Poetry Isn't for Wimps

I went to a yardsale about a month ago and got a book of poetry. It is over 70 years old and has "101" poems. Pretty cool. What is interesting is the amount of famous male poets in the book. However, even though many famous poets have been male, try explaining the masculine characterstics of writing poetry to a group of Junior High Schoolers or to High Schoolers. I haven't tried it yet, but my English teaching heart goes out to any teacher who is trying to make poetry appealing to her male students. It's kind of like playing piano or nursing. Although beneficial to the masses, they're both still considered more feminine paths.
Sometimes, we limit ourselves from doing things that we would enjoy or be good at because of the stigma attached to the activity. Influenced by the opinion of others, we decide, "Well, I just won't try that. I mean, I didn't really want to anyway. . ." Not that other people's opinions don't matter, but we tend to take what we think people will think way too far. In addition to being afraid that people will mock us, we might think they will assign motives to what we are doing: "Oh, he is just playing the piano because he wants to win a contest."
You know what, who cares? We need to stop cowering in the shadow of presumed public opinion. If you have a talent or an interest, pursue it! You never know how God will use it. His opinion is the one that truly matters. Seek to glorify him and shine!

Sin is Like a Mess on the Floor

Peanut butter sandwiches. They taste good, but the creation of the sandwich is the creation of a mess. You want the sandwich, but afterwards, it can be easy to be lazy. You don't feel like cleaning up after lunch. Why? Becuase it takes effort. You want to relax. However, as we all know, if you don't clean up the mess, then it is still there at dinner. Now, you can delay cleaning and just leave the bread and peanut butter out, let the crumbs stay on the counter, put the plate in the sink, and make dinner around the mess. But the mess is still there.
Or, instead of working around the mess, you have option number two: hiding the mess. Many single people can attest to that. I know of a man who used to keep some of his dirty cereal bowls underneath the sink. Talk about disgusting. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
Either way, the issue has not been resolved, it has only been avoided. Sin works in a similar fashion. When you have something that needs to be "cleaned up" you have a few options (with only one being the right option). Say you bought a movie you should not have. You can leave it on your shelf and just never watch it, or you can hide it so that you try to appease yourself by not thinking about it. Or you can avoid the evil all together and throw it in the trash. Chances are, if you leave it in your house it will still bother you. Don't let sin have that power. Claim the victory.
Or maybe it's a problem with a person. You have sinned against him/her. The knowledge of that unconfessed sin will keep you from moving forward with that Christian family member because it restricts your spiritual liberty. You feel burdened by it; it's on your mind when you talk to that person. It's on your mind at church. You can get it out or keep it in, but you make the choice to do either.
Don't let the mess control you. Go about it like Christ has commanded. Confess! You want the mess cleaned up.