Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Design (01/19/04)
TITLE: DESIGNING WOMEN By Anna Johnson 01/24/04 |
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"Designing Women please fess up and speak truth. I'm about to prove how sins willfully committed bring serious consequences.
"Ms. Divorced Woman, I discern you got tired of being married and dumped your husband. Your career-minded barbs minimize a woman's place in the home. Your husband wasn't happy in your marriage either, yet he loved you and wanted to work at solving your problems. Are these charges true?"
"Yes, your honor, my Higher Conscience, I am career-minded and make no apologies. I watched my stay-at-home mother work like a dog to please my domineering father. Whenever she expressed herself, he put her down. I swore I'd never become like her, so totally dependent on a man. She lost all her dignity. Now, she's miserable. My husband attempted a repeat performance of my father, and that's when I told him, 'My career comes first.' After his volcanic eruption, he roared, 'You'll do as I say.' That did it!"
"Ms. Divorced Woman, running from sins of your past won't make for healthy relating patterns. Divorce never has and never will solve your problems. It just creates greater insecurities and a need to run further away from what you haven't faced. Is your career your only motivation? What about love, warmth?"
"Once, years ago, in my fantasy, I wanted true love, if there is such a thing. But, look where it got my mother. Total domination. I'm determined not to be like her. Submissive, ha! She's a doormat."
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"Ms. Adulteress, I know you've been married three times. You are now living with a man. Are these charges true?"
"Yes, your honor, my Higher Conscience. I guess I've made a few mistakes marrying the wrong guys. I thought I loved them and they loved me, but my marriages just didn't work. Was I supposed to endure a dead-end relationship? I had to get out. From here on out, I'll just live with a guy. Besides, we all make mistakes."
"Ms. Adulteress, I think you take too lightly the meaning of commitment. And what you call a mistake sugarcoats the truth. Adultery is sin."
"Oh, no, I hate that word 's i n.' It makes me feel uncomfortable and, well..... guilty. I despise guilt trips. I was raised with them. I sort of agree it's sin, but I just can't help myself. All I've ever wanted was true love. It just never happened. I committed to my first husband, but he was a jerk. He hurt me so badly, I decided, forget 'till death us do part.' Now I live for the moment, and I'm comfortable with that. It feels right. Besides, I'm no different than the rest of Designing Women. What's wrong with wanting to be happy, breaking tradition, and going for the gusto?"
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Miss Out-of-Wedlock, I'm aware you are only 17. Your charges are disobedience to your parents and carousing with older men. Your parents forbid this, but you've done it anyway. Now you're pregnant. Are these charges true?"
"Yes, your honor, my Higher Conscience. Jeff is 29. I'm crazy about him. And what's a few year's age difference? My parents have 15 years between them, and they're cool about it. Besides, perfect relationships died with Adam and Eve. I figure I need to test the waters before saying, 'I do.' Everyone is living together and having premarital sex. Jeff said he wanted to marry me. I admit I'm somewhat confused. After I told him I was pregnant, he left town. I thought he loved me. I could get an abortion."
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"Designing Women, listen to your Higher Conscience. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be happy and satisfied, but you're going about it in the wrong way. God's design for femininity is a woman's shining glory and confidence. Meeting your needs your way only magnifies your insecurities and doubts and causes you to make wrong choices, which brings confusion. You've all had different reasons for sinning, but what results is misery and discontent.
"Ms. Divorced Woman, Ms. Adulteress, and Miss Out-of-Wedlock, I sentence you to 1 Corinthians 13:4-13. When you've learned what true love is, I will dismiss all charges through the Blood of the Lamb. You'll then be free to live up to your new name -- 'Ms. Virtuous Woman.' Never again settle for less.
"This character transformation is costly, 'for [your] price is far above rubies'" (Prov. 31:10, KJV).
YOUR HIGHER CONSCIENCE ENDS THIS CONFRONTATION. NOW, SIN NO MORE!