Okay, so this past week has been really busy for us. I hadn't seen any of my grandparents for at least a year, maybe year and a half. But Wednesday was the day I was really looking forward to: we got to see the play TEXAS! in Palo Duro Canyon! It was our 7th or 8th time to see it, but the last time we saw it was approximately 12 years ago when I was about 6. I only remembered bits and pieces of it, so I really expected to be able to remember everything I saw, haha.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. We started our "Texas" day by going to West Texas A&M University to the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, a museum which *obviously* focuses on the history of the Panhandle Plains. For $10, the museum was worth it! I thought, "oh, it's only this first floor and there's nothing else to it" and I thought we'd be done with it in 30 minutes. I was wrong. I didn't realize how big it was/is! My favorite part of the museum was, of course, the part focusing on Native Americans and cowboys. My dad and I watched a video about how INdians slaughtered and butchered buffalo, and just to be perfectly honest, it's absolutely disgusting, but absolutely fascinating. They don't let any of the buffalo (except maybe the skull) go to waste. They used every piece of the buffalo for survival. It drove home what killing the buffalo really meant: the Indians harvested their food, clothes, weapons, and shelter from the buffalo herds. The survival of the buffalo meant the survival of the Indians. It was utterly depressing to think how we whites were so blinded by greed and misunderstanding that we drove to extinction an animal that an entire culture depended on.
But anywho, the museum was really awesome and we got to see another video about the Battle of Adobe Walls, something Quanah Parker (the son of Peta Nacona) was connected to. You may wonder why I find anything about Quanah and Nacona fascinating, but that's because the town I live in was named after Peta Nacona, a Comanche chief. The absolute best part of the day though, was getting to go back to Palo Duro Canyon. I hadn't been there in about 12 years and I forgot just how beautiful it is. Our dinner wasn't served until 6, so we drove around for a good hour just sightseeing. AFter we ate a dinner served by the Big Texan (a restaurant in Amarillo famous for their *free* 72 oz. steak), we had to wait around for about an hour and a half to 2 hours. We went to the gift shop (where I got a really awesome TEXAS shirt), and signed the guest book, followed by pinning a pin to Nocona on the map of Texas. They had 3 maps there, one of the world, one of the U.S. and one of Texas; everyone who signed the book placed a pin on their hometown or where they came from. We were the only ones that night that I know of that pinned Nocona.
TEXAS, a musical drama set in the Pioneer Ampitheater (in the heart of PDC), has been running for 45 years straight! THey have a tradition every performance night (from June-August, 5-6 nights a week): they give away a miniature dinner triangle to whoever traveled the farthest. In all of the 45 years the show has been running, they have NEVER given a triangle away to someone from the continental U.S. THe night we went, a man from SAudi Arabia won the triangle (he had traveled over 8,000 miles). The play itself was absolutely amazing. The music is as fun as I remember, the dancing as mind-boggling as ever. For anybody who has seen it, even once, you know what I'm talking about! The only thing I disliked about this musical was the sexual innuendos. I don't recall those being in the original play(s), and my parents said that those things had been added in. In that sense, it lost some of its family friendliness. The show started at 8:30 (probably 8:40 after they got past the opening announcements), and of course, The Rider on the Rim started it all off. Poor guy was fighting the wind, the Texas flag, AND his horse, but he managed to pull it off. The show ended at around 11:15, with a grand finale of fireworks and all 6 flags of Texas running past on horseback (France, Spain, Mexico, the Confederacy, Texas, and United States). Oh, I meant to mention Quanah Parker's appearance! I really wasn't expecting him to show up, but his 2 scenes were really well done, even though the actor playing him wasn't an Indian. After we left the show, we filed past all the dancers, chorus singers, and actors who had done the show, and I got all the autographs of the principal actors (Tucker Yelldell, Kate Lucas, Uncle Henry, Aunt Anna, Elsie McLean, and Calvin Armstrong).
Yesterday we (with my dad's parents) went to Lubbock. Lubbock is where I was born and is the home of the Texas Tech Red RAiders (Get your GUns Up!). We went to the Science Spectrum, a place I haven't been to in YEARS. We had to wait for the OMNI movie, so we went through the Science Museum. It hasn't changed hardly at all! I remembered most of everything very well from when I was a little kid, but I have to say, I didn't find it as fun as I once did, maybe because I know too much about science now? NOthing really spectacular happened in the Science part, so I'll move on to the OMNI movie. We ended up seeing "Wolves", a documentary about wolves in Yellowstone and Canada and how wolves are being introduced back into the wilderness by people like those of the Nez Perce Indian tribe(s). My favorite part of the movie was the music. It was all Native American tribal music, and man was it beautiful! Now I don't buy into all the things they do...I mean, "brother and sister Wolf?" but I do find the culture of Native Americans very interesting...maybe because they've been miscontrued for so many years.
All in all, this week has been great, but I'm ready for some sleep in my own bed!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Lady of Purity
This chapter is hard to write about because it deals with sex and purity. Yeah, so this one will be pretty short simply because I don't care to divulge my full thoughts on the matter.
