Since Rick Perry threw his had into the Presidential race a couple of weeks ago I have heard a number of "educated" commentators making fun of the way he speaks. Perry, being from Texas, speaks differently than we do in South Carolina, but it is still a Southern accent. I am tired of people prejudging us Southerners by the way we speak. Many people across the nation, when they hear a Southern accent think "ignorant" or "stupid." I would like to make the argument that we Southerners are, in fact, smarter than those from North of the Mason-Dixon line.
In the last 50 years or so, the majority of the men elected to the office of the Presidency have been Southern. LBJ and the Bush's were from Texas, Carter from Georgia and Bill Clinton from Arkansas. Even though Reagan was from California, he lived on the Rancho del Cielo and had more "good ole boy" in him than most. That means that most of the country for the past 50 years have entrusted the governing of this nation the majority of the time to a Southerner.
The South has also contributed such talent as Tennessee Williams and Lewis Grizzard to the world of literature, Forest Whitaker and Reese Witherspoon to the world of acting, and Elvis Presley and B.B. King to the world of music. This is just to name a few. Just think of Dr. King making his "I Have A Dream" speech with a Northern brogue - it just doesn't have the same meaning does it?
One of the reasons I think that we Southerners are so smart is we spend more time and effort on things that actually matter and less on the way we speak. In my opinion, Yankees put way too much effort into the simple act of talking. For instance, my Northern brothers and sisters pronounce the sweet liquid used on pancakes and waffles as "seer-up." How do we Southerners pronounce it - "sirp". That is just one example. Just think how much time and effort we save my dropping the occasional syllable from a word or adding a syllable or two to a word to add emphasis without having to say another whole word.
I would like to change the way people think of people with a Southern accent. A lot of broadcasters from different parts of the country go to school to lose their accent and learn to speak "Standard English" in hopes of making themselves sound more intelligent. I would propose if they really want to sound intelligent they should learn to speak with a Southern accent. On second thought, that is not a good idea. You have to be born with a Southern accent in order to speak it properly. Think about it, most of the time when a Northern actor attempts a Southern accent they sound more mentally handicapped than Southern.
In closing, I would just like to ask my Northern friends to please not judge us by the way we speak. Think of all the contributions we have made to society. Y'all must not hate us too much because y'all fought a war a few years ago to keep us part of your Union. I'll make a deal with you, if you will stop making fun of the way we speak and assume that we are less intelligent, I'll try to do the same for you. After all, we are all Americans.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Giving A Tenth
As I write this, I am wearing steel-toed shoes because I am stepping on my own toes. Before you close this page thinking, "Christopher is wanting me to give my money away" please note that I am not talking about just money when I speak of tithing. (Although it has been my experience that the only people who get offended when the subject of monetary tithing arises are those who do not do so.)
It may be hard for some of you to believe that such a good-looking and talented writer as myself is not a millionaire, but at the time of this writing I am not a high-income earner. However, I have never had a problem with giving God the first 10% of the money He has allowed me to manage. I know that God does not need the small amount I am able to place in the offering plate, but it is an exercise in obedience. No matter how little you have if you give the first 10% (as commanded by scripture) back to God you are in essence saying, "God I trust you to provide my needs enough to do as you commanded."
Many of my fellow believers do not have a problem with sharing the monetary assets they have been blessed with, but I wonder how much we "tithe" on our other assets. Many of us seem to be busier than ever before. How many times have we given God what is left over of our time instead of the first 10%?
Our Lord tells us in Matthew 25:36, "Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me." In verse 40 He explains, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." It doesn't cost anything to go to a nursing home and visit with some of our seasoned citizens who are spending their last days this side of eternity. How many of us have clothes that we do not wear that we could donate to those who have virtually nothing? Very little time does it take to walk up to a police officer or soldier and say, "Thank you for protecting us."
For years I have had my personal devotion time before I go to bed. In and of itself there is nothing wrong with this, but so many times I fall asleep while praying to the Almighty. I often think of when Jesus said to his disciples when they had fallen asleep in the garden, "could ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matt. 26:40)
Again, this blog posting is more to me than anyone else. Even if we gave all of our money and all of our time to the service of the one and only God, it would not be enough. I think of the words of the song "God With Us" written by Chris Tomlin and performed by MercyMe that says, "Such a tiny offering/ Compared to Calvary/ Nevertheless, we lay it at your feet." The next time we are tempted to give God what is left over of us, let us remember that He gave us His all.
It may be hard for some of you to believe that such a good-looking and talented writer as myself is not a millionaire, but at the time of this writing I am not a high-income earner. However, I have never had a problem with giving God the first 10% of the money He has allowed me to manage. I know that God does not need the small amount I am able to place in the offering plate, but it is an exercise in obedience. No matter how little you have if you give the first 10% (as commanded by scripture) back to God you are in essence saying, "God I trust you to provide my needs enough to do as you commanded."
