I have a very dear friend, Megan, who shares my enthusiasm for thinking as well as general sillyness. Recently, we've started a joint blog that we can both write on, just because we think that collaboration is a good thing. It's always a wise thing to look at ideas from the perspective of others. So, we've started this blog, really in an effort to share our hearts and our love of Christ. We want to research and hunt and honestly just live intentionally in the love of God. We only have one post, but we'll be adding more soon! But I wanted to post a link to our little project just to get the ball rolling. Welcome! =)
Kingdom Crux
Friday, July 20, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
[Untitled]
There is a trend in my generation that I'm not quite sure I understand. We are immature, we are scared, we are apathetic. And we refuse to grow up. Let's get something straight right off the bat - I'm not immune.I am 22 years old, I live with my parents [and the rest of my family which is beside the point, but somehow made me feel better =P], I hold a fairly dead end part time job, I did just complete my associates degree - but I truly have no idea how to channel my passions into a career, I sometimes make bad decisions and choose to be irresponsible, and I just can't seem to grasp some basic foundations of a healthy life. It short, this strange phenomenon afflicts me too.
But I WANT to grow up. I have no desire to identify myself to anyone as a "kid" I don't want to live my life as a twenty or even thirty something pretending that I'm really five years younger and giving myself an excuse for immaturity.
There are some mile stones that our culture identifies as part of being an adult. Things like turning 18, moving out on our own, holding down a job, paying the bills, going to college, etc. All good things, all part of becoming a growing, functioning, and mature part of society. But I don't know that I'd say that those are the things that determine adulthood. I think that, from my point of view anyhow [and perhaps this is because I fall short on many of society's standards and want to believe that I am still an adult in my own right. Or I suppose I could be on to something here. It could be some of both, it could be none of either], emotional maturity is what kind of defines adulthood for me. Am I the same person no matter who I'm with? Am I the same person when I'm alone? Am I the same person when I talk to God? When I talk to my parents? When I talk to strangers? Or do I just play a role, fill a need?
I realize that everyone has different gifts and abilities that they bring to the table. So in different combinations of people, the "role" we play might be different. But I think that my generation is just filled to the brim with floaters. We flit, just waiting for someone to tell us what to do. Why on earth is that ok? Why do we not lead, why do we not fight? What the heck happened? My parents' generation was a working one. When they wanted or needed or needed something, they worked until they got it, and then worked more. But we, gosh, we are not that disciplined. We go, "it's haaaarrrdd" or "I don't like iiitttt" and then we quit. Or we get distracted or bored, and then we quit. There is a shocking lack of focus, of direction, of perseverance.
Maybe I shouldn't way "we", maybe these are my issues alone [but to say I'm the only person struggling with something sure sounds awfully conceited and inaccurate] but I don't think so because, unless I'm just super blind, I see it in other people my age as well.
I work in a middle school and even though my contact with the students is fairly limited, it is pretty obvious that this up coming generation is feisty! They are entitled, spoiled, and often arrogant, but by golly they're fighters.
I want to be like that. I don't want to be passive. I don't want to be immature and just kinda float around just because I don't know what else to do. I want to hunt something down, I want to pursue and chase, I want to commit. I refuse to be a statistic. I want to be a servant, I want to grow, and I want to embody the small amount of Christ's goodness that I am capable of.
I do not want to settle. I do not want to be one person with one friend, and a different person with another. I don't want my maturity to depend on what those around me are doing. I want to stand on my own feet and I want to be confident enough to not have to wait around for someone to tell me what to do. I don't want my growth to be paced by the growth of others. I want to grow as quickly or as slowly as God deems good for me.
I think that is something my generation for some reason lacks - we don't have a lot of willing leaders. We have a lot of insecure women and a lot of scared men. And our origins aren't an excuse - they might be a reason, but as soon as we can recognize it, we no longer have an excuse for not changing, for not growing. It's on us.
