I’m Not Crazy; I’m a Christian
Kat Merrigan
Be The Court Jester And Nobody’s Fool
Some people want to be kings. Others want to be queens. I’d rather be the court jester. To understand why I aspire to such a position, we need to first examine what the role of the court jester was throughout history.
The court jester was more than someone with a fabulous wardrobe.
When most of us think of a court jester, we picture someone in a colorful outfit with a silly hat with bells on it and elf-like shoes to match. I’m sure many of you may be thinking that’s why I want to be one. We all know I’m a fan of costumes. But, surprisingly, that’s not the main reason for its appeal to me. I consider the outfit more of a perk. What I actually admired about the court jester was he (or sometimes she) was able to speak truth to power and live (most of the time).
I did some research and discovered a court jester or similar role were common in many countries around the world. I always believed they originated in 19th century England, but I was wrong. These fools performed before czars, emperors, caliphs, dukes, sultans, kings, queens, and other royalty dating back many centuries earlier.(1) Their job was to entertain. They had to be funny. What they often did was use humorous songs, stories, and such to mock those in attendance. Only the queen and her ladies-in-waiting were exempt from their insults.(2) Sarcasm was the jester’s favorite dish.
How did court jesters get away with all the things they said?
I wondered why the powerful willingly invited this type of attention. Perhaps it was because given their stature, they were usually surrounded by people who didn’t question or challenge them. They lived in echo chambers where everything they did or said was praised or given blind devotion. At some point that must have grown tiresome.
We all want to be encouraged and edified. No one really looks forward to or enjoys being criticized. But if we’re smart, we realize being confronted with an opposing view, or being faced with a differing opinion, can help us grow. It can either aid us in seeing past our blind spots or affirm our chosen decision or path.
The jester was a type of mirror to show the royalty what was really going on around them. These individuals were sometimes close confidantes of their rulers. Many traveled with them and delivered messages on their behalf. (Sidebar: this is how the expression “don’t kill the messenger” originated.(3) True story. There were times where a message was not well-received by its recipient. The jester paid the price. Yes, that means what you think it means.)
My version of a court jester does not include torture or death due to poor message acceptance. My jester is nobody’s fool. They are the influence to the influencer. They use humor to discuss difficult topics and bring dark things into the light.
We need more of this in our lives and in our world. Too many of us are living in our own form of echo chambers, hearing only what reinforces and solidifies our thoughts or beliefs. We’re losing the ability to hear another side. We become so firmly entrenched we develop tunnel vision.
If you never have to defend your beliefs, you may lack true conviction.
Think about it. If you are never asked to explain why you believe what you believe, if no one ever offers any opposition, how passionate do you have to be? On the other hand, if you are challenged, then faith can arise. You have to be prepared to defend your values, morals, or beliefs. This requires you to be more invested in them. You can’t afford to be lukewarm as is evidenced in this verse:
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16 NIV)
Ouch. The church God was speaking about was stuck in the middle. They hadn’t abandoned their love for Him, but they weren’t in pursuit and growing in it either. They were stagnant, perhaps not being confronted with opposing views, never needing to defend their love. They might have benefited from a court jester in their midst to provoke them. They did, however, have something far greater: the Word of God.
This particular scripture always hits me hard. I pray I am never stuck in the middle. May I always be hot and not cold. Most of all, may I never be lukewarm.
I realize this article is a little different from my usual fair. I think it’s important to mix things up from time to time. It helps prevent stagnation.
I want to be a modern day court jester (again, minus the whole possibility of torture or death thing). I want to be someone who doesn’t fear confronting people, regardless of their position or office. I desire to be one who will be bold and speak truth to power. I want to offer them humor, heart and hope so they may be more effective in their responsibilities. If that means I need to start wearing a hat with jingly bells on it, so be it. I look good in hats.
Until next time: stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you,
-Kat
(1) https://rabbitholemag.com/to-mock-the-mighty-a-history-of-court-jesters/ To Mock The Mighty: A History of Court Jesters, B. Alexandra Szerlip.
(2) https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/historys-finest-court-jester-was-sentenced-to-death-35da64bb63d6 History’s Finest Court Jester Was Sentenced To Death, Sabana Grande.
(3) https://www.thetravel.com/what-is-a-jester-in-medieval-times/ The Dark History Of The Court Jester, And What Life Was Really Like For This Medieval Joker, Lianna Tedesco.
Make Big Plans
I’d just finished my Chinese takeout with my family. As is my custom, I grabbed the fortune cookie facing toward me. Have you noticed the messages aren’t really fortunes these days? Sometimes they are odd statements or random thoughts, but very few are actual fortunes like I remember reading as a child.