"We live in a day of blatant sexual impurity. A woman who marries, still a virgin, has become the exception, no the rule." How true that is. To me, that statement means not only a sexually pure woman, but a woman who hasn't gone beyond hugging/kissing. People try to rationalize petting or touching as "well we didn't actually have sex", but it still is impure. Now my favorite part of this chapter was this: "a woman has a depth of soul that desires an intimate friendship, apart from anything physical, with the man she loves. She desires to be known for the woman she is, not just for her physical body." One woman even said that she refused to call dating dating, but rather friendship building. I thought, "well that's what i want to do! The dating relationship would only be an extension of the friendship." Another thing this chapter touched on was saving your kisses for marriage/your future husband. Everybody asks why I would choose to save my first kiss for my wedding day, and I tell them simply: my first kiss is like a piece of my virginity-once I give it away, I never get it back. Why NOT save it for my husband? Also, kissing someone can lead to more physical contact and can rapidly lead to sex. I'd rather just avoid that altogether and save it for the wedding day.
An important thing to note: it's very vital that you have boundaries/standards before you go out on your first date. Don't set your standards as you go. Have your boundaries ready before you date. It's funny how their example standards are almost exactly like mine:
Date only growing Christian men (men who are constantly growing in their relationship with God)
Concentrate on the friendship- build a friendship with guys and the one that you will eventually start dating. Never stop being friends with that person.
Don't spend time with him (or any guy) when you're at home alone.
Don't give hugs and kisses freely
Don't lay down beside a man (it can lead to something you don't want it to).
I've run out of things to say...I think this is my shortest yet.
"We live in a day of blatant sexual impurity. A woman who marries, still a virgin, has become the exception, no the rule." How true that is. To me, that statement means not only a sexually pure woman, but a woman who hasn't gone beyond hugging/kissing. People try to rationalize petting or touching as "well we didn't actually have sex", but it still is impure. Now my favorite part of this chapter was this: "a woman has a depth of soul that desires an intimate friendship, apart from anything physical, with the man she loves. She desires to be known for the woman she is, not just for her physical body." One woman even said that she refused to call dating dating, but rather friendship building. I thought, "well that's what i want to do! The dating relationship would only be an extension of the friendship." Another thing this chapter touched on was saving your kisses for marriage/your future husband. Everybody asks why I would choose to save my first kiss for my wedding day, and I tell them simply: my first kiss is like a piece of my virginity-once I give it away, I never get it back. Why NOT save it for my husband? Also, kissing someone can lead to more physical contact and can rapidly lead to sex. I'd rather just avoid that altogether and save it for the wedding day.
An important thing to note: it's very vital that you have boundaries/standards before you go out on your first date. Don't set your standards as you go. Have your boundaries ready before you date. It's funny how their example standards are almost exactly like mine:
Date only growing Christian men (men who are constantly growing in their relationship with God)
Concentrate on the friendship- build a friendship with guys and the one that you will eventually start dating. Never stop being friends with that person.
Don't spend time with him (or any guy) when you're at home alone.
Don't give hugs and kisses freely
Don't lay down beside a man (it can lead to something you don't want it to).
I've run out of things to say...I think this is my shortest yet.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Lady of Devotion
This chapter kinda convicted me on several levels, so if it seems vague, that's the reason why.
Yesterday, after traveling 5 hours and being tired to begin with, I didn't feel much like reading chapter 5. So I read it a few minutes ago to catch up. This chapter talked about how single women can devote more of their time to developing their relationship with God than married women can. She's able to focus on her Heavenly Lover without being distracted by an earthly boyfriend or husband. One thing that got me with this chapter was the hammering on seeking God with your whole heart. I certainly have not been doing that. Oh sure, I try to have a daily devotional, but for the past year or more, I've felt like it's just something I do because it's routine. In fact, a friend and I were talking about it one night, and I said, "you know, I just don't feel like doing my devotional; it's not something I look forward to, but rather something I do because it's part of my routine." She responded, "I feel the same way. What's the point in doing something if your heart isn't in it?" Now I know that we all go through days where we think, "I really don't have the time to sit down and do this devotional! I have to be at work (or school, or church)." So, if I ever need to be somewhere early, and I want to do a morning devo, I just have to make myself get up a little earlier so that I'm not pressed for time in getting ready OR in doing my devotional. Did you know that seeking God is like developing a friendship? Makes sense though, right? I mean, in order to be *close* friends with somebody, you have to spend time with that person: getting to know them, what they like and dislike, their character and even their quirks. It's the exact same way with God: In order to get to know Him on an intimate level, we have to stop and take a few minutes a day to just sit down and read the Bible and listen to what He has to tell us. I've always been confused on how to "be still" and listen to God's voice. But, I realize that whenever I get it into my head to journal my devotionals, sometimes I write two or three pages and it's something that I need to pay attention to. Or in these authors' words: "learn to listen to Him as you read of His love and thoughts about you in the Bible. Think about what He is saying to you personally. Sit silently and write what impressions come to your listening heart."
You could compare that to taking notes for a sermon. Why do you take notes? Just to have something to do? For me, it's because I feel like I might want to look back on that information because I might need to be reminded of something that I've forgotten about God. I try to pray this every SAturday night before church: "Lord, please help me to listen to what You have to tell me tomorrow, and please give my dad the words You want him to say, and the words You want me to hear. Convict me of any sin that needs to be taken care of." I don't always listen to Him though, when it comes to sin. sometimes I act like I didn't hear Him. But I want to cultivate more of a devotion to Him in me. He either wants all or none of my heart, and it's time I give Him first place forever. Now, at the end of every chapter are some spaces/questions where you can write down your thoughts/answers about the chapter. In one of them, it asked me to read Deuteronomy 11:16 and 30:17, which basically warns me not to let my heart be deceived, and not to turn away and follow any other god(s). The question related to those verses was: "What gods seek to distract your heart?" A god in this sense can be anything that you value highly than God Himself. Anything that takes 1st place or 1st priority. I put that often the internet and Facebook distract me from spending time with God. And it's true, whenever I'm away from internet for more than a day, I get grouchy! I can't imagine not having internet at all. And Facebook? Well, I spend WAY too much time on Facebook doing absolutely nothing. This week, though, I told myself, "This week, I'm not going to worry about having internet or not. It's a time for visiting both sets of my grandparents that I don't get to see very often, and I'm not going to let the internet ruin that." Now, those of you who know me know that I write fanfiction, and that was a big reason why I brought my laptop was so I could hopefully get some of those written. And to write down my blogs, but now I have internet, so I'm able to post them immediately. But I realized just how much time the internet takes up of my life. So this week is kind of an internet abstinence week. In fact, as soon as I finish this blog, I'll be disconnecting from the internet (even though it connects automatically) and enjoying the time with my amazing grandparents.
So are you a lady or man of devotion? Are you using your singleness to seek after God with your whole heart, undistracted by Facebook, the internet, or that guy/girl that you like? Or are you like me, who tends to lose sight of the Person who should be #1?
Yesterday, after traveling 5 hours and being tired to begin with, I didn't feel much like reading chapter 5. So I read it a few minutes ago to catch up. This chapter talked about how single women can devote more of their time to developing their relationship with God than married women can. She's able to focus on her Heavenly Lover without being distracted by an earthly boyfriend or husband. One thing that got me with this chapter was the hammering on seeking God with your whole heart. I certainly have not been doing that. Oh sure, I try to have a daily devotional, but for the past year or more, I've felt like it's just something I do because it's routine. In fact, a friend and I were talking about it one night, and I said, "you know, I just don't feel like doing my devotional; it's not something I look forward to, but rather something I do because it's part of my routine." She responded, "I feel the same way. What's the point in doing something if your heart isn't in it?" Now I know that we all go through days where we think, "I really don't have the time to sit down and do this devotional! I have to be at work (or school, or church)." So, if I ever need to be somewhere early, and I want to do a morning devo, I just have to make myself get up a little earlier so that I'm not pressed for time in getting ready OR in doing my devotional. Did you know that seeking God is like developing a friendship? Makes sense though, right? I mean, in order to be *close* friends with somebody, you have to spend time with that person: getting to know them, what they like and dislike, their character and even their quirks. It's the exact same way with God: In order to get to know Him on an intimate level, we have to stop and take a few minutes a day to just sit down and read the Bible and listen to what He has to tell us. I've always been confused on how to "be still" and listen to God's voice. But, I realize that whenever I get it into my head to journal my devotionals, sometimes I write two or three pages and it's something that I need to pay attention to. Or in these authors' words: "learn to listen to Him as you read of His love and thoughts about you in the Bible. Think about what He is saying to you personally. Sit silently and write what impressions come to your listening heart."
You could compare that to taking notes for a sermon. Why do you take notes? Just to have something to do? For me, it's because I feel like I might want to look back on that information because I might need to be reminded of something that I've forgotten about God. I try to pray this every SAturday night before church: "Lord, please help me to listen to what You have to tell me tomorrow, and please give my dad the words You want him to say, and the words You want me to hear. Convict me of any sin that needs to be taken care of." I don't always listen to Him though, when it comes to sin. sometimes I act like I didn't hear Him. But I want to cultivate more of a devotion to Him in me. He either wants all or none of my heart, and it's time I give Him first place forever. Now, at the end of every chapter are some spaces/questions where you can write down your thoughts/answers about the chapter. In one of them, it asked me to read Deuteronomy 11:16 and 30:17, which basically warns me not to let my heart be deceived, and not to turn away and follow any other god(s). The question related to those verses was: "What gods seek to distract your heart?" A god in this sense can be anything that you value highly than God Himself. Anything that takes 1st place or 1st priority. I put that often the internet and Facebook distract me from spending time with God. And it's true, whenever I'm away from internet for more than a day, I get grouchy! I can't imagine not having internet at all. And Facebook? Well, I spend WAY too much time on Facebook doing absolutely nothing. This week, though, I told myself, "This week, I'm not going to worry about having internet or not. It's a time for visiting both sets of my grandparents that I don't get to see very often, and I'm not going to let the internet ruin that." Now, those of you who know me know that I write fanfiction, and that was a big reason why I brought my laptop was so I could hopefully get some of those written. And to write down my blogs, but now I have internet, so I'm able to post them immediately. But I realized just how much time the internet takes up of my life. So this week is kind of an internet abstinence week. In fact, as soon as I finish this blog, I'll be disconnecting from the internet (even though it connects automatically) and enjoying the time with my amazing grandparents.
