That is one of my favorite Dolly Parton songs I am posting it on my blog just in case you love it too, or if you don’t know it.
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It is dramatic, I know…every good country song is.
You know, the one thing I miss about country music these days is a good story. Tanya Tucker always sang a good one. Dolly and Loretta brought you right there along side of them through all of their good hurtin songs. It seems now a days most country songs have some kinda trite message, or some kind of catchy little witty cliché’ that they sing every few bars. I don’t listen too much to country anymore, but when I do I listen to the old stuff. I am grateful that Sondra likes it too. We were both raised on it.
So, Dolly was singing about Jesus. He’s Alive is her Easter song. It’s a good one. You can hear her faith and belief as she passionately belts out the chorus. I generally belt out right along with her. I love me some Jesus. I do.
I certainly don’t expect everyone to love Him the way I do. I respect others belief systems. I do. I am not one of those people who will shove their religion down your throat, or damn everyone to hell for not believing the same way I do. I leave that mess to the other kind of Christians. I know those kind of Christians well. I am confused by them and angered by them and hurt by them a great deal. It’s been that way for so many years and still I am confused, not about my faith in Jesus…but how we all can love the teachings of the same man and have such incredibly different belief systems.
I was raised in a Baptist church in a small rural farm town in south central Ohio. It is a pretty little town full of pretty little people. I loved so many people in that town, and so many loved me right back. Going to church meant going to sing and get hugged and see family and usually a good lunch somewhere. It was a good thing.
When I was 17, a scandalous preacher came to our church. I won’t get into the details but I will tell you that the result of his actions split my family from the church and caused me to search for a different belief system. I couldn’t believe that some of the members of that church were so cold and mean to me and my family. They were the same ones that hugged me every Sunday since I could remember. Suddenly, I was undesirable. My family was without a church for the first time in my life. I left for college the next fall and my journey began.
I poured over every religion I could find…searching for that common thread. I found one…it was the same one. The thread was about love. It was about loving yourself and everyone around you. “It is all about the love” …that is the truth of my belief system. Love is the energy that uplifts this world. Love.
Easter was a big deal at my house. I liked it okay. My grandmother used to like to talk about the crucifixion and all of the terrible things that they did to Jesus. I hated that. I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want to know about it. I never wanted to talk about his death…or his ascension. Even though I believe that he was telling us all that we would ascend as he did, I just don’t think many really got that message. It was all about that cross and why he died on it.
I wanted to celebrate his life. That cross makes me feel guilty. Guilt is not love. My Jesus was all about love. That is what I cling too. I cling to his messages of love and acceptance and compassion, not to the old rugged cross.
Do I believe he died for my sins? Well, I believe that he died horribly. I can’t stand the thought of it. I do believe his lessons and teachings are my salvation. I do believe that his belief in love is my salvation. I do believe that his death had to be the way it was, because that is how God works. I do believe that God is forgiving and Christ was here to tell us all about it, and to stay in the highest vibration of love…so that when our time comes we will ascend. It will be good. I celebrate the life of Jesus. He is my savior in his teachings of love and forgiveness. He walks with me and He talks to me and He tells me I am his own….yep, I believe all that and it makes me strong.
I know that some folks will want to fight with me about that. It’s okay. You have your belief system, I will have mine. I also know that many of those same “Christians” will call me a devil or damn me to hell for my profession and or my sexuality. That is confusing to me. Those feelings are negative lower vibration hateful energy, and that’s not anything that I feel Jesus to be. In my past, dealings have been so bad with these folks, that when someone says the word “Christians” I immediately take a step backwards. They scare me. Their hate scares me. Then it will dawn on me that I am a Christian…more confusion.
And so…I go and sit in the bathtub with some sea salt and I talk to my Cosmic Posse. I ask them what to do and how to feel. Then I remember a conversation that I had with Jesus in my claw foot tub, right before I moved to Georgia. I was about to quit my job and pull up all my roots to read full-time. I asked if I was doing the right thing, and before I could think about it, He was there. He reached out to take my hand, and instead he clasped my wrist and said, “My sister, you speak my word. You speak the word of love. Tell everyone you see. As long as you are speaking my word, you will be provided for”. I looked up at him and said, “I am not your sister. You are the Lord.” Jesus replied, ” I walked this earth just as you do. You are my sister, and I will walk this path with you.” Speak the word of love, dear one.” As he faded out of view, my faith, my belief and my purpose became solid and clear.
It is all about the love, you all. It really is.
So, as you celebrate Jesus today, please remember his life more than his death. Please love yourselves and forgive yourselves and do the same for everyone around you…even those who wish you ill. Love them through it and put them in the light.
Dolly’s right. He’s Alive…inside you and me….and even your mother-in-law. 🙂
Happy Easter, everyone. Hope your bunny was solid 🙂
Smooch Out!
Love Yourself Through It! 