Day 2 of Oprah

Today's show was about friendship.
Martina Navratilova and Chris Everett were on first. Unlike Heather, I did know who they were. I remember watching them, or my brother's watching them rather, on TV.
I seriously want to be a tennis player now. I've always thought the outfits were cute, and tennis fans seem so dignified. But now I really want to be one! I want to go to Chris Everett's tennis academy. Except for the fact that I'm not 15, and there's nothing more pathetic that a grown person trying to learn something new that 5 year olds can whoop you at.
Okay, back on track.
I read Heather's post already, and she wrote something great on friendship. Go there and read it. She also reiterated that we are not trying to evaluate lost people's thoughts and actions and decide if they're okay. Our only goal here is to evaluate what we as Christians are taking into our homes and minds, epecially for those who are worshiping at the Oprah church faithfully.
Is Oprah's show entertaining? Yes. I was entertained so far this week.
This is my brief two point sermon, because as soon as I finish this, Rusty's going to fix us sundaes. Yes!

Point #1: This is a continuation from yesterday's post. Monday's show featured celebrities. Oprah regularly interviews celebrities because she knows everyone there is to know that's famous. She's Oprah.
There is definitely a ridiculous fixation on Hollywood in our country.
I wonder how many millions of dollars are spent each WEEK on magazines and shows and internet news JUST ABOUT CELEBRITIES.
Isn't this kind of strange, when you think about it?
I used to follow stuff like that a little, and now I don't.
I don't even want to get hooked into a People magazine front page. Why? We ought not idolize Hollywood stars for many obvious reasons, but as a woman, it makes me feel yuk about myself. When I see perfect bodies and perfect clothes and hair and make-up, how can I stand up against that?
I can't.
Weight is an issue for me. I think about it too much. I have written about this before. I gave up weighing myself more than a year ago. I haven't gone back. I've been so tempted a few times when I was in someone else's house, alone with a scale...no one would know. God would know and He's brought me too far on this issue. I have no idea what I weigh right now. I can't handle knowing what I weigh.
I know that when I am disappointed with that number, it will ruin my day, my week really, and it will ignite in me an obsessive thought pattern about my weight.
I can't have that.
I need to be fixed on Christ, on the eternal, not on what I weigh.
Nor should we be so fixed on things like clothes and glamour. These things will evaporate in the end. Meaningless. Completely worth nothing in the big picture.
I need to "set my mind on things above." Col. 3:1
So as Christian women, how can all that silly stuff be so important to us?
If you're like me, guard your mind. Be very careful about magazines, TV, whatever it is that sets your mind to work criticizing yourself. It's a discipline of my mind, and a true test in our contentment. God has been faithful to change me and the way I think over time in trusting Him on this.

Point #2: Vivian Stringer was the second guest, and she seemed like a very nice lady.
She had certainly faced a great deal of adversity, as a child and as a grown woman. She is the coach of the Rutgers women's basketball team. This is the team that was vicitim to the racist remarks of a sports radio host's remarks that make national news.
Ms. Stringer seemed to handle that with class. She seemed to be a very strong woman, despite the tragedy of a disabled daughter, losing her husband, and breast cancer.
The message was that we can turn to our friends in these times.
We can turn to ourselves. We can stand tall, which was the title of Ms. Stringer's book.
I just kept thinking, how sad to endure all these things and not know the Lord.
Vivian Stringer didn't speak of the Lord, and of course I haven't read her book, so I don't know. But when we watch people and hear their painful stories, though they seems quite corageous and victorious sitting on the Oprah stage, what does it really feel like to go to bed at night without hope?
If our hope is in ourself, I don't think I could bear that. I am sinful and destined to fail without the Lord.
When we lose a person close to us, what must that feel like? Where is your hope outside of knowing you will see them again for eternity?
Where is our comfort outside of knowing the Holy Spirit, who is called the Comforter in scripture?
We can turn to our friends. Friends are a blessing! God is good to me in His gift of friendship. But friends will fail you. They can't always be there. They will hurt you from time to time. They're human. Outside of our relationship with God, we don't really know how to be good friends anyway.
This is the reality for lost people. Their eternity will be damnation.
When need to pick people up and show them that our only hope is in Jesus.
We can't be brave enough, strong enough, classy enough, or good enough to save ourselves.
Sermon over. Bring on the sundaes.
I haven't watched Wednesday's episode yet, but I'm nervous. How weird is this New Earth stuff going to be?