The Lost Trait of RESPECT

Something dawned on me recently. 

People teach kids to have respect. They teach them to respect others, respect their bodies, respect people's stuff, respect the earth, etc. 

Respect means being kind to others even if/when they like different things or have different ideas or dreams. 

Somehow many adults seem to have forgotten this concept. And what's worse are Christians who can't even respect other Christians. 

We do not have all the same beliefs. We do not all share the same dreams. We do not all possess the same abilities and talents. And this is okay because God made us to be so. He created diversity in the universe, in the plant kingdom, in the animal kingdom, and in humans. 

So when someone else has a different idea or belief about something, listening is the wisest action. But I have learned that a lot of people cannot and will not listen to someone else who believes differently, no matter what the topic is. They have ears but not to hear. They have a heart, but it remains closed. In short, they do not respect. This is to their own detriment. Maybe they will lose a relationship. Maybe they'll lose the chance to share Jesus with the person. Maybe they'll lose respect from the other person. But they will definitely lose the opportunity to grow. To learn. To show empathy. 

To illustrate respect, I have a few pictures from Elephant and Piggy book.  

Piggy has a dream. An idea. Piggy decides he will fly. 

Elephant has 2 choices: either to encourage and try to help Piggy's dream come true or discourage and belittle Piggy so he will give up the idea. 

Elephant chose to speak some harsh words. 

Side note: Be careful when you use the words "always" and "never." When spoken to a person, "you always do...." or "you never...", they are blaming/accusatory words that eventually erode trust and build walls. 

Later in the story kind duck acknowledges Piggy's dream when he listens to what Piggy says. And he gives an offer to help. He showed support and that is what Piggy needed. He didn't need a lecture from elephant about how he cannot fly. He needed someone to come along side and say, "I will help you." 

And because of duck's kind heart, Piggy ended up flying. He couldn't accomplish his dream on his own. He needed a helping hand. Someone who respected his idea and was willing to lift him up.

Many women have told me, "I wish I could have done...." and they insert a dream they had. 

Why didn't they chase it? 

Lack of respect. 

When women encounter setbacks, we naturally tend to shut down, question ourselves, wonder if it was even a good idea to begin with, give up, maybe try later, or maybe not. Men, on the other hand, push through, climb over the obstacles, find a way. We're made differently. 

I see it in the boys and girls at school. Girls will give up. Teachers have to give encouragement. "Keep going! You can do it! Go this way! Come on!"  However, the boys will finish with little to no encouragement. 😄

So when I hear a woman say, "I always wanted to do...," I feel so sad for her because she probably had parents or authority figures in her life who did not show respect. And if she was strong enough to push through despite the negativity, perhaps there was another kind person that spoke some simple words. "I believe in you." "You can do it." "I will help you." "Don't give up." 

Respect is not just a concept for children to learn. Adults need to be taught it too. 

Like I said before, this generation can change. The world can change. The lost trait of respect can come back. And it starts with one person. One family. 

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." ~ Proverbs 1:7

God's Broken Mirror

We're continuing this topic of the Foundation of the Imago Dei.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

~ Genesis 1:26-27

When God’s full heart is reflected in a two-parent home, it reveals something good and whole. But when that balance breaks—when a child grows up with only one parent—God’s heart breaks too. A child cannot fully understand what God is like by seeing only a father or only a mother.

And when parents don't love correctly, this affects the children. How many people say they have a hard time understanding and believing that God the Father loves them unconditionally when their own earthly father did not? There's a lot. 

This imbalance has become common in our world, and it shows. Many children grow up confused and wounded because one parent tries to fill both roles. A mother may try to be both strong and tender, both leader and nurturer, both provider of justice and mercy. But that’s not how God designed it. One person cannot embody both halves of His image in the same way a mother and father together can.
As a result, many children grow up missing a part of the picture of who God is. If they never heal or relearn what’s true, they carry those misunderstandings into adulthood—and into their own families. The cycle repeats again and again.
When people reject God’s design, confusion and brokenness follow. Some fathers now encourage their girls to become boys, saying no one will love or marry them since they're ugly or otherwise.

 (This is another topic for another time but why is marriage brought up most frequently? They don't say, "you're so ugly you won't be able to find a job." No, it's, "you're so ugly no one will want to marry you." As if marriage is some sort of goal they need to strive towards.) 

Some parents constantly speak lies and negativity into their children’s hearts. Other children hear it and repeat the same to their siblings. These wounds grow into insecurity and dysfunction that pass from one generation to the next.

But when a girl grows up with a father and mother who understand God’s image and teach her his truth, she learns to be secure in who she is—as a woman created in God’s image. She doesn't long to become a man because she knows her identity reflects a beautiful and essential part of God’s heart.
Likewise, when a boy grows up with parents who model God’s design, he learns to be secure in who he is—as a man made in God’s image. He doesn’t feel the need to act like a woman or take on traits that belong to her side of God’s heart.

