Footprints

He Carried Me

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Lay Down Your Soles

Posted at 03:47 PM on December 26, 2008 Comments comments (0)
I started this post when I was in Virginia but the photos weren't uploading on my sis' internet so it was saved as a draft. I'd been wanting to post this since that day but never got around to finishing it until now. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is one that I've been meaning to blog about for 2 weeks now. Two Sundays ago, November 9 to be exact, Pastor Matt talked about poverty and what we could do to help. There were several ministries and organizations that he mentioned that we could become a part of and/or get information about after the service. The big thing that week though was his challenge. He challenged us to bring a pair of shoes for homeless people or people that need good shoes. And if we felt so convicted, to take off the shoes we were wearing and bring them to the front during worship after the sermon. It was so cool. Unfortunately I was wearing the shoes I had bought the day before for the wedding that I was in that afternoon so I couldn't bring mine to the front, but alot of people did. I took this photo after the 10:30 service. There were still 2 more services that day. I also thought it was really cool to see people walking around inside and outside in socks or barefoot just talking like normal, some of them finding out more information of other ministries they could get involved in to help out with and use their gifts. These are just a few people who took off their shoes for someone else. (I think there are two barefoot and two in socks behind some legs) The black barefeet belong to Adrian, she was in my small group a couple years ago. She's great but was hesitant to let me take a picture of her barefeet. The following week this sign was on the gym wall for those who brought a pair of shoes that week. Underneath was a pile of shoes, new and used. I really like the way it's phrased. The Sandals staff is so creative and really know how to use words in a powerful way. And this is a truckload of donated "soles" that were being brought to the church office. I'm so blessed to be part of such a giving church!

Novelty of Marriage-II

Posted at 03:39 PM on November 10, 2008 Comments comments (0)
  • Yesterday I was in my best friend's wedding--Nicole Hand and Chris Turner. I love them both! For very different reasons, but I love them both just the same. A couple of months ago I posted a blog about the novelty of marriage and how I think some people have been getting married or engaged lately just for the novelty of it (I sort of came up with it myself). This has been the topic of several conversations I've had recently in fact, once again. I really think the institution of marriage has truly lost its meaning. Divorce has become so easy in society that people don't really feel pressed to really spend the rest of their lives with someone.
  • Many of my friends who are engaged or recently married are under the age of 25. There is one couple who is engaged right now who are both 25. Nobody over 25. Awhile ago I had heard that the average age for a woman to get married was going up. Like, people are getting married later in life now because they want to establish themselves within their career field and finish school and stuff. I honestly think that people are content with just dating around forever until they wise up or they are content with cohabitating with their significant other while having sex and having most of the benefits of marriage without actually making the commitment (which most men are afraid of). I also heard (just yesterday in fact) that those married at or after the age of 25 are 50% more likely to stay together and not get divorced. Think about that, your chances of divorce if you marry at or older than the age of 25 decrease by 50%!!!
  • So why are all of my ridiculous friends getting married so young? I'm not saying everybody should wait until they are 25 years old to get married. I think it's different for everybody and their lives. But I am saying you should do it the right way and think about what you're getting into. If you're getting married while you're still a teenager (or just out of your teens) and will be living with your family or renting a room from another family, then you're probably not ready to be married. There are alot of responsibilities that come along with marriage. There are alot of privileges and perks too, I'm not trying to downplay those, but "the worst part of life is waiting, the best part of life is having something worth waiting for." Does this make any sense?
  • I also am ecstatic that prop 8 passed. Yes, more politics. I think it's really important. And I did really struggle with this because I do believe in protecting people and their liberties and rights. I don't necessarily think prop 8 takes any liberties away. Nor do I think it's discrimination against homosexuals. I'm going back to protecting the meaning of marriage again. It's a sacred act instituted by God for the purpose of family and procreation. It is impossible for two individuals of the same sex to procreate therefore, the purpose of marriage could not be attained. I know there are couples who can't or don't want to have kids and I'm not saying it's wrong for them to get married if they're not going to procreate, but it is unnatural and simply is not a marriage for two people of the same sex to be "married."
  • I've heard alot of arguments against prop 8. It's discimination and takes away fundamental rights and civil liberties (which I somewhat touched on). Homosexuals want the same rights and privileges as married couples (such as taxes, hospital rights/visits, adoption rights, etc.). And that marriage is a religious institution and should not even be an issue that the government handles due to the separation of church and state clause. I will say it's true that marriage is a religious institution. But I can almost guarantee ya'll don't want the church to deal with it because they'll vote the same way the majority did!!!!! As for their entitlement to rights and privileges, if people want to get married just for the benefits, that's pretty ridiculous. It goes back to the novelty of it. People want a ceremony and rings and a cake and blah blah blah, but what's the most important thing? The most important thing is the daily, deliberate decision to love that person even if they don't deserve it. Maybe people feel like their missing out, but if they really look at WHY they wan to get married, the benefits like tax breaks shouldn't be a top priority. I would think twice if the other benefits were that important to my spouse, or me. Homosexuals can still get married, just not to each other. But that really is the definition of marriage. Not partner A and partner B, man and wife. That's what makes it special.
  • Then again, there really are two types of "married." There's married under the law. And then there's married under God. Two different things. The marriage license and wording makes it legal--married under the law. Making a commitment to that person in front of God and witnesses with a purposeful intent to uphold your promise makes it married under God. Legally, Chris and Nicole aren't married. They have a marriage license which is signed and they had a ceremony and were pronounced man and wife, but since prop 8 was passed, they need a new form which no longer says "partner A" and "partner B," but man and wife. But they are still definitely married, there's no question about it. So you know what, even if prop 8 didn't pass, people may be "married" under the law but not REALLY married.
  • Anyway, this wasn't even the point of this post and I've rambled long enough.
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