The mystery of a human being
Tammy Faye Messner (of Jim Bakker, the PTL implosion and mascara fame) died on Friday, July 20, 2007. I only found out about it today going through news on the internet.
I - and perhaps most of us - recall the Tammy Faye of thirty some years ago. The lipstick, highest of heels for her small frame and that trademark eye makeup. Now I understand that she may have known what was going on with PTL in defrauding many probably lower income people to buy into a dream that never came to fruition due to Jim's (and probably her) love for the 'finer things' rather than letting the money go to its designated destination. Big mistake. A mistake she atoned for in her life.
Being one to surf the channels I later saw her on the 2004 season of "The Surreal Life" and saw something I had not bothered to see before... a REAL person that just happened to have a big personality. On the show she would comfort those who were in the dumps, defend those being ganged up on, had a healthy sense of humor when being lampooned and said she trusted in the Lord. Anyone who worked on the show said that - even in all the footage that was not 'sensational' enough to make it to the final cut - her heart was large indeed. She embraced the gay community and lived (in the 'surreal' house)for a month with the most recognizable male porn star of all time, Ron Jeremy with whom she became friends (although she did question his unabated use of one particular four letter word which Ron would use as a noun, a verb, an adverb and an adjective without discrimination).
Through adversity, Tammy Faye put her faith in God. Neither divorce, gossip, public condemnation, bankruptcy, or disease could separate her from the love of God. She was human and flawed, vulnerable and visible. The day before her death she appeared with her husband and son on a series of segmented interviews with Larry King. Under home hospice care, with little strength or voice, maintained on morphine for the pain, ravenged by the disease that left her weighing 65 pounds she went before the cameras still evangelising to put your care and trust in God, to let go of regret ("..it's a waste of brain space..") and to face whatever comes your way in faith.
Do you stand accused of judging a book by its cover? I do. And how ironic it is that I (or maybe you) become personally hurt, offended, confused when I/you discover that someone else has done that very thing to me/you.
Judge not, lest ye be judged. Sound advise. Bless you, Tammy Faye, now in that place where there is no more pain, no more tears, no more fear or grief, but in new life in Christ Jesus. Amen and Amen.
I - and perhaps most of us - recall the Tammy Faye of thirty some years ago. The lipstick, highest of heels for her small frame and that trademark eye makeup. Now I understand that she may have known what was going on with PTL in defrauding many probably lower income people to buy into a dream that never came to fruition due to Jim's (and probably her) love for the 'finer things' rather than letting the money go to its designated destination. Big mistake. A mistake she atoned for in her life.
Being one to surf the channels I later saw her on the 2004 season of "The Surreal Life" and saw something I had not bothered to see before... a REAL person that just happened to have a big personality. On the show she would comfort those who were in the dumps, defend those being ganged up on, had a healthy sense of humor when being lampooned and said she trusted in the Lord. Anyone who worked on the show said that - even in all the footage that was not 'sensational' enough to make it to the final cut - her heart was large indeed. She embraced the gay community and lived (in the 'surreal' house)for a month with the most recognizable male porn star of all time, Ron Jeremy with whom she became friends (although she did question his unabated use of one particular four letter word which Ron would use as a noun, a verb, an adverb and an adjective without discrimination).
Through adversity, Tammy Faye put her faith in God. Neither divorce, gossip, public condemnation, bankruptcy, or disease could separate her from the love of God. She was human and flawed, vulnerable and visible. The day before her death she appeared with her husband and son on a series of segmented interviews with Larry King. Under home hospice care, with little strength or voice, maintained on morphine for the pain, ravenged by the disease that left her weighing 65 pounds she went before the cameras still evangelising to put your care and trust in God, to let go of regret ("..it's a waste of brain space..") and to face whatever comes your way in faith.
Do you stand accused of judging a book by its cover? I do. And how ironic it is that I (or maybe you) become personally hurt, offended, confused when I/you discover that someone else has done that very thing to me/you.
Judge not, lest ye be judged. Sound advise. Bless you, Tammy Faye, now in that place where there is no more pain, no more tears, no more fear or grief, but in new life in Christ Jesus. Amen and Amen.
posted by Joanna Depue | 10:25 PM
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