomy the next. My style does not determine my outlook on life, nor does it define my life and my surroundings. My style will lead others to determine how they treat me though, whether it be good or bad. My style is like the weather, strong and confident. It embodies my personality, and it shines through the dark with the power of the sun. My style empowers me, it does not inhibit me. I make the best with what I've got, and I will not let it pull me down. My style is like the weather, ever changing and ever surprising. It changes with the seasons, and it never seems to stay constant. My style is like the weather, powerful and a force to be reckoned with. Not everyone will like my style; not everyone will like the weather. But do not judge me by my style, #judgemebythecontentofmycharacter.

My mind is like a tornado, constantly spinning and going and crashing through life. It takes an idea and turns it on its head, it obliterates it and leaves the pieces behind. It never stops until it runs out of energy, too exhausted to go on any farther. It leaves broken hearts and broken buildings in its wake. My mind is like a tornado. A buildup of pressurized passion mixed with the winds of creativity. My mind is like a tornado, spinning ideas into dreams and dreams into visions, and visions in goals. My mind will leave you bewildered, reaching for a stronghold against it's sheer knowledge. But do not judge me by my mind, #judgemebythecontentofmycharacter.

This was a project i had to do in Advanced Writing. We had to choose an aspect of us that is often misread or misunderstood and make it into a metaphor. I really enjoyed this assignment and thought I would share it with you all.

Emily E.

Domestic Skills and Reading Recipes

 

Last week, I had the opportunity to cook for my family twice. One recipe turned out quite successful, the other one did...not. Well, it did with the help of some maternal intervention. The first thing, some Brazilian cheese bread that is supposed to be for sandwiches (we ate it with our soup like pull apart bread), turned out delicious! I did exactly what the box said, and it all went smoothly. The second dish, a spinach and ham quiche, was almost a disaster. I did not properly read the recipe and almost made a nasty pie. Mom came and checked on it when I put it in the oven and fixed, though.

The recipe called for cream, but we didn't have any, so I just ignored that part. It also said to chop the spinach, which I didn't do. Mom then reminded me, that if I take something out of a recipe, I have to put something else in as a replacement, which in this case would be milk.

I think we as Christians do this sometimes. We will follow the plan God has set out for us, and everything will turn out great. Then we get prideful and say "God, do you see how well I handled that situation? I think I did pretty good, yeah? I don't need Your help this time, okay. Go take care of someone else." And we end up misreading the instructions (the Bible) and making one big mess. And then God steps in and reminds us that we need to read the instructions very carefully and do exactly what they say.

A recipe isn't there to keep you from having fun in the kitchen, is it? No, it gives you guidance on how to make (hopefully) delicious and healthy food that you can enjoy.  The same goes for God's Law. It is not to keep you from having free reign to do whatever you choose. It is there to help us along so that we may get the most out of this life and the next.

We all misread instructions from time to time, but God is good about watching His children and steering them back in the right direction.

Learning to read it all the first time,
Emily E.

My thoughts on Family

Thanksgiving and Christmas have come and gone, and I have realized two things about my family. One, I can't stand them. Two, I love them with all my heart.

If you are relatively close to your family, you will understand exactly what I am talking about. Some days, it is incredibly hard to want to be around your relatives and anyone else whom you share a blood relation with. And I don't write this with intent to be rude or mean, there are just things in everybody that I don't particularly like. And then I am obligated to interact with them for a whole day. It is very tiring.

But I love them all dearly. My family has taught me a lot of things. My family has taught me that no matter how much time we spend apart and not talking, we will always come back together as one. And this usually involves really good food. I've learned that every one has different ways of resolving conflicts, and some work and some don't. I've learned to be flexible. Plans change, people run late, things come up. I've also learned to to be open to people outside our families. If someone brings someone with them for you to meet, it's for good reason and they want to feel accepted and loved, just like your relative does. So be kind, and be open to change. And babies. Be open to dealing with rowdy and destructive babies. I find it funny, on my dad's side, we now have a new generation of cousins coming up. One is my brother, 4, one is our cousin, 3, and another is our second cousin once removed, 15 months. So that was an interesting Christmas.

Family is sometimes hard to be around, and that's okay, you can't choose your family, so sometimes you wind up being related to people who have no emotional connection with you. You just have to roll with it and take it as it comes. It'll be difficult, but you should always try to be kind, be courteous, and learn from them if you can. Because if there's another thing I've learned recently, is that your family isn't going to be around forever. I think maybe that's why all of my grandparents are being kind of weird lately. I think they all realize that life is getting shorter for them, and they want to make the best of it. My great-grandmother just passed away about two weeks ago, and it made me realize how wonderful she was. I could write a whole blog post on her, and I probably will, too. Anyway, it made me realize that our family are the most influential people within our lives, whether we like to admit that or not.