So are you a lady or man of devotion? Are you using your singleness to seek after God with your whole heart, undistracted by Facebook, the internet, or that guy/girl that you like? Or are you like me, who tends to lose sight of the Person who should be #1?
Monday, July 19, 2010
Lady of Virtue
I totally forgot to update this yesterday. This chapter focused on becoming a lady of Virtue. They used an illustration that I've almost never heard in reference to virtue: the pearl. "One of life's most costly and beautiful objects is born out of pain and irritation-the pearl....the greater the irritation, the more valuable the pearl!" I had never really thought of that analogy before. Grains of sand get into the oyster, producing irritation, and then as a result, a pearl. Likewise, being single are grains of sand used not to irritate you, but to help develop what God wants in you. "Don't view the trial of singleness as irritating grains of sand to be discarded as quickly as possible. Realize that God has them there to create something beautiful in you." Developing better character has been hard for me, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not anywhere near where I want to be. And I view my time being single, past, present and future, as being the grains of sand that God's using to develop me into a godly woman.
Another thing discussed was the fact of outward beauty vs. inward beauty (or character). Which is more important? To me, it's always been inward beauty. When I meet somebody new (like a girl), I wonder what their character is like; will they be a good friend to me? Will they build me up in CHrist, not tear me down? If they don't encourage my dating committments, it's very hard to remain friends with them, even if they don't say anything about it to me face-to-face. I love this quote by Jackie Kendall (one of the authors): "if a man chose me for external beauty, his destiny would be hugging a prune. But, if a man chooses me for my internal beauty, his destiny will be unfading beauty even in the twilight years of marriage, because of Jesus." Makes perfect sense, doesn't it? You know how us girls always wait for our Prince Charming? Well, "to marry a prince, you must first become a princess. To marry into royalty you must be appropriately prepared." So it doens't mean just waiting around for that perfect guy to show up (because he doesn't even exist, to be honest!), it's developing the character of yourself. As Monica said in Touched by an Angel: "You will never be ready to meet the right man until YOU become the right woman." So many of us, and I'm included, tend to make a list of the qualities we desire of a boyfriend, but do we ever sit down and take the time to figure out what characteristics we want to develop in ourselves? I know I don't. I never really thought about doing that. I do want to become like the woman in Proverbs 31. A woman whose inner beauty overpowers the outer appearance. But even if I try to do it, it won't be overnight; probably it'll take my entire life to become just like that Proverbs 31 woman.
I'd like to post more, but I'm pressed for time and this is the best I can do. An update/catch up will be posted Wednesday!
Another thing discussed was the fact of outward beauty vs. inward beauty (or character). Which is more important? To me, it's always been inward beauty. When I meet somebody new (like a girl), I wonder what their character is like; will they be a good friend to me? Will they build me up in CHrist, not tear me down? If they don't encourage my dating committments, it's very hard to remain friends with them, even if they don't say anything about it to me face-to-face. I love this quote by Jackie Kendall (one of the authors): "if a man chose me for external beauty, his destiny would be hugging a prune. But, if a man chooses me for my internal beauty, his destiny will be unfading beauty even in the twilight years of marriage, because of Jesus." Makes perfect sense, doesn't it? You know how us girls always wait for our Prince Charming? Well, "to marry a prince, you must first become a princess. To marry into royalty you must be appropriately prepared." So it doens't mean just waiting around for that perfect guy to show up (because he doesn't even exist, to be honest!), it's developing the character of yourself. As Monica said in Touched by an Angel: "You will never be ready to meet the right man until YOU become the right woman." So many of us, and I'm included, tend to make a list of the qualities we desire of a boyfriend, but do we ever sit down and take the time to figure out what characteristics we want to develop in ourselves? I know I don't. I never really thought about doing that. I do want to become like the woman in Proverbs 31. A woman whose inner beauty overpowers the outer appearance. But even if I try to do it, it won't be overnight; probably it'll take my entire life to become just like that Proverbs 31 woman.
I'd like to post more, but I'm pressed for time and this is the best I can do. An update/catch up will be posted Wednesday!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Lady of Faith
Yes, yes, I'm terrible when it comes to updating! But at least I'm posting now right? ;) Okay, so today I read chapter 3: Lady of Faith. This chapter really stuck with me because I often find myself doubting God's will or His timing. So this chapter really made an impression on me.
"Faith...
A fruit whose blossoming aroma
Inspires one to victory
and sustains one after loss." These were the opening words to this chapter. The whole first page of the chapter talked about how women often relocate to other states because their home states don't have enough men! Then, they went on to talk about this woman who went to a Christian college assuming she would find her future husband. She came from a very small town (like I'm living in now), and assumed that the only way she'd ever find a boyfriend/husband would be to leave her hometown. But, she was wrong. When she came back to her hometown, she found a husband. "Her logic did not find Mr. Right. She returned to a hometown barren of many males, and God, who is not limited by our circumstances, delivered her mate from way out in 'left field.' God did not honor her logic, but He did honor her faith in Him to meet her needs." Goodness, does that mean I could find a boyfriend in this tiny little town?! That question is hypothetical, but still, it does apply.
The authors used the comparison of Ruth and Orpah to demonstrate how there are 2 different types of women: those who have sensual/logical sight (like Orpah) and those who have eyes of faith, like Ruth. Orpah returned to Moab because she'd be able to find a husband there; Ruth chose to abandon her heritage and the familiar for a life that more than likely did not include a husband or family. She chose to follow God with faith. It's really a different way of looking at the story of Ruth and Naomi. I've always wondered why Orpah chose not to go with Naomi. Was she just not devoted to Naomi, or was there another reason? The Bible doesn't actually say why Orpah went back to moab, but it makes one wonder: did she return to her homeland simply because it'd be easier to get a husband? We don't know. I've also, through reading this chapter, marveled at how much trust Ruth had in God. Ruth was raised as a pagan. Her religious system had multiple gods, yet she chose to follow a God she knew almost nothing about. Even though she was a new Christian, as we would say, she was able to trust God with her uncertain future. I've been struggling with the issue of trusting God lately. It comes almost second nature when you're in the ministry. People might think that preachers and their families always have it together, but we don't. Often, we doubt God's will in where He's put us. We wonder why we're here. We wonder if we're doing any good. We fear we're failing Him and His church. "Satan wants you to believe the lie that cripples faith: God cannot be trusted." Ouch. No wonder I feel like my faith has been in critical condition and on life support for so long. I read that and thought, "have I really not trusted God?" Oh, sometimes my human-ness comes out and I selfishly say that God has abandoned me, or is just punishing me. But I know that it's not true. Any time we've struggled to pay bills, He's provided some way to pay for them. I don't always know how He does it, but often, He provides us with extra money to pay for bills or groceries. It's amazing, honestly, how He uses people to carry out His will. Like, when my car's windshield was bashed in a year ago, one Sunday school class's members contributed and gave us the money we needed to cover the cost of replacing the glass. I, and my parents, were absolutely floored by such generosity! Obviously, God used that SS class for His glory and for His purpose, not ours. We knew that He must have laid that on those people's hearts and all praise went immediately to Him. I certainly don't want my faith crippled by the lie that God can't be trusted. If I just take the time to remember what He's done in the past, I can always trust Him with whatever lies ahead.
Then this chapter discussed how some women try to orchestrate a "chance encounter" with that guy they've had their eye on. Not something I'm completely innocent of....though I will just leave it to say that in the past, I've tried my best to force God's hand and it hasn't worked. "If Jesus wants you married, He will orchestrate the encounter" because "Jesus does have your best interest at heart. He desires to bless you by giving you the best." Another thing I really liked about this chapter is how it stressed that circumstances and location does not limit God's ability to provide a spouse for you, even in a small town like this!
Well, I sort of feel like I'm just cutting this off, but I didn't get to finish filling out the discussions at the back,and I want to read chapter 4, so maybe there will be a 2nd post today! :)
"Faith...
A fruit whose blossoming aroma
Inspires one to victory
and sustains one after loss." These were the opening words to this chapter. The whole first page of the chapter talked about how women often relocate to other states because their home states don't have enough men! Then, they went on to talk about this woman who went to a Christian college assuming she would find her future husband. She came from a very small town (like I'm living in now), and assumed that the only way she'd ever find a boyfriend/husband would be to leave her hometown. But, she was wrong. When she came back to her hometown, she found a husband. "Her logic did not find Mr. Right. She returned to a hometown barren of many males, and God, who is not limited by our circumstances, delivered her mate from way out in 'left field.' God did not honor her logic, but He did honor her faith in Him to meet her needs." Goodness, does that mean I could find a boyfriend in this tiny little town?! That question is hypothetical, but still, it does apply.
The authors used the comparison of Ruth and Orpah to demonstrate how there are 2 different types of women: those who have sensual/logical sight (like Orpah) and those who have eyes of faith, like Ruth. Orpah returned to Moab because she'd be able to find a husband there; Ruth chose to abandon her heritage and the familiar for a life that more than likely did not include a husband or family. She chose to follow God with faith. It's really a different way of looking at the story of Ruth and Naomi. I've always wondered why Orpah chose not to go with Naomi. Was she just not devoted to Naomi, or was there another reason? The Bible doesn't actually say why Orpah went back to moab, but it makes one wonder: did she return to her homeland simply because it'd be easier to get a husband? We don't know. I've also, through reading this chapter, marveled at how much trust Ruth had in God. Ruth was raised as a pagan. Her religious system had multiple gods, yet she chose to follow a God she knew almost nothing about. Even though she was a new Christian, as we would say, she was able to trust God with her uncertain future. I've been struggling with the issue of trusting God lately. It comes almost second nature when you're in the ministry. People might think that preachers and their families always have it together, but we don't. Often, we doubt God's will in where He's put us. We wonder why we're here. We wonder if we're doing any good. We fear we're failing Him and His church. "Satan wants you to believe the lie that cripples faith: God cannot be trusted." Ouch. No wonder I feel like my faith has been in critical condition and on life support for so long. I read that and thought, "have I really not trusted God?" Oh, sometimes my human-ness comes out and I selfishly say that God has abandoned me, or is just punishing me. But I know that it's not true. Any time we've struggled to pay bills, He's provided some way to pay for them. I don't always know how He does it, but often, He provides us with extra money to pay for bills or groceries. It's amazing, honestly, how He uses people to carry out His will. Like, when my car's windshield was bashed in a year ago, one Sunday school class's members contributed and gave us the money we needed to cover the cost of replacing the glass. I, and my parents, were absolutely floored by such generosity! Obviously, God used that SS class for His glory and for His purpose, not ours. We knew that He must have laid that on those people's hearts and all praise went immediately to Him. I certainly don't want my faith crippled by the lie that God can't be trusted. If I just take the time to remember what He's done in the past, I can always trust Him with whatever lies ahead.
Then this chapter discussed how some women try to orchestrate a "chance encounter" with that guy they've had their eye on. Not something I'm completely innocent of....though I will just leave it to say that in the past, I've tried my best to force God's hand and it hasn't worked. "If Jesus wants you married, He will orchestrate the encounter" because "Jesus does have your best interest at heart. He desires to bless you by giving you the best." Another thing I really liked about this chapter is how it stressed that circumstances and location does not limit God's ability to provide a spouse for you, even in a small town like this!
Well, I sort of feel like I'm just cutting this off, but I didn't get to finish filling out the discussions at the back,and I want to read chapter 4, so maybe there will be a 2nd post today! :)
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Lady of Diligence
Yesterday my day was pretty crammed, so I didn't get to read chapter 2 of Lady in Waiting, so I'm going to make up for it by reading 2 chapters today. There will be no update until next Wednesday because I won't have access to the internet until then, so all of my thoughts will be kinda old. Anyways, chapter 2 is about becoming a lady of Diligence. When I hear the word "diligent", I often think about school. I've gone through the first year of college, and I had to be quite diligent in order to make A's and B's. But what does diligence mean in regards to becoming a lady of diligence? (and notice this book concentrates on becoming a LADY, not a woman of diligence because a LADY is something every girl should strive to be).
"The perfect time to make the most of every opportunity is while you are single." That's a line I've heard in pretty much every book I've read about waiting to date. Joshua Harris said it in "I Kissed Dating Goodbye", a book which I didn't let one page go by without underlining or highlighting something on it. Diligence, in this sense, is serving Christ regardless of whether you're single or involved, but especially if you're single. Think about it: if you had a boyfriend, job, church activities, and school, where is the time to really serve God? You would tend, and I can speak from experience, to push God to the back burner. "I'll get around to Him eventually" you might say. Life is distracting, and it seems like it gets even more chaotic when you're a teenager and having to deal with not only your raging hormones, but the opposite sex's raging hormones. It's scary! But as these authors put it, "the single woman can be involved in the Lord's work on a level that a married woman cannot becuase of the distractions and responsibilities of being a wife and mother." Replace "married", "wife" and "mother" with the words "dating" and "girlfriend" and you have distractions that will steer your focus away from God. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that if you date you lose your desire to serve Christ. I'm saying that when you're worried about pleasing a boyfriend, or having to keep dates, etc..., along with everything else that's going on in your life, it's very easy to put off a devotional or ministry opportunity. I know! I admitted at the very first of this post that I put off reading chapter 2 yesterday when I didn't make time for it. I flat out didn't make time to sit down and read what it had to say.
One thing I love about my committment to not dating is telling people when they ask, "do you have a boyfriend?" that "no, I don't. In fact, I've never had one." Honestly, the look of shock on some people's faces is absolutely hilarious! I know that they're probably thinking, "I wonder what's wrong with you?" but trust me, I'm (almost) perfectly normal! One thing being single has allowed me to do is simply focus on college. I'm in an honor society, and I really don't know why I deserve to be! I constantly feel the pressure to make high grades every time I step into the classroom, sit down to take a test, or crack open a book. How could I work on my education with a guy getting in the way? I'm not saying that dating is detrimental to your life. It's a great addition if that's what you should be doing at that moment in time. I always told the Lord that I wouldn't date in high school. I wanted to wait to date until I was in college or halfway through. Now I'm in college, and nothing has changed yet, but I feel as if He's still preparing me for dating. "Your single state may not be permanent, but it definitely is not to be a comatose state until your Prince Charming arrives and whisks you off to his castle." I don't think I've been comatose, but I do think that maybe I've been using my singleness flippantly. I haven't been making the most of what I could out of it.
I feel like I've been rambling, so I'm stopping. Next post to come either later today or tomorrow. :)
"The perfect time to make the most of every opportunity is while you are single." That's a line I've heard in pretty much every book I've read about waiting to date. Joshua Harris said it in "I Kissed Dating Goodbye", a book which I didn't let one page go by without underlining or highlighting something on it. Diligence, in this sense, is serving Christ regardless of whether you're single or involved, but especially if you're single. Think about it: if you had a boyfriend, job, church activities, and school, where is the time to really serve God? You would tend, and I can speak from experience, to push God to the back burner. "I'll get around to Him eventually" you might say. Life is distracting, and it seems like it gets even more chaotic when you're a teenager and having to deal with not only your raging hormones, but the opposite sex's raging hormones. It's scary! But as these authors put it, "the single woman can be involved in the Lord's work on a level that a married woman cannot becuase of the distractions and responsibilities of being a wife and mother." Replace "married", "wife" and "mother" with the words "dating" and "girlfriend" and you have distractions that will steer your focus away from God. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that if you date you lose your desire to serve Christ. I'm saying that when you're worried about pleasing a boyfriend, or having to keep dates, etc..., along with everything else that's going on in your life, it's very easy to put off a devotional or ministry opportunity. I know! I admitted at the very first of this post that I put off reading chapter 2 yesterday when I didn't make time for it. I flat out didn't make time to sit down and read what it had to say.