I broke apart the crispy cookie and out tumbled the thin sliver of paper. I turned the slip over and this is what it said:
Make big plans.
I made a quick joke about how its tone seemed a tad aggressive and then didn’t think much more about it. But I did keep it and put it on my night table.
A few days later I found another fortune I had saved. It read:
Don’t panic.
I began to wonder if perhaps God was sending me a message through these crunchy cookies. Before you go thinking I’ve finally lost it completely, may I remind you that God has used various ways to speak to His people throughout the Bible. (A donkey and a fiery bush come to mind as examples.)
When I was a child, I would dream big. Anything was possible. The sky was the limit. One day I wanted to be a famous movie star, the next a pop singer, the next a famous author. The innocence of childhood is a delicate thing. All it takes is some disappointments, discouragements and a few dream squashers to sow a hearty crop of cynicism.
Do you have dream squashers stomping around in your life?
Let’s discuss the term dream squasher. The first time I heard that phrase it was used by one of my closest friends. A dream squasher is someone who rarely, if ever, has any hopes or aspirations of their own. They do, however, delight in raining showers of doubt all over someone else’s goals. Do you know someone who fits that description? My best advice is to run. Run like the wind. Take your hopes and dreams as far away from them as you can.
I realize it may not always be possible to escape the dream squasher. They may be someone close to you or even a family member. Where can you go when the call is coming from inside the house?! (Bonus points if you can name the movie reference.)
You may not be able to separate physically from them, but you can still do your best to protect your dreams from their negative influence. Don’t be fooled. Their negativity may often come disguised in a blanket of concern for you and not wanting to see you get hurt. They’re telling you all the downsides to whatever it is you want to do or be because you need to be prepared. My favorite is when they stand there telling you they believe you’re talented and they support you, but (insert absolute negation of whatever kindness they just said about you here). It’s a fine line between being realistic and being pessimistic.
It’s frustrating when people close to us don’t support us or won’t dream big with us. Some dreams are harder to achieve than others. Their level of difficulty becomes intensified when we are constantly fighting not only our own internal doubts and fears but those being imposed upon us by so-called friends and loved ones. The good news is there is One who will always support you and encourage your dreams.
God.
How can I say that? Well, you know I brought receipts. (All bible verses, unless otherwise indicated, were taken from biblegateway.com, NIV.)
Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: (Psalm 37:4-5)
Did you catch the key phrase in the verse? We are to delight in the Lord first. He must always be first love, top priority. What happens if we don’t do that? Check this out:
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. (Psalm 127:1)
You want to create and build your dream into reality? You need Him in it from the start. In my life, when I go full steam ahead without seeking God’s wisdom early and often, it doesn’t go well at all. This doesn’t mean I don’t still feel frustrated sometimes when I have included Him. I still do, but that’s typically because His time table doesn’t match mine. I get impatient and fail to recognize that His timing is always perfect. If I’m being made to wait, it’s for a reason and I just need to suck it up, buttercup. As I often say, I’m still a work-in-progress.
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)
Isn’t that the truth? (Well, of course it’s the truth; it’s the Word of God. But you get what I mean.)
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. (Proverbs 16:3)
Here’s another key point. We are to not only include God in our dream making, but whatever we create or build should be for His glory. Our dreams are not just for us to enjoy. Our talents and abilities are all gifts from Him. We should, therefore, use them for His purposes. If you’re a singer, use your music to touch people and help them to learn about God and His great love for them. I’m not saying you have to be a gospel or Christian artist, necessarily. Just be sure that your dreams are being used in a way that brings Him honor.
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. (Jeremiah 17:7)
Here’s another key piece to keep in mind. We know that we should seek Him early, make sure our plans honor Him, and now we see we must trust Him. I can tell you honestly I rarely have much confidence in me and what I can do. I’ve seen how quickly my confidence can be shaken or broken if things don’t go according to my plan. I have to remind myself that my confidence is not in me but in the God of all Creation, then I can stand a little taller and breathe a little easier. He promises us this:
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Wow. No matter how many times I’ve read that verse, it still brings my heart joy and my spirit peace. He has big plans for each one of us.
Remember earlier in this piece I mentioned a few of my childhood dreams? Well, I’m currently living out some of them now. I’m making my feature film debut as an actress and I’m a published author. That’s two out of three. Who knows what else God has in store?
Be excited. Be encouraged. Be patient. If He did it for me, He can do it for you. Dare to dream big and make big plans. I’ll leave you with this verse. My prayer to you:
May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. (Psalm 20:4)
Until next time: stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you,
-Kat
Do The Rules Apply?
