Vanity

There's a pretty good chance I've broken every one of the Ten Commandments in thought, word, or deed. But I have to say that one of them, for me, stands out as awfully hard to break.

I've intended to take the Lord's name in vain countless times, with an abysmal failure rate.

I scream "JESUS!" so energetically while narrowly averting a car wreck that any listener would imagine I'm taking His name in vain, but I'm a fraud, really. Often, I add "Mary, and Joseph!" and cross myself without even realizing it, and my cover is blown.

Bidden, or unbidden, He is present, and He tacitly turns my feeble attempts at blasphemy into answered prayers.

Still, the commandment gnaws at me today. Something about it makes me seek out a second opinion, just to verify my innocence.

"I doubt the commandment has much to do with cussing. I think it's about something else entirely," Doug says.

Oh-oh.

"I think it's about presenting yourself, your words, your lifestyle and your choices to others as if you're following the Lord, when you're not. It's about attaching His name to efforts He'd rather not be associated with. It's about being presumptuous enough to believe that God himself is behind all your schemes, plans and ideas without checking with Him first."

So, I'm ten for ten, after all.

Posted by Katy on 01/31/03 at 09:20 AM

Fallible Comments...

How true. I was discussing something similar with my friends recently... why is it that we all cannot accept God's timeline, and insist that things go OUR way?
-----
Posted by Maria on 02/02/03 at 02:13 PM
Maria--Of all the things there are to "accept," God's timing must be one of the most difficult. My husband is great at it. I, on the other hand....
Posted by katy on 02/03/03 at 07:11 AM
interesting perspective. guilty of all ten here as well. glad we're not judged according to the Law. don't think there are enough sacrifices in the world to cover my sin. glad He made a way, and that He doesn't mind questions and yelling and wailing sometimes
Posted by jill on 02/03/03 at 02:42 PM
Jill--Yes. Only one Sacrifice is acceptable, and my breaking of the law points me back to the perfect Sacrifice every time.
Posted by katy on 02/04/03 at 01:14 AM
Top notch.
Posted by [jp/p] on 02/04/03 at 08:21 PM
Wow. Nice post. Another way to say what Doug said so well: Using God's name vainly is using it to benefit myself. TV preachers come to mind. 10 for 10 huh? Are you using Jesus' standard when it comes to murder, that unloading innapropriate anger is just as bad, or are you a fugitive from justice? ;) 
Posted by Real Live Preacher on 02/10/03 at 08:45 AM
Dear Preacher, Ouch. Your def of using God's name in vain is just a little personal! So, if I pray my laundry list of requests (regardless of concern for whether or not those requests are according to God's will) and then add a flippant "in Jesus' name," that could (theoretically and hypothetically, of course) be taking God's name in vain? Well. Now you have, as they say, taken to meddling! ;) Yes, Jesus' standards all the way, since He is gracious enough to add His mercy to the mix. Otherwise, we'd all be fugitives from His justice--I'm not that great of a runner. :)
Posted by katy on 02/10/03 at 09:51 AM
Jesus' standard? Do we have to? Okay, I'm 10 for 10 with you and relying on Grace. 
Posted by Real Live Preacher on 02/26/03 at 12:36 AM
thanks!
Posted by name on 12/13/05 at 04:14 PM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Vanity There's a pretty good chance I've broken every one of the Ten Commandments in thought, word, or deed. But I have to say that one of them, for me, stands out as awfully hard to break. I've intended to take the Lord's name in vain countless times, with an abysmal failure rate. I scream "JESUS!" so energetically while narrowly averting a car wreck that any listener would imagine I'm taking His name in vain, but I'm a fraud, really. Often, I add "Mary, and Joseph!" and cross myself without even realizing it, and my cover is blown. Bidden, or unbidden, He is present, and He tacitly turns my feeble attempts at blasphemy into answered prayers. Still, the commandment gnaws at me today. Something about it makes me seek out a second opinion, just to verify my innocence. "I doubt the commandment has much to do with cussing. I think it's about something else entirely," Doug says. Oh-oh. "I think it's about presenting yourself, your words, your lifestyle and your choices to others as if you're following the Lord, when you're not. It's about attaching His name to efforts He'd rather not be associated with. It's about being presumptuous enough to believe that God himself is behind all your schemes, plans and ideas without checking with Him first." So, I'm ten for ten, after all. Posted by Katy on 01/31/03 at 09:20 AM Fallible Comments... How true.<br><br>I was discussing something similar with my friends recently... why is it that we all cannot accept God's timeline, and insist that things go OUR way? ----- Posted by Maria on 02/02/03 at 02:13 PM Maria--Of all the things there are to "accept," God's timing must be one of the most difficult. My husband is great at it. I, on the other hand.... Posted by katy on 02/03/03 at 07:11 AM interesting perspective. guilty of all ten here as well. glad we're not judged according to the Law. don't think there are enough sacrifices in the world to cover my sin. glad He made a way, and that He doesn't mind questions and yelling and wailing sometimes Posted by jill on 02/03/03 at 02:42 PM Jill--Yes. Only one Sacrifice is acceptable, and my breaking of the law points me back to the perfect Sacrifice every time. Posted by katy on 02/04/03 at 01:14 AM Top notch. Posted by [jp/p] on 02/04/03 at 08:21 PM Wow. <br><br>Nice post.<br><br>Another way to say what Doug said so well: Using God's name vainly is using it to benefit myself. TV preachers come to mind.<br><br>10 for 10 huh? Are you using Jesus' standard when it comes to murder, that unloading innapropriate anger is just as bad, or are you a fugitive from justice?<br><br>;)<br><br><br> Posted by Real Live Preacher on 02/10/03 at 08:45 AM Dear Preacher,<br>Ouch. Your def of using God's name in vain is just a little personal! So, if I pray my laundry list of requests (regardless of concern for whether or not those requests are according to God's will) and then add a flippant "in Jesus' name," that could (theoretically and hypothetically, of course) be taking God's name in vain? Well. Now you have, as they say, taken to meddling! ;)<br><br>Yes, Jesus' standards all the way, since He is gracious enough to add His mercy to the mix. Otherwise, we'd all be fugitives from His justice--I'm not that great of a runner. :) Posted by katy on 02/10/03 at 09:51 AM Jesus' standard? Do we have to?<br><br>Okay, I'm 10 for 10 with you and relying on Grace.<br> Posted by Real Live Preacher on 02/26/03 at 12:36 AM thanks! Posted by name on 12/13/05 at 04:14 PM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: Be Prepared Previous entry: Caption Captive << Back to main


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Personal blog of christianwriter & fallible momKaty McKenna Raymondin Kansas City, Missouri

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Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri