[Gospelchristianity] Guys and Gals

[Robinson B. Heath]

Here is the email I talked about tonight.  John and I worked things  
out.  Please talk to me whoever asked John about meeting separately.   
I have some confessions to make.

------------

I'd be one of the first to call for transparency in the group.   
However, transparency is messy.  Well, get ready for a mess.  Here is  
more what it is like to live in my house.  I am the first to admit  
that there is probably all kinds of sin wrapped up in my attitude  
about this, and I am ready to be called on it.  That doesn't mean I'll  
think every evaluation is right, but I will seriously think about what  
you say.  I have tried to work it out with Courtney, but she isn't  
feeling well.  I have prayed about it, and HS doesn't seem to be  
giving any respite.

My first reaction to this email was intense internal anger.  Here are  
some of the thoughts that went through my head:
What kind of response is this to me reminding everyone of the schedule  
we had already established?
I've never been a big believer in democracies and their decision  
making skills.
I've already made a decision to not act on this suggestion when it was  
made to my wife.  I think meeting in a mixed group is good.
Why don't people make suggestions like this to me?  Shouldn't I be the  
first to ask?
I hate it when people do not follow proper protocol.

A second wave of thoughts then interjected themselves:
Didn't we already decide as a group that we would meet as guys on the  
first Monday and then split on another week?  I know we haven't  
exactly done this, but still we did decide it.
Though I don't think it should matter, sex does, and it is good to  
meet in segregated groups at times.
Is there a reason to change the plan?
Did the suggestion come before or after my email?
Is this an alternate plan or just a singular event?
Are we changing the plan on purpose?

I can tell from the intense emotion that something probably isn't  
right.  Something is out of balance.

Courtney's suggestion was that I might be feeling like my authority is  
being usurped.  I am somewhat uncertain as to what my authority is,  
but I tend to have this kind of reaction when any authority is  
usurped.  Maybe it is a guy thing or just a Heath thing, but I have a  
strong (maybe too strong) of a belief in authority and following  
protocol whether I am on top or bottom.  It usually bothers me like  
this when I see someone go around authorities even more than against  
them.  I want to make excuses about why I think this should be  
upsetting, but when it comes down to it, I can tell there is something  
off about the degree of my offense.  It is just out of proportion.  It  
is typical for idolatry to look like righteous indignation.  It is  
subtle because there really are good reasons to be upset.  There just  
aren't good reasons to be that  upset.

John, I am not angry with you.  Other party, I am trying not to be  
angry with you.  I can't say I haven't speculated as to whom it is.   
This is another thing that makes me think I am wrong here.

I want to move on, but I don't want this anger to be an occasion for  
sin to take root.

I hate to show the sinner that I am, but there it is.  I guess my vote  
is go back to the plan or change it if we don't think it will work.

I am open to suggestions as to where my idolatry lies.  I am pretty  
sure it will be obvious to someone.

On Feb 23, 2009, at 9:16 PM, asuecleaver at aol.com wrote:

> My vote is to split Friday night into guys and gals, separate houses.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John and Jill MacLaughlin <jjmacl at att.net>
> To: GospelChristianity at midnighthour.org; Robinson B. Heath <heath at rsqrd.com 
> >
> Sent: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 5:36 pm
> Subject: Re: [Gospelchristianity] Guys and Gals
>
> It was mentioned to me that there was the request that the Guys meet  
> on Friday at one persons house and the Gals meet at another house on  
> Friday.
>
> So, we could meet on Friday and segregate or we could all meet  
> together on Friday and the guys could meet here the following Monday.
>
> Majority rules!!
>
> --- On Sun, 2/22/09, Robinson B. Heath <heath at rsqrd.com> wrote:
> From: Robinson B. Heath <heath at rsqrd.com>
> Subject: [Gospelchristianity] Guys
> To: GospelChristianity at midnighthour.org
> Date: Sunday, February 22, 2009, 11:41 PM
>
> I just thought I'd mention it early, but Monday March 2 would be the  
> first
> Monday of March, so the guys will be getting together at John's (If he
> approves).
>
> I enjoyed talking with Paul, John, and Aaron today at Salgado's.  We  
> split
> by sexes as usual.  Hey sexes is a palindrome.
>
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