In a recent conversation with a close friend I said something I’ve said many times over the past couple of years. Not thinking too much of it, I just continued talking. My dear friend stopped me and said, “Wait a minute. What did you just say? Say it again slowly, because that’s really something.” I repeated what I’d said, pausing to allow its meaning to really sink in.
Rules are only rules if everyone is held equally accountable to them; otherwise they’re just strongly-worded suggestions for some with consequences for a few.
(Yup, I’m tapping into my inner Kat Controversy for this article.) As you probably know, I do pray and meditate before I write. Can I help it if God seems to be inspiring me to “go there” on a lot of touchy subjects lately? I’ve got to be obedient to His leadings, even when it makes me uncomfortable or the topics may be unpopular. My best advice is for you to buckle up because this ride might get bumpy.
As a sidebar, last year I created a video on my Rumble.com channel Kat Controversy titled: You May Want to Rethink: Justice. https://rumble.com/vlyf3d-you-may-want-to-rethink-justice.html The video is a good companion piece to what follows, so I encourage you to check it out as well. It’s always free and combines my usual mix of: humor, heart and hope. But I digress.
Is a rule or a law legitimate if not everyone has to follow it?
Spoiler alert: It is not according to our system of Rule of Law. You may be asking, “What is the rule of law?” The uscourts.gov site https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/overview-rule-law defines it as: a principle under which all persons, institutions and entities are accountable to laws that are:
- Publicly promulgated (made known to the public)
- Equally enforced (no one is above them)
- Independently adjudicated (a decision is made in a legal case)
- Consistent with international human rights principles.
The key aspect that I’m focusing on for this article is #2 equally enforced. Arguably one of the most brilliant minds of our time, Thomas Sowell, gave a speech promoting one of his famous books The Quest For Cosmic Justice http://www.tsowell.com/spquestc.html where he stated this:
Traditional concepts of justice or fairness, at least within the American tradition, boil down to applying the same rules and standards to everyone.
This quote then begs the question:
What happens when justice is no longer blind but favors one person or group over another?
You’ll have instability. You’ll have mistrust in institutions. You’ll breed resentment. You’ll have confusion. You’ll definitely sow discord. And those are all the least awful outcomes.
Without getting too deep in the weeds of our current political climate, suffice it to say that most of us see things have changed, not particularly for the better. These are troubling times.
As people of faith, we’re encouraged to submit to the leaders and authorities over us. I won’t quote chapter and verse here. I’ll leave it to you to fact check me. I will, however, point out that there are also many instances in the Bible where men and women defied the laws of the land and their leaders. They did this when their rulers put forth edicts or laws that were diametrically opposed to God and His ways; they had no choice.
But of course they had a choice. They could have just obeyed the law, go-along-to-get-along and all that. They should have just submitted to the authorities because God put those people in charge. Certainly God would have had mercy and forgiven them.
The problem was their convictions would not permit it. Here’s something important to keep in mind. Because they refused to comply and stood strong, risking everything, the lives and destinies of many were forever changed. You doubt me? Great. Keep reading.
Let’s take Daniel as an example. I highly encourage you to read about him in the appropriately titled book of Daniel in the Old Testament. His story is one of frequently going against the laws of the day, facing penalty of death, yet being blessed as the result of his obedience to God and not men. Time after time he was in violation of the king’s rules (not eating the king’s diet, praying openly to God and not the king, etc). At one point he was even punished by being served up alive as a snack for a hungry den of lions!
But God.
When they check on him some time later, they expect to see blood and carnage, but instead they find him safe and sound surrounded by the now docile, sleeping lions. Not a scratch or mark was on him. As the king saw the miracles of Daniel’s God, he felt conviction. He was persuaded to behave differently. Daniel’s defiance led to greater freedoms for all people under the king’s rule. They all benefited from Daniel’s actions.
Now let’s talk about Daniel’s three friends: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Their stories are also in the book of Daniel, chapter 3 specifically. These young men stood firm and refused to worship a golden statue of the king. (Yes, this is the same king as Daniel’s: King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.) Nebuchadnezzar was so furious that he ordered them burned alive in a fiery furnace. He even had his soldiers turn up the heat multiple times its normal temperature. The boys, awaiting certain death, state that their God is able to deliver them, but even if He chooses not to, they will never worship another. The boys are bound and tossed into the furnace. The soldiers who threw them in are immediately consumed by the backlash of flames. It was that hot! The king peers into the window of the furnace and notices that there are now four men inside it. All four are freely walking around and the new guy looks like a god. Nebuchadnezzar has the young men removed and they have no marks or remnant of smoke or fire on them. (Any guesses who the fourth man was in the fire?)