I've often been known to say, "I'm grown" to my family. Half in jest, half in seriousness. I am legally an adult, I've contributed to the household bills [not much, but some] since I had my first job and I've done an ok job at being responsible for my decisions and the consequences that might come from them. I have zero desire to back track or to be called [by myself or others] a "kid". I want to be responsible [that doesn't mean boring] and I want to be a good influence because I want to see others reach their full potential. But I am guilty of being selfish and lazy and at times apathetic. And I've decided that enough is enough. I don't need to wait around for someone to tell me to knock it off. I don't need to be led on a leash to truly be "grown".
By no means am I proclaiming myself to be a revolutionary leader, that idea actually terrifies me [there's that insecure women thing coming up]. But I am deciding for myself that I'm sick of complacency. I'm sick of dreaming and thinking, "if only". I want to be intentional and I want to do it without anyone telling me I should. And I think that it'd just be fabulous if other people my age would take this up as well! We have such talent and intelligence lurking under a stagnant facade. Imagine what a force we could be, imagine the good we could do- the causes we could surround, imagine the lives that could change - definitely not excluding our own. I don't want to roam, I want to search. I don't want to float, I want to explore.
And I don't want to do it solely for my benefit, and I don't want to do it alone.
I'm Netti, and I'm 22 years old. I love to write and to have adventures and stay up late and listen to stories. I love change and I love passion and the honor of helping and seeing others realize their potential.
And [regardless of how my culture defines adulthood] I'm growing up.
But I WANT to grow up. I have no desire to identify myself to anyone as a "kid" I don't want to live my life as a twenty or even thirty something pretending that I'm really five years younger and giving myself an excuse for immaturity.
There are some mile stones that our culture identifies as part of being an adult. Things like turning 18, moving out on our own, holding down a job, paying the bills, going to college, etc. All good things, all part of becoming a growing, functioning, and mature part of society. But I don't know that I'd say that those are the things that determine adulthood. I think that, from my point of view anyhow [and perhaps this is because I fall short on many of society's standards and want to believe that I am still an adult in my own right. Or I suppose I could be on to something here. It could be some of both, it could be none of either], emotional maturity is what kind of defines adulthood for me. Am I the same person no matter who I'm with? Am I the same person when I'm alone? Am I the same person when I talk to God? When I talk to my parents? When I talk to strangers? Or do I just play a role, fill a need?
I realize that everyone has different gifts and abilities that they bring to the table. So in different combinations of people, the "role" we play might be different. But I think that my generation is just filled to the brim with floaters. We flit, just waiting for someone to tell us what to do. Why on earth is that ok? Why do we not lead, why do we not fight? What the heck happened? My parents' generation was a working one. When they wanted or needed or needed something, they worked until they got it, and then worked more. But we, gosh, we are not that disciplined. We go, "it's haaaarrrdd" or "I don't like iiitttt" and then we quit. Or we get distracted or bored, and then we quit. There is a shocking lack of focus, of direction, of perseverance.
Maybe I shouldn't way "we", maybe these are my issues alone [but to say I'm the only person struggling with something sure sounds awfully conceited and inaccurate] but I don't think so because, unless I'm just super blind, I see it in other people my age as well.
I work in a middle school and even though my contact with the students is fairly limited, it is pretty obvious that this up coming generation is feisty! They are entitled, spoiled, and often arrogant, but by golly they're fighters.
I want to be like that. I don't want to be passive. I don't want to be immature and just kinda float around just because I don't know what else to do. I want to hunt something down, I want to pursue and chase, I want to commit. I refuse to be a statistic. I want to be a servant, I want to grow, and I want to embody the small amount of Christ's goodness that I am capable of.
I do not want to settle. I do not want to be one person with one friend, and a different person with another. I don't want my maturity to depend on what those around me are doing. I want to stand on my own feet and I want to be confident enough to not have to wait around for someone to tell me what to do. I don't want my growth to be paced by the growth of others. I want to grow as quickly or as slowly as God deems good for me.