One thing I love about my committment to not dating is telling people when they ask, "do you have a boyfriend?" that "no, I don't. In fact, I've never had one." Honestly, the look of shock on some people's faces is absolutely hilarious! I know that they're probably thinking, "I wonder what's wrong with you?" but trust me, I'm (almost) perfectly normal! One thing being single has allowed me to do is simply focus on college. I'm in an honor society, and I really don't know why I deserve to be! I constantly feel the pressure to make high grades every time I step into the classroom, sit down to take a test, or crack open a book. How could I work on my education with a guy getting in the way? I'm not saying that dating is detrimental to your life. It's a great addition if that's what you should be doing at that moment in time. I always told the Lord that I wouldn't date in high school. I wanted to wait to date until I was in college or halfway through. Now I'm in college, and nothing has changed yet, but I feel as if He's still preparing me for dating. "Your single state may not be permanent, but it definitely is not to be a comatose state until your Prince Charming arrives and whisks you off to his castle." I don't think I've been comatose, but I do think that maybe I've been using my singleness flippantly. I haven't been making the most of what I could out of it.
I feel like I've been rambling, so I'm stopping. Next post to come either later today or tomorrow. :)
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Lady in Waiting
My friend recently introduced me to a book called Lady In Waiting: Developing Your Love Relationships by Debby Jones and Jackie Kendall. It's been out a while, since 1995, but still a good read. I'm to the 2nd chapter and have decided that I'll use this as sort of a devotional to read in the mornings. I re-read the first chapter today, taking the time to really read it through and write down my thoughts at the end of the chapter (at the end, there are discussion questions to think about). Certainly, I've felt like a lady in waiting. I thought at first, "well this book is like ALL those others I've read", but as I started into the first chapter, I realized that this book is just a little bit different. First of all, there are 10 characteristics of a lady in waiting: Lady of Reckless Abandonment, of Diligence, of Faith, of Virtue, of Devotion, of Purity, of Security, of Contentment, of Conviction, of Patience. The authors use Ruth as a woman who had all 10 of these characteristics. Once my friend and her family get back from China, and I've read through the book, we plan to do a devotional/Bible study together using this book, but as I'm reading it now, I'll try to post some thoughts.
The first chapter is Lady of Reckless Abandonment. Most of the focus is talking about how many women seek to find completion in their boyfriend(s) or husbands, or even their careers. "Too many Christian women think that the inner longings of their heart relate only to love, marriage and motherhood. Look a little closer and see if that longing isn't ultimately for Jesus." That struck me, mainly because since I'm still technically a teenager, I face those feelings of never having someone, or not being able to be held by a guy. I'll say this, I've never dated and I'm 18. I don't brag about it because it's not an easy lifestyle! But I am proud of it because I feel as if I've been able to be true to the calling God has set before me, and that is to wait to date until He says it's time. Reading this chapter, I realized how much I depend on other things/people to fill me up. How much time do I waste on Facebook or online doing absolutely nothing? How many mornings do I actually set aside to spend time with God? I never am consistent with my morning devotions. Some mornings, if I'm really with it, I'll sit down and do a quiet time. But I rarely ever take the time to pray or to just sit and listen to His voice. I've decided that with this book, I will strive to start every morning by setting my focus on Him. I've found that, although sometimes my days are bad anyway, they often aren't as rough when I've started it all off with Him. I've always known, deep down in my heart, that completion can never be found in another person but Christ. Sometimes, though, I lose sight of that and I get selfish. I look to my friends or to films or to books to provide fulfillment, and when they don't, I get angry and/or depressed about it. No more! Tonight, when I take my prayers to God, I'm going to committ to Him to strive to look for my fulfillment in Him. It can't happen overnight, of course. Many times, I wish it could! In fact, I think it's why I'm still single: God's not done with my single season. He isn't done with my singleness, and He knows, even if I don't, that He's still got to work on me some more before I'm ready to be involved with a guy. Oh believe me, I get very impatient sometimes, but I know that he, that very special person, IS coming. Could he already be here and I don't know it? Kinda doubtful, but who knows? But I can say that right now, I'm not ready to date. I have to 1. find my completion in Christ, 2. learn how to re-focus on Him daily, and 3. simply draw closer to Him.
Ultimately, I think that's where it all starts. You have to find your completion in CHrist, learn to be content on a dateless Saturday, and just trust Him with your future.
Now, another focus in the chapter was on the sinful woman and her alabaster box in the Bible. She broke a costly perfume over the head of Christ, anointing Him for burial, AND offering Him all she had. She "wisely broke her alabaster box in the presence of the only One who can make a woman's dreams come true." Your alabaster box can be a dream of a white knight in shining armor riding in to sweep you off your feet. "Take your alabaster box to Jesus and break it in His presence...." I thought, well surely I haven't done that yet! But then, I'm content to be single. for now. Oh sure, sometimes I wish Friday night was date night, but in most cases, I'm happy being single. No guy could put up with me long enough, I think! So how do I know that I"ve "broken my alabaster box"? Easy: "When the Lord gives" me "a difficult assignment, such as another dateless month," I "receive His terms without resentment." I'm not ALWAYS happy with being alone, but most of the time, I just remind myself it's for God's best, and then I just set it aside in my mind.