But God.
Once again, an act of seeming rebellion and defiance results in victory and the heart of a king being greatly influenced for good.
Now let’s take it to the New Testament. Jesus was often in trouble with the religious leaders of the day for not following their rules. He frequently healed and performed miracles on the Sabbath which was considered unlawful. One day in a fit of righteous anger, He flipped over the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple. His Father’s house was to be a house of prayer yet they were treating it disrespectfully, as a den of thieves. Some might even argue that Jesus’s stance against the rules of the day was a driving force behind the plot to have Him captured, imprisoned, tortured and, ultimately, crucified.
But God.
Were it not for Jesus’s crucifixion, we would not have His glorious resurrection and the opportunity for redemption for the whole world. One might say this is the ultimate act of defiance against man’s rules leading to the greatest victory of all: over hell, death and the grave.
I’ve made the case that if a law is not equally enforced it is in violation of one of the 5 key requirements to truly be considered a law. Without getting overtly political, we can see that justice does not seem to have her blinders on in all circumstances lately. I’ve also shown that though the Bible encourages obedience and submission to governing bodies and authorities, there are plenty of examples of people who knowingly disobeyed a law or edict because it violated their first commitment and devotion to God. This brings us back to the title of this piece:
Do The Rules Apply?
It’s time to take out the receipts. (Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible verses are from biblegateway.com NIV version.)
Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. (Psalm 106:3)
I suppose my first suggestion would be to see if the rule or law is right. Does it help or harm? In certain cases, it may be a bit of both. It is then essential to determine the measure of each. If its harm or negative consequences outweigh its benefits, it’s probably not the right option. Pray. Seek God’s Wisdom on the matter before submitting or complying.
Do not pervert justice, do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. (Leviticus 19:15)
This almost seems like a rephrasing of the equal enforcement tenet of the Rule of Law. This makes sense as most of the framework for this country is rooted in a Judeo-Christian ethic and Biblical principles. Apply the law equally or you’re perverting justice. Ouch.
And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? (Luke 18:7)
Our God is a God of Justice. This world is fallen, but His righteousness stands.
I’ll close with this quote from Thomas Jefferson that can be found on Panel 3 of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC:
God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that those liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.
God is just. Apart from Him, we are not. Pray. Seek His Wisdom. Follow the rules accordingly.
Until next time: stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you,
-Kat
Jesus In The Glove Box
This title may be my silliest yet. There’s a story behind it. (There’s always a story.) My parents donated to various Catholic organizations and charities. They would often receive little trinkets and such as thank you gifts. Because my parents were born during the Great Depression they were obligated to never throw anything away. When we began the arduous task of emptying out their home, we realized just how seriously they took that obligation.
Among countless other items, we discovered several small crucifixes, each with its own stand. My father had them placed around the house. Come to think of it, I recall Jesus being represented in basically every room of our home. And don’t get me started on the wall of Popes. But I digress.
It just didn’t feel right to throw the crucifixes away. It seemed almost sacrilegious or something. This is how I ended up with three of them in my car. Every time I open the compartment, I smile thinking of my Dad, and chuckle at what other people might think if they saw them.
But as I often do, one day I started thinking more deeply about it all. Thus the topic of this article was born.
How many of us treat our faith and our relationship with God casually?
We don’t feel right just throwing it away completely, but we’re perfectly content leaving it hidden and out of sight in the glove box, if you will. Occasionally we may open the box and see it there. But we quickly push it out of the way to get to what we really want. It’s all too easy to simply close the top and ignore it for another few days, weeks, months, even years.
Here’s where I would typically come with receipts and quote relevant scripture verses to drive home the point of how valuable, how necessary it is to make our faith and relationship with God the top priority. But I’m switching it up a bit. This time I’ll be quoting from the famous author, theologian and scholar C.S. Lewis instead. Though the Bible is the primary source for wisdom and understanding, there is value in listening to the experienced voices of others who have not only talked the talk, but walked the walk. (All quotes, unless otherwise indicated, were taken from http://outlookgood.com/c-s-lewis-quotes/ .)
A woman’s heart should be so close to God that a man should have to chase Him to find her.
This one hits home. There is so much in so few words. I’ll leave it to you to discover what it means for you personally. For me, it is simply the only recipe for a truly successful romantic relationship.
You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.
Did anyone else feel like cold water was just splashed on their face? Maybe it’s just me. Our body is temporary; our soul is eternal. Doesn’t it make sense that we should invest time cultivating a close relationship with God who can do far more than sustain our fallible, natural bodies? Time with the Lord can and does heal the soul, your eternal you. Who wouldn’t want that?
