Down to the bottom

Chorus:
We've been down to the bottom
Stories we got 'em, when we hit rock bottom
If you been there put your hands in the air
To let the lost know that someone cares

Cause we've been down to the bottom
Stories we've got 'em, when we hit rock bottom
If you been there put your hands in the air
And let somebody know that the Most High cares
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I really love this song. Too often, people are literally chased away from God and a relationship with him by *Christians* who judge them, tell them they are going to hell, tell them they are unlovable, they've gone too far, done too much, blah, blah, blah.

LIES!!!!! I remember a point in my life where I thought that one day I'd clean up my mess of a life and then I'd return to God. It hit me like a ton of bricks one day that if I could fix the mess of a life I was living, I wouldn't need God. Jesus didn't come for the *holy*. He didn't hang out with the high priests and holy leaders. He hung out with those whom the *religious* had turned away. He hung out with liars and thieves, the poor and infirmed. He hung out with women others looked down upon. And he didn't condemn them. He just loved them. He still does. And the one command He left us with is to Love. And not to love those who love us, but to love our enemies. To me that means never judging the actions of another person. I do not know their heart. I sure would hate to be labeled by what I do on a bad day. And yes, Christians have bad days! We even make bad choices sometimes. But we can always go back, we can never stray too far for God to reach us. He's bigger than that.

Do we get a *free pass* for doing wrong because of the forgiveness freely offered by God? Of course not. I don't do *the right thing* because I think I'm better or because I think it'll get me extra Christian points. My heart has been changed, and I'm led to do better things. It feels good. My heart is at peace. It gives me joy to help someone else.

This is where Christianity and unschooling meet for me. I believe Jesus was a radical unschooler. He would pick a place along the way to wherever He was headed and tell stories. He'd take the oportunity to point out new ideas, new ways to think about what we believe. He challenges us to really look at what we believe and why, to examine and expand our comfort zones. He never said, "You have to know this to get into heaven," followed by a list of rules. He infact despised those who followed the letter of the Law and considered themselves *holy* for it. It isn't what we do that gets us to Heaven, it's what He did. It's not because of who we are, but because of who He is. I believe it is far more important for me to teach my son to love, to be compassionate, to be giving, to admit mistakes, and to love God than it is to teach him algebra. When (& if) he needs/wants to know algebra, he'll learn it. And he'll master it quickly becasue he wants to learn it. Teaching life skills requires modeling, so I'm constantly questioning my own actions - "is this what I want to teach my son?". It amazes me how much I learn from my child.

As usual, I've rambled. Just wanted to share a song with ya!