**Before I start let me be clear that I am not attempting to judge people who live a particular lifestyle (in this case, "rednecks").
Jeff Foxworthy once said you might be a redneck if.....
--You think the last words to the Star Spangled Banner are "Gentlemen, start your engines!"
--You've been married three times and still have the same in-laws
--Your house still has the WIDE LOAD sign on the back
--You carry a fishin' pole into Sea World
--You think subdivision is part of a complicated math problem
--You think God looks a lot like Hank Williams Jr, and you think Heaven looks like Daytona Beach, Florida
--You father executes the 'pull my finger' trick during Christmas dinner
--Your house doesn't have curtains....but your truck does
--You've been on t.v. 5 times now, describing the sound of a tornado
--You refer to the time you won a free case of motor oil as the time your ship came in.
You might be a redneck.
There are shows beyond shows (most on CMT) that make millions on revealing this interesting way of living. Take for example the shows 'My Big Redneck Wedding' (where the wedding dress is in camo, the entertainment is beer chugging, and the after party is muddin') and 'My Big Redneck Vacation' (not much unlike the wedding show except nobody is getting married). (Just to name a couple).The reason I give these examples is because I don't want you to think I am judging--I think these people are more than content living this way, and have a great time doing so! I only give the examples so we are on the same page for the rest of the blog.
I went to Caruthersville, Missouri yesterday to the Lady Luck casino to see Tracy Lawrence perform. If you know me at all you stopped at Caruthersville and said "Weird", then again at Lady Luck casino and thought "Hmm..." and lastly at Tracy Lawrence and said "Who the heck are you and what have you done with my friend?". Truth is, the trip was random. But I love me some Tracy Lawrence--been a big fan of his for a long time. There is a sweet spot in old country music that makes my heart smile because it reminds me of some wonderful times in my childhood (and let's be honest, those were few and far between). Little did I know that the concert was not indoors in the casino, but instead, outside at 6pm in 99 degree heat.
The music was tight. The singer was wonderful. The crowd was.....energetic, to say the least. It was a large large crowd in a small small town. The people at the show loved them some beer, they loved them some hootin' and hollerin' at Tracy like they were best friends. They loved them some dancing when let's face it, it might have been just a tad inappropriate. They wore shorts and hunting boots, overalls while holding the spinning fan that squirts water in front of their face, or they sported a large no-toothed grin. Sometimes this crowd is too much for a non-country gal like myself, but last night, I completely enjoyed them.
It's funny how the Lord is ALWAYS faithful in revealing where He is in ALL things, or at least continuously teaching me something in every situation I am in--even in a casino in who-knows-where, Missouri. There was a point during the evening that Tracy threw one of his towels off stage and a little old lady with no teeth snatched it up from all of the other fans attempting to get it. She then preceded to take the towel down every aisle-dancing with the people she passed. Then every few minutes, holding it up to her fans at the back of the arena to assure them they're all in this together. It was a HOOT! Then it hit me----REDNECK WORSHIP!!!
Rednecks are devoted fans. Nascar, wrestling, hunting, music--you name it, when they love it you will KNOW about it. There is ZERO shame in the clothing they sport to let you know they are a fan of something or support a particular lifestyle. There is NO shame in the way they behave in public at specific events either. And they are the most WELCOMING crowd you might ever meet--if you're a redneck, you're FAMILY! And family sticks together.
Isn't this how Christians should be? Shouldn't we have ZERO shame about talking about the Lord 24/7 and what He's doing in our lives? Shouldn't we have NO shame in quoting scripture, and praying over our friends, and listening to kLove in the radio with friends who are not believers (or our own children who might rather listen to secular music)? Shouldn't we go WILD in praise for the LORD when in worship events? When is the last time you saw a group of women scrap fight in a crowd to attempt to be the one to grab a piece of goodness or blessing the Lord was throwing off of the stage? Instead we just 'expect' to be blessed and we make no attempt to worship and praise or even rush the stage of the Lord at all. Have you ever seen someone who has been blessed so immensely by the LORD then go to every single person in the crowd, dancing with them and showing off what God has done in their life?
I could not stop smiling at the concert, at the thought of "Wow, rednecks have got it right (in a way)" Now if only we (Christians) could have that energy when it came to worship and our dedication to our God as rednecks do other things--WOW, what an affect we would have in the kingdom huh??
Rednecks are free. They praise who/what want and they do it how they please. I choose to praise the Lord. But I choose now to do so.....like a redneck!!
In Him,
Meg