Look for Christ and you will find Him. And with Him, everything else.
How do we lose sight of this so easily? In Christ is the fullness of life. Period. I love how Lewis states the truth that if you look for Jesus, you will find Him. He’s waiting for you to open up a dialog.
Check out this quote from Lewis’s Mere Christianity. It’s so powerful:
God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He had ever created.
Read that quote again. Go on, I’ll wait. God is infinite. His attention is infinite. There is no limit to His focus on you. And we can’t spare a consistent period of time in each day to make room for Him? What is wrong with us?
This quote, also from Mere Christianity, is quite sobering:
You may forget that you are at every moment totally dependent on God.
You may disagree with old C.S., but think about it. Are you in control of your next breath? I’m not talking about belly breathing or other breathing techniques. Are you able to determine if you will even have another breath? No, you’re not. Since we are dependent on Him for the very breath in our lungs, our very next heartbeat, shouldn’t we take a moment to at least thank Him for it? Our lives are literally in His hands. Doesn’t that rate some modicum of affection and appreciation?
I’m going to close with this from Lewis, because I couldn’t say it better if I tried.
The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become.
You may ask, “How do we let God take us over?” It begins with spending time with Him. (Noticing the theme here?) It starts by taking our faith and relationship out of the glove box, surrounding ourselves with it, so that Jesus is represented in every room of our hearts. It happens the moment we look up and simply say, “Hey, God. It’s me. I love you. Let’s talk.”
Until next time: stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you,
-Kat
Saved And Suicidal
Here’s a quick promo for my latest vlog titled “Saved And Suicidal”.
https://rumble.com/v1kxfbp-saved-and-suicidal.html
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. I wanted to do my small part to help address this painful subject. In this video, I discuss my own struggles and experiences.
Did you know there are 7 suicides documented in the Bible?
Neither did I!
I challenge the faith-based community, especially Christians, to step up and begin acknowledging that you can be both saved and still struggling.
It’s time to have the difficult conversations and be uncomfortable. We all have way too much to lose when we don’t. I hope this video will be a starting point.
If you or someone you know is thinking of hurting themselves, please call/text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org today. Please don’t wait. We need you here.
Please feel free to like, share or comment. Would love to connect with you.
Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you,
-Kat
May I See Some ID?
Here’s a short video promoting my latest vlog where I did a deep dive based on the first chapter of my recent book “I’m Not Crazy; I’m A Christian”. Who are you? How do you define or identify yourself? Tough questions to answer, but so important to having a healthy self-esteem and successful life. I hope you’ll go check it out. It’s free and has my usual mix of: humor, heart and hope.
https://rumble.com/v1jy105-may-i-see-some-id.html
Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you,
-Kat
Why So Serious?
Here’s a quick video promo for my latest vlog. I’m doing another dive into one of the chapters from my book “I’m Not Crazy; I’m A Christian”. This time it’s all about Chapter 3 “Why So Serious?”
Invite you to use the link to see the full video and learn more about how a faith-based life is anything but dull.
https://rumble.com/v1ixs79-why-so-serious.html
Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you soon,
-Kat
Religion vs. Relationship
Here’s a quick video from me promoting my third vlog. The topic this week is Religion vs. Relationship.
Who will win?
With everything going on in the world, many of us desire to connect or reconnect with something greater than ourselves, something divine. I stirred up my inner Kat Controversy this time as I discuss the pros and cons of religion and relationship with God. It’s a knockout. Click the link below to see the free full version.
https://rumble.com/v1i2ner-religion-vs-relationship.html
Please like, share or leave a comment. Would love to connect with you.
-Kat
Humor. Heart. Hope.
Lose The Attitude…Unless It’s Gratitude
Attitudes. We all have them. Most of them are not so terrific.
What if we determined to begin each day with a grateful, thankful heart?
Would it make a difference?
My attitude is pure gratitude for all of you!
Due to positive feedback, I decided to create another video version of my blog. Click the link below to check it out:
https://rumble.com/v1h5m37-lose-the-attitude…unless-its-gratitude.html
Please feel free to like, share or leave a comment below.Would love to connect with you.
Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you,
-Kat
The Why Of The What
In honor of my 20th consecutive blog post, I decided to do a special video version on the subject of uncovering our heart, mind and motivations behind what we do. The file size was too large for this platform, so please use the link below to visit my Rumble.com channel “Kat Controversy” and check it out.
https://rumble.com/v1ga2wl-the-why-of-the-what.html
Please feel free to like, share or leave comment. I’d love to know if you like the videos and would like me to do more in the future.
Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy, stay in the know.
Look forward to hearing from you.
-Kat
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