I think that is something my generation for some reason lacks - we don't have a lot of willing leaders. We have a lot of insecure women and a lot of scared men. And our origins aren't an excuse - they might be a reason, but as soon as we can recognize it, we no longer have an excuse for not changing, for not growing. It's on us.
I've often been known to say, "I'm grown" to my family. Half in jest, half in seriousness. I am legally an adult, I've contributed to the household bills [not much, but some] since I had my first job and I've done an ok job at being responsible for my decisions and the consequences that might come from them. I have zero desire to back track or to be called [by myself or others] a "kid". I want to be responsible [that doesn't mean boring] and I want to be a good influence because I want to see others reach their full potential. But I am guilty of being selfish and lazy and at times apathetic. And I've decided that enough is enough. I don't need to wait around for someone to tell me to knock it off. I don't need to be led on a leash to truly be "grown".
By no means am I proclaiming myself to be a revolutionary leader, that idea actually terrifies me [there's that insecure women thing coming up]. But I am deciding for myself that I'm sick of complacency. I'm sick of dreaming and thinking, "if only". I want to be intentional and I want to do it without anyone telling me I should. And I think that it'd just be fabulous if other people my age would take this up as well! We have such talent and intelligence lurking under a stagnant facade. Imagine what a force we could be, imagine the good we could do- the causes we could surround, imagine the lives that could change - definitely not excluding our own. I don't want to roam, I want to search. I don't want to float, I want to explore.
And I don't want to do it solely for my benefit, and I don't want to do it alone.
I'm Netti, and I'm 22 years old. I love to write and to have adventures and stay up late and listen to stories. I love change and I love passion and the honor of helping and seeing others realize their potential.
And [regardless of how my culture defines adulthood] I'm growing up.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Our youths didn't eat so others can, we've got some pretty awesome young'uns around here =D[30 hour famine]
The youth group at my church just finished a fundraiser they were doing for an anti-hunger/poverty organization, World Vision.
The idea was that they all got sponsors to pledge a certain amount of money while they took part in the fundraiser, and then that money goes to the organization. What was the actual activity you may ask? Well a whole group of middle school and high schoolers, as well as their dedicated leaders, all fasted together for 30hours.
[Also, my lovely sister, who also blogs on occasion, posted several pictures of the event on her site, The Adventures]
They all started on their own at 12:30 Friday afternoon, and then met at church that evening to all stay the night and to spend Saturday together. I wasn't there at all on Friday, and I didn't get there until around 1pm Saturday, so I can't fill you in on everything these wonderful people did. But the parts I was there for were thought provoking. The idea was to get the students to really begin to think outside themselves and to gain a nice big window into so many places on our earth that suffer from lack of what we consider basic rights. They watched a lot of hunger/poverty oriented clips that were informative, and discussed them of course =P And, since it is youth ministry, there were games a plenty. But many of the games they played reflected what they were attempting to recognize this weekend. Each team was a part of a "tribe" named for a country known to have high rates of hunger/poverty. And each tribe learned some about the specific hardships of their country, and had to function within those hardships for a few of the games. One example being a student who had "lost a leg" due to [if I remember correctly] "lack of medical service", having to participate in a game as if she had actually lost her leg, hopping the entire way.
For one game, they had to carry water from different places around the campus with difficult vessels with which to carry the water [ladles, dixie cups, etc]. Giving us just a microscopic taste of what it could be like to have to carry your water in from another location.
But the object, as one leader pointed out, was for everyone, leaders included, to think outside of ourselves. The point was to realize that so SO many people die from Malaria, a super preventable disease. That my daily shower uses more water than some people might see for a week or more. That even though 30hours is a huge deal for our culture, and then even more so for youth within this culture, some people are forced to go for much longer without food. I mean, people die from starvation. Their bodies literally feed off themselves until there's just nothing left. And we throw a fit if our food just doesn't come as quickly as we might like.
