Eh...when you age, some things fall by the wayside.
Since I last wrote, I've aged, and this blog has fallen by the wayside.
A few of my Facebook notes:
June 5, 2007Status: Abigail is kissing her teenage years goodbye...and welcoming the double decade!May 22, 2007Concerning Relationships
Following my brother Nathaniel's recent engagement and betrothal to my good friend Lauren MacMillan, I've had a lot of friends quiz me about romantic relationships. Hopefully those two will eventually get their story up for you all to read, as well as their betrothal ceremony video posted to their profiles. You can pester them for it, if you'd like.
In the meantime, behold, my beliefs/practices regarding romantic relationships (curtain rises):
Romantic progression:
1. Friendship (preferably in the context of families, since family context is the best way to really learn a person’s character. How do they relate to the people they live with? How a guy treats his mom is how he’ll treat his wife. Plus, then the family knows him and can make a better call as to whether or not he’s an acceptable addition to the family.)
2. Commitment (basically, when the guy is ready to get married *more on this later* he prays/decides the girl is the one he thinks he wants to marry, gets his parent’s counsel, her parent’s blessing, and then asks her to marry him. If she agrees, they become betrothed *more on this later*)
3. Emotional bonding (after the commitment, it’s “safe” for the couple to fall in love without the danger of defrauding each other or leading each other on. They can spend time together, and talk together, planning their future. My conviction is to save all physical contact until marriage—as a way of protecting the purity of each other and demonstrating a willingness to sacrifice for each other.)
4. Marriage (public joining as man and wife)
5. Physical bonding—sex. (“the two become one flesh” Genesis 2:24)
*When is a person ready to move from friendship to commitment?
Guys: When he is ready to be an independent (“a man leaves his father and mother” Genesis 2:24) spiritual leader (“Christ is the head of a man, the man is the head of his woman, and God is the head of Christ” 1 Corinthians 11:3) and a temporal provider (“First plow your field and afterward build your house”).
Girls: When she is ready to be a keeper at home (“Women are to be workers at home” Titus 2:4-5; All of Proverbs 31)
*What in the world is a betrothal?
A betrothal is an exchange of vows—almost like our modern wedding vows. In Biblical times, a couple was betrothed before the wedding and were considered legally married. (Joseph and Mary—Matt. 1:18) To end the betrothal (only allowable for the cause of unfaithfulness), a divorce was required.
In the story of Isaac and Rebekah, each party (groom’s father, groom, bride’s family, bride) involved had the opportunity to say “no”. Any one party’s refusal could end the whole process.
There’s a lot of practical wisdom in following a model like this, since it’s not built on liver shivers and twitterpating.
So, now you all know just how weird I really am. :) (curtain falls.)
March 21, 2007Concerning Frailty“As for the days of our lives, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty...so teach us to number our days that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:10,12
For the past few summers I have been involved in a tennis class taught by an older local couple. Older, as in, nearly 80, but you'd never guess it. They were healthy and in shape—looked like they had many more years ahead of them. Last fall, Dwight, the husband, became ill—with pancreatic cancer. A week ago, he went to see his Maker, and we buried him Saturday in one of the most uplifting funerals I have ever attended. Dwight's last months had been spent reaching out to the kids he'd trained, just as his whole life had been—living for his Master. The testimonies of his submission to the Lord, even in his cancer were beautiful and glorifying to the Lord.
“Remember God before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed...then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:6-7
Jesus said: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, left him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. For what will a man be profitted if he gains the whole world and forfeits His soul?” Matthew 16:24-26
Who are you living for?
Frailty,
Thy name is man.
And this is thy life's span.
Take it and use it
For Me,
Or lose it.
Take it and lose it
For Me--
You'll find it.
Audio here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/12654793/d690948eFebruary 16, 2007Concerning HorrorI am still shaking and I feel sick to my stomache with horror at the great sin I just came face to face with...not a sin of my own, but a horrible deed that I wish I didn't know about. I feel ashamed, nauseated and shocked.
But the thing that stands out most to me is this: If I am this horrified by a sin, how much more horrified must my righteous God be?
It's easy for me to point my finger at the sins that turn my stomache, ignoring my own "smaller" sins. But all sins turn God's stomache. All sins horrify Him and disgust Him. Every time I commit a "small" sin, He is even more grieved than I was, even more sickened than I was, even more horrified than I was. And that is often. Oh how often I horrify my Holy God!
I can only pray that He will make all sins as disgusting to me as the one I just witnessed--even as they are to Him.