Many of my fellow believers do not have a problem with sharing the monetary assets they have been blessed with, but I wonder how much we "tithe" on our other assets. Many of us seem to be busier than ever before. How many times have we given God what is left over of our time instead of the first 10%?
Our Lord tells us in Matthew 25:36, "Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me." In verse 40 He explains, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." It doesn't cost anything to go to a nursing home and visit with some of our seasoned citizens who are spending their last days this side of eternity. How many of us have clothes that we do not wear that we could donate to those who have virtually nothing? Very little time does it take to walk up to a police officer or soldier and say, "Thank you for protecting us."
For years I have had my personal devotion time before I go to bed. In and of itself there is nothing wrong with this, but so many times I fall asleep while praying to the Almighty. I often think of when Jesus said to his disciples when they had fallen asleep in the garden, "could ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matt. 26:40)
Again, this blog posting is more to me than anyone else. Even if we gave all of our money and all of our time to the service of the one and only God, it would not be enough. I think of the words of the song "God With Us" written by Chris Tomlin and performed by MercyMe that says, "Such a tiny offering/ Compared to Calvary/ Nevertheless, we lay it at your feet." The next time we are tempted to give God what is left over of us, let us remember that He gave us His all.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Hot Summer, Cold Churches
As another weekend approaches, one of the things I look most forward to is the opportunity to worship my Lord and Savior with a group of believers on Sunday morning. I can't say that I have always felt this way. For years I attended a church that was, to be quite honest, dead. The pastor and most of the members seemed to be just going through the motions of playing church instead of having actual worship services. I found myself in a quandary when witnessing to non-believers because I knew that if they visited the church I was attending, they would likely never attend another service. Being in a church that was once a bright shining light but has lost its fire can be a bad experience. To quote those two great theologians, Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, "There's nothing cold as ashes after the fire is gone."
I am happy to report that I am now attending a church who has not lost its fire. Despite the fact that they are currently looking for a senior pastor, the church seems to be growing. Not only the leadership, but the members seem to have a zeal for reaching the community with the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ, often using new and innovative methods. The late Adrian Rogers once said, "The seven last words of churches today might be, we never did it that way before."
That got me to pondering why churches die. I think the pastor has a lot to do with it, but he does not bear all of the responsibility. I am convinced a church cannot die unless a majority of their members have "left [their] first love." (Revelation 2:4) Many members of churches hold their traditions in more high esteem than the souls of the lost.
Please do not misunderstand me, a church should NEVER compromise their principles or the Gospel, but man-made traditions and personal preferences of seasoned citizens may be a turn off to the younger generation. I am not saying that there is not a place for traditional worship. God knows that no church can afford to lose the wisdom of godly men and women who have been walking with Him for many years. The church should follow the leadership of Paul when he said, "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22) Again, not compromising the gospel but meeting people with that gospel on their own individual levels.
If anyone reading this feels they are attending worship services at a cold church, I would first urge you to do some soul searching to make sure that the fire in your belly is still going strong. You may be one of the reasons the church is so cold. If you are still on fire, then before making a move to another body of believers, always seek the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It may just be your fire in which that particular church needs to set them on fire again. I can only speak for myself and I am glad that I heeded the guidance of the Holy Spirit to worship at the church I am currently attending. May you have a truly blessed weekend.
I am happy to report that I am now attending a church who has not lost its fire. Despite the fact that they are currently looking for a senior pastor, the church seems to be growing. Not only the leadership, but the members seem to have a zeal for reaching the community with the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ, often using new and innovative methods. The late Adrian Rogers once said, "The seven last words of churches today might be, we never did it that way before."
That got me to pondering why churches die. I think the pastor has a lot to do with it, but he does not bear all of the responsibility. I am convinced a church cannot die unless a majority of their members have "left [their] first love." (Revelation 2:4) Many members of churches hold their traditions in more high esteem than the souls of the lost.
Please do not misunderstand me, a church should NEVER compromise their principles or the Gospel, but man-made traditions and personal preferences of seasoned citizens may be a turn off to the younger generation. I am not saying that there is not a place for traditional worship. God knows that no church can afford to lose the wisdom of godly men and women who have been walking with Him for many years. The church should follow the leadership of Paul when he said, "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22) Again, not compromising the gospel but meeting people with that gospel on their own individual levels.
If anyone reading this feels they are attending worship services at a cold church, I would first urge you to do some soul searching to make sure that the fire in your belly is still going strong. You may be one of the reasons the church is so cold. If you are still on fire, then before making a move to another body of believers, always seek the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It may just be your fire in which that particular church needs to set them on fire again. I can only speak for myself and I am glad that I heeded the guidance of the Holy Spirit to worship at the church I am currently attending. May you have a truly blessed weekend.
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