And there may be some of you who don't really have a family. And I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry you will never get to have the experience of a happy Christmas. I'm sorry you don't get to enjoy conversation across the table with people who love you. Or maybe you have a family, but they aren't supportive of you. And again, I'm so sorry. But you are beautiful, and you are meaningful, and you are not a waste of space. You are more than their judgments, you are more than their rude remarks. You are you, and that is good.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year,
Emily E.

Let's Talk About Death

My life seems to be permeated with death and the possibility of it recently. After all of our pets went to the vet, all of them have issues that cost too much to fix, and now all we can do is make them as comfortable as possible until their deaths. My cat has something in her lungs and heart, we don't know what, but she probably won't last many more months. One dog has cancer, and it's growing rapidly. The other dog has an enlarged heart, and is just plain old. They will die soon, and it will be so hard to handle.

I received news today that my great-grandmother went to be with Jesus earlier this morning, and the memorial service will probably be this weekend. She had a stroke eleven days ago, and hadn't gained the ability to swallow back. She had made it clear to my grandmother and her siblings that she did not want a permanent feeding tube, so she was moved to a high quality hospice center for comfort care. Mom and dad were just talking last night about going to visit her this weekend if she made it that long. God prepared our hearts for the end, but it still hurts a bit.

My great-grandparents were some of the godliest people I have ever met, and they lived their lives with a purpose and a passion for God and lost people that I have never seen in any other people. They were a team, and they traveled the world together looking to spread the name of Jesus and His wonderful salvation. He passed away about two years ago, and now she can finally be with her husband again, without the pain of disease and old age. I know they both were shown some of their impact near their last days, with my great-grandfather holding the eighth edition of his Old Testament Theology book in his hands, and with my great-grandmother being sent notes of how her scholarship at Belmont University helped make education available to students. They had such an impact on the world, and I don't doubt that hundreds of lives have been changed because of their willingness to follow God.

Death for Christians should not be a painful thing. Death has no true power of us, we still live for eternity in Heaven. Death means no more pain, no more suffering, no more anguish, no more sin. But for those of us left here, it still hurts. Why? Because we don't want to see them gone. We are selfish, we want them here with us. But we should take comfort in knowing, that if they are a Christian, and we are as well, there will be a reunion in Heaven, and it will be beautiful and joyous.

"O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55.
Emily

Bare Nakedness and the Problem of Privacy

Before you say anything, I am not going to talk about physical nakedness, okay. Just putting that out there.

No, I want to talk about spiritual and emotional nakedness. Because no one ever talks about that. I hear Christian leaders and bloggers say all the time, guard your heart, guard your heart, guard your heart. They say this in a way that does not mean, guard your heart from temptation, but rather you as a young women or young man need to put up walls so that no one can get to your heart, and see the real, genuine you. At least, that's how I've felt about it. And personally, that is what I've done. I've built up walls so no one can see who the genuine me is.

Do you want to know the genuine me? Well, get prepared.

I am dead.

What? Not what you were expecting? Me either. but it's true. I wake up so many days, and I feel dead. Dead to the world, dead to myself, dead in every sense of the word. But I am awake, and i am breathing, and my brain is functioning. So am I not dead? Or am I a zombie? functioning in the basic sense, but going through life as uninterested and lethargic as I have ever been? No, that can't be possible. I am a Christian, Christians aren't supposed to feel like this! But yet... I do.

And who can I talk to? I can't properly communicate with my parents about this. We've tried, it ended with me trying not to cry in a Chinese Buffet. My friends aren't in college, they aren't in similar situations to me. The two people that I used to turn to with questions have both moved to 4-6 hours away. I have no one who will understand. At least not here. so, I'm going to tell you all about it.

I have shut down. Emotionally, mentally, and I wouldn't be surprised that my body doesn't start shutting down and getting sick. I don't know how this happened, but I know that I hate it. I HATE living life in a blur, in a daze, going through the motions, not seeing, not feeling. And I can't find a way out.

Stress. This is what stress does. And it isn't acute stress, that which spurs you into action until you complete that which needs to be done. This is chronic, painful, overwhelming stress, and I don't think anyone understands that. I have a job that is constantly changing and screwing me over, I have classes that are coming to an end and one that I'm failing, I have things to be saving up for, and Christmas that I feel obligated to participate in, and applications to finish, and junk to get rid of, and it has swallowed me whole...

How did I let myself get this way? When did this happen? What is the point of going to college when I verge on the edge of a mental breakdown? How am I going to be a proper, productive adult in this society if I can't be productive within my own house?

And what do you care? Some people across the internet, on the other side of the computer screen, reading random words strung together. What amount of satisfaction does this bring to you? Why do you feel the ned to read my words, my stories? They do not affect your life, they do not have anything to do with you. But yet, here I am, pouring my broken, hurting soul and worries out to you. Is it going to make a difference? I don't know.

And if you are out there and you feel the same way, you aren't alone. We can get through this. I've always heard people say that the bad doesn't last forever, so it can't get much worse can it?

Emily E.