Mid-20's Observation #1

So, there's this one thing I have yet to master now that I'm a mid-20s adult (okay, way more than one thing)... 

Folding fitted sheets...

Am I right?! 

I could be having a serene, relaxing evening, doing a little laundry, enjoying the satisfying accomplishment of warm, clean clothes. (Laundry is actually my favorite chore, maybe because it mostly does itself).  Then, I come across a fitted sheet, and I find myself having a moment of rage so disproportionate to the task it's almost comical.

"No big deal", I tell myself when I first see that clump of sheets with elastic corners.

Then, somewhere between picking out the still damp socks that got tucked inside, pairing the corners together, and attempting to make a shape that can be neatly folded, something inside me snaps. 

I let out an "ughhrawarrrr", and violently karate chop that sucker into ball to stuff into my otherwise neat linen shelf.

Then back to the towels for some rectangle therapy. 

Sharing the Good News

1 Peter 3:15 : 

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have..."

I've been thinking lately about my own awkwardness and discomfort when put on the spot about my faith. I love to talk about my relationship with God, but I can be easily intimidated by the tough questions others may ask. I'm so concerned that I will give them the wrong answer, that I end up fumbling and bumbling around what I am trying to say. I usually end up kicking myself later when I've finally come up with the perfect way to word what I was thinking- too late. I've certainly always been more comfortable with acting out my faith than with speaking about  it. However, lately I've been feeling convicted that I need to stop using my own comfort levels as an excuse.

Last night an analogy came to me that really drove home to me the importance of sharing my faith with others:

If I had foreknowledge of a huge national disaster or tragedy before it had occurred, say for example a tsunami, or a forest fire was coming our way, there is no doubt in my mind that I would be running from neighbor to neighbor warning them.  On my way out of town I'd be yelling out the windows of my car, and running into gas stations to warn total strangers of what I knew was coming. I'd be banging on doors, shaking people awake, and causing a scene - and it would be worth it! I would want to let every single person that I physically could reach or contact know that they were in danger so that they could save themselves.

How is this any different from the situation we face as Christians every single day on Earth? We know and believe in our hearts that the knowledge of our Savior can save multitudes of people for Christ. We believe that hearing and believing the Good News of Jesus is literally a matter of eternal LIFE or DEATH! Forget total strangers for a moment, why am I not at the very least taking every effort to introduce family, friends, coworkers and other people I care about to God? I mean, really, If I say that I care about someone, why wouldn't it be a top priority for me to pray for them and at least plant the seed that could save their life? Going back to people I don't know, if I wouldn't leave a perfect stranger to die or go through a disaster alone, why do I avoid bringing up their relationship with the Creator?

A few years ago I saw a YouTube video made by atheist comedian, Penn Jillette. He makes a profound statement about proselytizing (trying to convert non-believers)  that I think all Christians (an non-Christians) should take very seriously. He says:

“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize.... If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward – and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me alone and keep your religion to yourself – how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"
(The Full Video is here)

What answer can I give him? 


What if one day we stand before God to give an account of our life and we are presented with a number. Not the number of good deeds we've done, or the amount of money we had given to the church, or even the number of times we've used God's name in vain. What if we were presented with the devastating number of the hundreds (or maybe thousands?) of people the might have entered the kingdom of Heaven if we had just talked to them about Jesus? 

It gives me the chills just thinking about it...

(Photo from http://admiralcreedy.blogspot.com/2011/07/wonder-of-cross.html)

When Girls "Bash" their Guys

There are few things I find to be more hurtful to a relationship than when one partner "bashes" the other. I'm not talking about physical abuse, I'm talking about when one partner decides it's okay to speak badly about the other in public.

I'm not trying to stereotype, but I've noticed that women can be especially bad with this. We've all been at a work function, or a "Girl's Night Out" that turns into a complaining session about everyone's boyfriends or husbands. Someone's man is awful at this or that. Someone else's is fat, or lazy or has some other unappealing flaw. Or other women just can't wait till their man is out of town because life is better or easier when they aren't around. Sometimes these gripe sessions turn into a competition of who has the worst situation - each woman trying to one up the others. It's incredibly sad! It makes me want to ask, "Don't you realize that you are only making your problems WORSE by disrespecting your relationship this way? Maybe those things are true, certainly every relationship has its ups and downs, but this is not the solution!" I truly believe that if those things are going to get better, it's going to take love and honesty with each other, not complaining to everyone else or turning it into a joke. Perhaps some of these women have given up hope that their situations can get better... if that's the case, the LAST thing they need to hear is "wow you're right, he sounds as bad as my husband..."

I can't decide which is worse, talking bad about a loved one behind their back, or making fun of them in front of others. It appears that some women must have really low respect for their men, if they are not only willing to make fun of them when they aren't around, but also to their face, and in front of his friends. I feel myself cringe inwardly when I see ladies publicly humiliate their man in front of others. It's not funny, it's not cute. It just makes the rest of the crowd either feel awkward, or leads to more negative or hurtful poking fun. Not to mention, you are revealing an inner desire to build yourself up by putting others down - in this case, of all people, someone you are supposed to love and cherish.

Some readers may be thinking that I am being judgmental of relationship issues I haven't faced myself. This is probably true to some extent. I am incredibly blessed to have a husband that, in my opinion, is the sweetest and most considerate man on Earth. I don't think I could find a bad thing to say about David if I tried, which certainly makes it easier to have good things to say about him. That being said, we are both human, and every relationship will have problems to work through together. Key word : together. As in between him, and me, and God.

I'm not saying that every issue or problem should be hidden, or that people should put on a false front, pretending they have the perfect relationship. If there is something personal that is bothering me in any aspect of my life or relationship, I think it's okay to share those thoughts with my "nearest and dearest". Meaning, I have a select few best friends and family members that genuinely want to encourage me to make things better. These are the people that care about both me and my husband.  I can rely on them to keep the conversation confidential, to offer suggestions and advice, and to tell me when I am actually the one with the problem (which is frequently the case)...not those people that are just looking for some juicy gossip to pass on, or want to egg me on in my negative thinking. Plus, when my coworkers or acquaintances meet David for the first time, I want to have paved a way before the introduction - a path of reasons that I love him and am proud of him.

In my wedding vows to David I said :

 "...I vow to uphold you in prayer, and submit my heart to you; to always be by and on your side, that the presence of the Lord reside in our home..."

I said it, and I meant it. No matter how satisfying it may feel to gossip... No matter the desire to have frustrated/negative feelings justified by others.. No matter how easy it is to want to be part of the crowd or conversation... I will only say positive and uplifting things about David behind his back and in public.  

I am a firm believer that my marriage will not flourish if David and I don't stand by each other, and for each other. I cannot explain the peace and reassurance it is to know that David will only say good things about me to others. We trust one another to build each other up, and at the same time, we are cementing our strong bond so that we can survive any conflict that comes our way. 

I would really encourage all of my readers to think about the message they are sending to others about their significant other. Is it loving? Is it kind? Does it strengthen your relationship, or weaken it? If you can't say something nice, be silent. 

 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29 

 

(Photo by Sherei Jackson Photography)

Spoiled

I'm feeling incredibly spoiled this morning.  Dave makes me breakfast every morning before work even though he could sleep in. This morning while I eat my bagel and sausage, Dave is shoveling out my car after last nights snow storm.  I just looked over and noticed that he had laid out my coat in front of the fire place so that it would be warm when I put it on. He's a sweetheart <3