#well-rounded

I don’t care for Ginny, I just don’t. I’ve tried to figure out why and in rereading the series I’ve tried to give her another short but she just comes across to me as blah and her relationship with Harry comes out of nowhere to me. Obviously, he couldn’t have fallen in love with her from first glance when they were children, but while Harry will say that he slowly became friends with her and then fell in love, I just don’t see it. Even in my re-read, I found that Harry found her annoying, she was Ron’s sister and then, bam, he was “thinking back to their years of friendship” when I just didn’t see any friendship. Yes, they all hung out, but in a group and it never seemed close. Ginny hanging out with her friend Hermione and her friends then them all hanging out together.

Regardless of my feelings, Ginny Weasley was revolutionary and a badass. She is repeatedly shown to be intelligent and creative, funny, extremely loyal and moral, and athletic. Following the possession of her by Tom Riddle Jr. she is still extremely brave, fighting against Voldemort whenever she can, fighting against those who try to oppress or harm others and standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. In addition, she showed how girls should be confident with boys. She didn’t submit to them and it was written that boys didn’t want to date her because she was pretty but because of her personality—even thou they sometimes tried to one-up her.

As They’ve Understood

“…It is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Lu 4:8ESV “Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only…” Deut 6:13NIV.

If these were the only verses of the Bible you ever read, what would you think about God? What kind of god would you believe Yahweh, Jehovah God was?

Over the centuries, multiplied millions of souls grew up thinking God is an overbearing, egotistical Taskmaster, who enjoyed doling out punishment to people who sinned. Grace has always bene non-existent to them. Rules and regulations are stringently followed, according to their private or denominational interpretation. Being good enough is their only ‘way’ to heaven, but leads to hell.

These people, modern-day Pharisees, are pious, seeing themselves above other religions. They don’t trust other Christians spirituality, always trying to bait and argue their denominational points. 

“By their fruit you will recognize them… every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Mt 7:17-18 NIV. You can easily spot these Pharisees by checking for two fruits— love — grace. These people are devoid of love for even their own children, unless they follow every rule. And grace isn’t in their vocabulary, let alone their actions. Judgement is a favorite pastime.

I spent several hours talking with a lady, who, with her five siblings, had been raised in a Pharisee’s home. Never experiencing a hug, kiss, pat, ‘good job,’ nor smile really messed with her mind. At seventeen, she left home to make a life on her own, without parental permission or concern.

Can you wrap your mind around raising six children adopted between three and one years old and never loving them? They were your duty? My mind doesn’t even begin to wrap, even slightly, around this way of thinking. “Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from Him” Psm 127:3NLT.

What we pass on to our children creates their picture of God. Either He’s seen as THE loving Father, or God who doesn’t care about them. Satan works overtime to give children the example of abusive, unloving parents, especially dads. Then children will see God with this abusive. unloving  lens. 

Only two of the six adopted children became lovers of God, and that totally by ‘accident.’ They all despise religion. And the others despise God as they’ve understood Him to be. I believe, if they ever knew the God who loves them, they’d be lovers of God— for the one thing they’ve always longed for is to be loved. 

Other siblings I know were raised in a loving home, by co-pastors of a church. These pastors played with their children, attended every school function, hug and kissed the children frequently, disciplined their children lovingly, and taught the children scriptures, They’re now grown children involved in church, loving others, and two are youth-pastors. Each child is well-rounded, highly educated, funny, and are delights to be around. 

Religion is what every sinner hates. Religion destroys lives and makes enemies. Religion thwarts personal growth and promotes bad characters. Religion is what killed Jesus on the cross.

Jesus lovers love others and are filled with grace— Give of themselves, their time and resources— Wave I love you and peace banners, rather than hit you over the head with ‘you sinner,’ or ’look what I did for you.’

Which do you want to be? What do you believe about God? It’s your choice. You choose.

PRAYER: Abba Father, keep me from being religious. Draw hearts and my heart to be lovers of God— loved by God, in Jesus’ name I pray.

by Debbie Veilleux

No one asked, but here it is.