Even non-believers who raise their children to embrace their natural gender can help them grow up confident and whole. When children learn to value who they were made to be—male or female—they can walk securely in their identity, reflecting God’s image more clearly to the world.

I've worked a lot in broken families, and it absolutely breaks my heart. I can't imagine God's heart. 

This is another rabbit trail, but something I noticed is that the kids spend most of the time with the mom, even though she has to work. This just shows me the amazingness of women. They’re often the ones who show up for their kids’ performances, take them to sports practice, plan activities, schedule babysitters, make holidays special, manage appointments and housework, and still do their best to be present—all while working another job.Meanwhile, some dads complain about paying child support while the mom carries the greater weight.

Not all women are daughters of God, but I believe every woman holds a special place in his heart. And he takes notice of those who hurt them instead of protecting and cherishing them.

God’s broken mirror—his image reflected in people—can be restored when we return to his original design. It starts with one person. One man can choose to break the generational curses in his family. One woman can choose to break hers. Together, they can create a new pattern—a better one—that helps mend God’s heart in the world.

The Foundation of Imago Dei

People often think they know what words mean, and they might. Until they have to teach them to someone else. I had this experience when I came to Genesis 1:26-27. 

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 I’ve discussed it with adults before but this time I had to teach it to children. And children who don’t understand or speak English as their first language at that. So I pondered the meaning for days and how I could teach this important verse in a way they could understand. And I think I found a way.

Every week we take a selfie. And I ask each person, "is this you? Is this so-and-so?"

At first they said “yes!” Then I explained, “no, it’s not you. It’s only a picture of you. It shows me what you look like but it’s not you. See, your face is different now than in the photo. It only shows me you at one point in time.” Now they are catching on.

Well, in the same way, we are not God. But he made us in his image meaning that we display a picture of him to the world.  We are not like God physically, but in other ways, yes.

God reasons. So can we.

God shows compassion. So can we.

God creates. So can we.

God displays emotion. So can we.

God loves and gives. So can we.

God helps. So can we.

God protects. So can we.

God gives out justice. So can we.

God knows right from wrong. So do we.

 
You noticed that God did not just create Adam to embody all these characteristics. All these together make up God’s whole heart. But Adam was just half of God’s heart, and Adam represents males. Then God created Eve. By herself Eve is just a half of God’s heart as well. She represents the females. Then God established marriage in the very beginning. He said the male and female are one flesh in marriage.

 Now let’s categorize men and women in general and with their mostly dominant traits. I know that women can have masculine energy and men can have feminine energy and some characteristics overlap in each gender. I also know that some men don’t embody these normal masculine traits and women the same. I’m categorizing them, though, according to what their natural dominant traits are.

Men show God’s masculine qualities in:

~ strength

~ leadership

~ sacrifice

~ courage

 
Women show God’s feminine qualities in:

~ compassion and comfort

~ gentleness and nurture

~ faithful love

~ creativity

~ wisdom

 

Now let’s look at how they work together.

*Strength joins tenderness.

*Leadership joins wisdom.

*Protection joins nurture.

*Justice joins mercy.

Amazing, right?! Thanks, Lord! God's creation is the best.  

Males show some parts of God’s heart, like strength, courage/bravery. Females show other parts like kindness, love, and tenderness. When they work together, we can see more of what God is like – his full heart. 

God is: 
- strong and just
- gentle and merciful and caring
-wise and creative
-patient and powerful

When a man and woman gets married, each has half of God’s heart. When united, they create a full heart of God. And in this way God’s heart can be displayed to the next generation because each gender is created to display parts of God.

This concept probably is one of the most important to explain clearly to children, but yet it is completely pushed aside. Curriculums for Sunday schools don't teach it, parents don't teach it, and neither do books. 

Yes, authors write books for children about what it means to be made in God's image, but they all treat boys and girls equally while emphasizing universal qualities like love, kindness, creativity, respect, and uniqueness. The core message teaches that reflecting God's image is about how you act, treat others, and value yourself - not your gender. 

Now there is truth to this. But is it the whole truth? 

No. 

Therefore, it's a lie because it's withholding some truth. And people wonder why the world is a mess. 

Satan is not against this kind of teaching. It's just enough truth to make Christians think "yes, this is a good book to teach my kids about how important they are to God." 

I'm not saying that being made in God's image doesn't include the things listed. Absolutely. And because every single person bears the image of God, he is absolutely precious and valued just because he's a human made in God's image. 

But I'm not talking about value or uniqueness of a person. 

I'm talking about the withholding of full truth from children who grow up confused about who they are, insecure with the way God made them, and turn to people who feed them lies because it affirms their inner feelings. 

How's this kind of teaching working out? 

Horrible. 

Because parents have not taught their kids that God created males and females with their own specialties and uniqueness and that each bears a part of God's heart, God's original plan has been destroyed. 

Everyone is equal in the way that we each are made in God's image. 

Everyone is equal in the way that we are each valuable and precious to God. 