Okay well, this has turned into a very long blog, and so I better stop. More to come tomorrow, hopefully! :)
The first chapter is Lady of Reckless Abandonment. Most of the focus is talking about how many women seek to find completion in their boyfriend(s) or husbands, or even their careers. "Too many Christian women think that the inner longings of their heart relate only to love, marriage and motherhood. Look a little closer and see if that longing isn't ultimately for Jesus." That struck me, mainly because since I'm still technically a teenager, I face those feelings of never having someone, or not being able to be held by a guy. I'll say this, I've never dated and I'm 18. I don't brag about it because it's not an easy lifestyle! But I am proud of it because I feel as if I've been able to be true to the calling God has set before me, and that is to wait to date until He says it's time. Reading this chapter, I realized how much I depend on other things/people to fill me up. How much time do I waste on Facebook or online doing absolutely nothing? How many mornings do I actually set aside to spend time with God? I never am consistent with my morning devotions. Some mornings, if I'm really with it, I'll sit down and do a quiet time. But I rarely ever take the time to pray or to just sit and listen to His voice. I've decided that with this book, I will strive to start every morning by setting my focus on Him. I've found that, although sometimes my days are bad anyway, they often aren't as rough when I've started it all off with Him. I've always known, deep down in my heart, that completion can never be found in another person but Christ. Sometimes, though, I lose sight of that and I get selfish. I look to my friends or to films or to books to provide fulfillment, and when they don't, I get angry and/or depressed about it. No more! Tonight, when I take my prayers to God, I'm going to committ to Him to strive to look for my fulfillment in Him. It can't happen overnight, of course. Many times, I wish it could! In fact, I think it's why I'm still single: God's not done with my single season. He isn't done with my singleness, and He knows, even if I don't, that He's still got to work on me some more before I'm ready to be involved with a guy. Oh believe me, I get very impatient sometimes, but I know that he, that very special person, IS coming. Could he already be here and I don't know it? Kinda doubtful, but who knows? But I can say that right now, I'm not ready to date. I have to 1. find my completion in Christ, 2. learn how to re-focus on Him daily, and 3. simply draw closer to Him.
Ultimately, I think that's where it all starts. You have to find your completion in CHrist, learn to be content on a dateless Saturday, and just trust Him with your future.
Now, another focus in the chapter was on the sinful woman and her alabaster box in the Bible. She broke a costly perfume over the head of Christ, anointing Him for burial, AND offering Him all she had. She "wisely broke her alabaster box in the presence of the only One who can make a woman's dreams come true." Your alabaster box can be a dream of a white knight in shining armor riding in to sweep you off your feet. "Take your alabaster box to Jesus and break it in His presence...." I thought, well surely I haven't done that yet! But then, I'm content to be single. for now. Oh sure, sometimes I wish Friday night was date night, but in most cases, I'm happy being single. No guy could put up with me long enough, I think! So how do I know that I"ve "broken my alabaster box"? Easy: "When the Lord gives" me "a difficult assignment, such as another dateless month," I "receive His terms without resentment." I'm not ALWAYS happy with being alone, but most of the time, I just remind myself it's for God's best, and then I just set it aside in my mind.
Okay well, this has turned into a very long blog, and so I better stop. More to come tomorrow, hopefully! :)
Friday, July 2, 2010
Summer Goes By Much too Fast
Where does the summer go? It wasn't that long ago that I was looking at the end of May!!! Summer classes have kept me busy; so busy, in fact, that I had to miss out on helping with VBS this year. Disappointing, but sometimes life has to take priority over something fun. But thankfully, finals are only a week away! About a week ago, I found out that I'm going to be an aunt in 2011! It's very exciting, but very unexpected for all of us. But I'm excited that I'll get to have a little niece or nephew.
Next weekend I'm finally going to be able to hang out with some good friends of mine. I haven't been able to spend much time with them in almost 2 years! Their family is homeschooled like we were, and I think that's a reason we have so much in common. The oldest girl and I are both in college, so it's very difficult to find time to get together; and her younger sister will be going to college in the fall. It's very odd to think of how much we've changed in the last 5 years (the amount of time I've known them), and it doesn't seem all that possible. It should be good to get away from the chaos that plagues a preacher's home and church and just relax with good friends.
I'm in the middle of writing a history essay, so this will be it for now. more to come later! :)
Next weekend I'm finally going to be able to hang out with some good friends of mine. I haven't been able to spend much time with them in almost 2 years! Their family is homeschooled like we were, and I think that's a reason we have so much in common. The oldest girl and I are both in college, so it's very difficult to find time to get together; and her younger sister will be going to college in the fall. It's very odd to think of how much we've changed in the last 5 years (the amount of time I've known them), and it doesn't seem all that possible. It should be good to get away from the chaos that plagues a preacher's home and church and just relax with good friends.
I'm in the middle of writing a history essay, so this will be it for now. more to come later! :)
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