Quotes I Hate...(don't like, I mean)

Facebook Phrases

I love Facebook to keep up with my out-of-state and formerly out-of-country family. I love to see pictures of kids and dogs and kitties. I like to know when there is a birthday, especially if the year is included and they are older than me. I love the funnies that are posted on there and I love to try to be funny. There are some things...that just...We have a saying in our home. Mostly my husband says it to me, but it's true. "You would probably be good friends with her if it weren't for Facebook." Let me just say, that is so true. Mostly the negatives drive me crazy. But also, the anniversary posts, new job/promotion posts, and the overall 'good people' posts.
 There is a reason why these bother me and it's not because I'm cold-hearted and hate my life. (Although Jesus tells us to hate our life, doesn't He? Luke 14:25-27. Yikes! need to work on that) Anyway, moving on. These posts annoy me because of these three phrases:

1." ________ years ago I married my soul mate!"
2. "Congratulations! You deserve it!"
3. "People are just good."

 People aren't good

 I'll start will "people are just good," because that one is short and sweet and just a very vague comment. Many times these 'good people' posts come about because of a crisis or some situation where the 'good' was seen. Don't get me wrong, there is ABSOLUTELY good in the world. But it only comes from one place- and it's not people. The only good in this world comes from God. Period. How do we know what "good" is, anyway? God. He puts it in our hearts and when we see it, we know. (Romans 3:10-12, Romans 3:23, Mark 10:18, side note-even Jesus loves a little riddle).

 I don't deserve it/You don't deserve it

 We deserve to be punished for our many sins. (Romans 6:23) The marriage, children, job, promotion, material things, food, clothing, etc. We do not deserve that. Those are gifts. A gift can not be earned and it is not deserved. Hmm, that one turned out shorter than I thought. Moving on.

 I did not marry my soul mate

 I know that I will one day. Jesus is my soul mate, and here are a few reasons why:

1. He is my friend  (John 15:15)
2. He died for me (John 15:13, Romans 5:8)
3. His love will never leave me (Romans 8:38)
4. He is perfect (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22)
5. He rescued me from death (Romans 6:23)


 There you have it. The reasons why those phrases irritate me. I think the most important part of this message is this- Although people aren't good, we don't deserve anything good, and we don't have a soul mate on this planet, God can work in us. He can give us good through Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) He can give us our soul mate if we ask. And praise God, He can give us so much more than we could ever deserve!

Remembering April 27, 2011

 I've never shared some of these pictures. Mostly for respect of those affected by the tornadoes of 2011. Two years later, I've decided it was time to share a little bit of our story and some of the pictures that go along with it.
 I awoke to tornado sirens at 6am on April 27, 2011. It was the first of many tornado alerts we would hear that day. We all went to our "safe place," which, in all honesty isn't safe at all. But it's what we have. Little did I know that we would be spending the majority of the next 15 hours in that place.
 Around 12pm another warning came through our area. I was alone with my nearly 2 year old son. We again got in our "safe place." This time it was close, I could hear hail. It was so loud that I could no longer hear the weather man on TV. But from what I could hear outside, something was close. Large hail, loud pops of something...transformers? power lines? I didn't know. Then the entire house was quiet. No power.
 Thankfully, my husband had an emergency wind-up radio. I wound and wound it up and listened to the radio for news on the next wave of tornadoes. I watched the radar on my phone. I panicked. We knew they were coming, yet there was nothing to do but wait.
 The next tornado that came through our area was around 6pm. I'm so thankful that my husband was home and by my side with our baby underneath us. You never want to hear that a tornado with a 3/4 mile wide base is headed to your community. After this passed, I felt a sense of relief. I knew we were not in the clear, but I just felt a sense of calm that we had escaped a very large storm.
 These were the two tornadoes in our immediate vicinity. The warnings were constant throughout the day. Every thirty minutes to an hour, another cell would be coming through. It was a record-breaking number of tornadoes in Alabama that day.
 This was only the start of what would be a life-altering week. For five days we were without power. The hardest thing for me was taking an ice cold shower. I have really come to appreciate running hot water. We ate by candlelight at night, mostly pre-packaged food and juice boxes. We boiled water on the grill so that the baby could have a semi-warm sponge bath. We played games and listened to the wind-up radio. One day we went to the park with my in-laws. We also traveled to another town where there were rumors of power. We had a hot meal and then found a place to do some laundry...a truck stop. I often tell others that this was one of the best times of my life- and it was.
 For half of a day, I volunteered with a friend to help a neighborhood near by that had been hit hard. Words can not describe what is seen in these areas, or what is felt. There was thankfulness that it was not us. There was guilt that it was not us. There was an overwhelming feeling that nothing I can do will be enough. We just did what we could do that day, and they were thankful for us.
 April 27th will always be a day that I take time to remember those families that were changed forever. Many things were lost that day, but things don't matter. Many people were also lost that day. I remember the many families who mourn together for the loss of loved ones. I pray for them that God will give them peace and comfort.

Our "safe place"

Where we usually play

We had to wait in line for groceries

having fun at the truck stop

Just Wait- A perspective on marriage

I was inspired by this post to write this. Similar to child rearing in the fact that in the beginning, we are on an adrenaline rush of euphoria, only to find that this journey is so much harder than we expected, is this- marriage.
 When I see young couples...younger couples, (I admit, we are a young couple) I think to myself many things. None of which is "oh, they are going to be so happy together forever and ever!" Often times I think "if they only knew what lies ahead!" If we did know what was ahead, would we still get married? I would say most of us would. That is because although marriage is difficult, sometimes impossible, it is also so rewarding.
 God didn't create marriage to make us happy, but to make us holy. My favorite summary of marriage in the Bible is found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

 

"Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down,

his friend can help him up.

But pity the man who falls

and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

 

 The idea behind this passage is that the "two" are in battle. Not with each other, but together, against an enemy. The two lying together symbolizes two lying back to back, protecting one another. I absolutely love this passage because it shows that one purpose of marriage is to give us a human companion to join our side in a spiritual battle. (paraphrased from Love and War)

 So many times when a couple is recently married, still in the "honeymoon phase," we hear or say "just wait." We know that the troubles are coming, because we've been there. But there is another side to the story...

 

Just wait until the first time you get to call him "husband"

 

Just wait until you get to go on vacation together- alone

 

Just wait until you've had a hard day at work and he meets you at home with a hot pizza

 

Just wait until you get to tell him that you will soon be a family of three

 

Just wait until you see your child in his arms for the first time

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just wait until you feel rejected and discouraged and he encourages you with biblical truth

 

Just wait until it's bath time for the kids and you hear them squealing and playing together

 

Just wait until you've sworn this is the worst day of your life, then you get a text like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just wait until you feel like you've failed as a mother, and he tells you you're the best mom on Earth

 

Just wait until you're driving near home, see a horrible car accident, and praise God it isn't him

 

Just wait until he surprises you with a vacation you've been hinting about

 

Just wait until you've messed up and he shows you forgiveness only seen through Christ.

 

Just wait.

 

The next time you come across a newly married or engaged couple, give them words of encouragement. All too often we focus on the struggles of this life instead of the blessings. My marriage is no exception to the rule. We struggle. At times we have struggled greatly. But I praise God that He can make anything new again. If you are at a time of great struggle in your marriage, remember it is a battle. Your spouse is your comrade, not your enemy. Focus on the true enemy, and get the help you need from God and others.