Everyone is equal in the way that Jesus offers salvation to each. 

But men and women are not equal in body or roles. 

Men can do some things better than women. 

Women can do some things way better than men. 

Women can probably do almost all of the same things men can do. 

But that doesn't mean they should.  

By teaching this lie that boys and girls are equal, by muddying the distinct roles God planned, it's no wonder we have women acting like men and men acting like women. The roles are almost reversed. 

We have over-mothered and under-fathered boys who grow up into a man's body but are still mentally little boys. And no surprise that women have a mind not to get married nowadays. 

If we taught our kids to embrace their specific roles and actually had parents who lived out the roles in the home, the whole world would change. 

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. 

~ Genesis 5:1-2

The Best Year

August 2024 - August 2025 ranks as probably the first- or second-best year of my life, and I never want to forget it. 

Do you have a year you don't want to forget? 

If we don't have things that remind us, we'll most likely forget. That's why God had the children of Israel set up landmarks - so they would remember what he did for them.

God is a true father. His love surpasses any earthly father's love. 

He values us more than the sparrows, he bends to listen when we pray, he is never too busy to care, and he walks with us which means we never have to be afraid no matter what we face. 

He heals the broken heart, comforts the scared heart, strengthens the weak heart, and cheers the sad heart. 

To follow him on the path he leads us requires faith. Walking with him in faith means we can't always see what's next. And sometimes at the end of the day when we've done what's right and we're scared about the next day because of the unknown and we cry HELP!!, he helps. He provides. He strengthens. 

Maybe following God means you need to walk through a trial or pain. In the midst of grief or trials, choosing faith will not eliminate the pain or the questions. It will not create a logical explanation. But it will remind you that God is in control. 

We have the opportunity to take our pain and lay it at Jesus' feet.

And our faith will result in a closeness to God. 

This whole year I watched God literally provide day by day and help when I didn't know what to do. He performed miracle after miracle. So, whenever I have small faith and start to doubt, I stop. I think of this year and say, look what God did. 

Remember. 

August Memories

 I know August came and went almost 3 months ago, but it still needs to be mentioned. :) Here's a picture overview. 

I visited this beach with my 3 young friends, and we found a dead baby hammerhead shark.

This is the underside. It was still very squishy meaning it had recently died. Probably got stuck when the tide went out. 

Please pray for Keira's, Blaise's, and Marion's salvation. We discussed Catholicism (this is what they're learning), heaven, hell, and salvation. Pray someone else in their life will share Jesus with them again. The Truth makes people free and heals brokenness. Not Mary. Not a set of beads or a repetitive prayer. These precious kids need to know Jesus's love. 

Ate at the best Japanese restaurant with my sister friend Jan. If you've never tried Japanese Yum Yum sauce, it is the bomb. 

God's paintings

I spent a lot of time with these friends. When the rain prohibited us from swimming at the pool, Marion and Blaise did the next best thing - play in the rain. :) 

After the rain....

Pray for my 2 other friends Reagan and her sister Riley. We got to talk a great deal about God, mythology, fake gods, and salvation and heaven. Pray they both hear the gospel again and accept Jesus into their hearts. 

This day we cooked pancakes in different shapes.....

And then walked to the library. :) 

And then went to the park.

This dear. She is a gem, and I miss her fellowship. She is a true strong woman of God. 

Aug. 11th I found this park to explore. 

All the animals you can possibly see. I only saw a bird and wild horses. 

Wild horses - looks like they have some skin issues. 

I climbed the lookout tower to see a spectacular view of the scene.

Then on the 14th a friend and I walked through 2 parks. 

This is a sinkhole 120 ft. deep. Since there was no water in it, we stopped halfway down the steps. 

The long sidewalk invites the visitor to meander through the wetlands. I could stare at this scenery all day long. Simply exquisite. 

So many alligators here.

A storm on the horizons provided us with a lightning show and amazing sky views. 

Other wildlife: birds, deer, sandhill cranes, rabbit

I miss Charlotte. She's a true treasure friend and we enjoyed a really great conversation. 

Treasure friend Jan and I stopped by a taco place one evening to talk together for the very last time. 

We tried to spend as much time together before I moved. God knew I needed a friend like her, so he led me to my new home in Orange Park. She taught me so many valuable lessons and practical things just by living. Teaching doesn't have to be in a classroom. If you watch and listen closely to others, they'll teach you something by their living or their life experiences. You just need to open your eyes and ears. I believe experience is not the best teacher (even though yes, you can learn from them) - other people are. 

Sunset

On my way to watch the sunrise at the ocean on a Saturday, I met with an unfortunate accident. At least I could view the rising sun from the bridge.

Sun. Aug. 17th a past Sunday school teacher and I reunited at this Chinese restaurant that served delicious food. This time together encouraged us both greatly and she taught me some lessons God taught her through her recent sadness of becoming a widow.

And I already wrote about Lauren in a separate post, but we had the grandest time together exploring a fort and hiking. 💜

The End. :)