The idea was for the group to break their fast [after communion] together with a dinner this evening. So, since I was cooking said dinner, I didn't see a lot of the students' reactions, but from what I've heard from a few of them and many of the leaders is that it was a worthwhile and fairly impacting experience. I'm just mostly so proud of them! But I'm telling you seeing a slough of middle and high schoolers to consciously choose to not eat in order to benefit others is a rare thing. They make an impact on me every time I'm with them and I just can't get over how awesome they are!
So, if you want to benefit a great cause and you need something to do with a group for a day or two, I'd definitely recommend this! How cool would it be to be in a group all supporting each other in struggles that will benefit people who need it so much more desperately? Very very very cool =)
The idea was that they all got sponsors to pledge a certain amount of money while they took part in the fundraiser, and then that money goes to the organization. What was the actual activity you may ask? Well a whole group of middle school and high schoolers, as well as their dedicated leaders, all fasted together for 30hours.
[Also, my lovely sister, who also blogs on occasion, posted several pictures of the event on her site, The Adventures]
They all started on their own at 12:30 Friday afternoon, and then met at church that evening to all stay the night and to spend Saturday together. I wasn't there at all on Friday, and I didn't get there until around 1pm Saturday, so I can't fill you in on everything these wonderful people did. But the parts I was there for were thought provoking. The idea was to get the students to really begin to think outside themselves and to gain a nice big window into so many places on our earth that suffer from lack of what we consider basic rights. They watched a lot of hunger/poverty oriented clips that were informative, and discussed them of course =P And, since it is youth ministry, there were games a plenty. But many of the games they played reflected what they were attempting to recognize this weekend. Each team was a part of a "tribe" named for a country known to have high rates of hunger/poverty. And each tribe learned some about the specific hardships of their country, and had to function within those hardships for a few of the games. One example being a student who had "lost a leg" due to [if I remember correctly] "lack of medical service", having to participate in a game as if she had actually lost her leg, hopping the entire way.
For one game, they had to carry water from different places around the campus with difficult vessels with which to carry the water [ladles, dixie cups, etc]. Giving us just a microscopic taste of what it could be like to have to carry your water in from another location.
But the object, as one leader pointed out, was for everyone, leaders included, to think outside of ourselves. The point was to realize that so SO many people die from Malaria, a super preventable disease. That my daily shower uses more water than some people might see for a week or more. That even though 30hours is a huge deal for our culture, and then even more so for youth within this culture, some people are forced to go for much longer without food. I mean, people die from starvation. Their bodies literally feed off themselves until there's just nothing left. And we throw a fit if our food just doesn't come as quickly as we might like.
The idea was for the group to break their fast [after communion] together with a dinner this evening. So, since I was cooking said dinner, I didn't see a lot of the students' reactions, but from what I've heard from a few of them and many of the leaders is that it was a worthwhile and fairly impacting experience. I'm just mostly so proud of them! But I'm telling you seeing a slough of middle and high schoolers to consciously choose to not eat in order to benefit others is a rare thing. They make an impact on me every time I'm with them and I just can't get over how awesome they are!
So, if you want to benefit a great cause and you need something to do with a group for a day or two, I'd definitely recommend this! How cool would it be to be in a group all supporting each other in struggles that will benefit people who need it so much more desperately? Very very very cool =)
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Love is...[Part II]
1Corinthians 13:4- 7 "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
[Found Here]
A little while ago, I kind of spoke to what love being patient means to me, and I'm thinking that I kind of want to make an exploration of love - based on these few verses - a little blog series.
So, next on the list is, "Love is kind", but I think that kind of mushes into love being patient and all of the other definitions in these verses. Kindness meaning loving in a friendly, generous, and warm hearted nature. Jeremy Taylor said once, "Love is friendship set on fire." I think that's about as accurate as I can get by what I mean by a kind love.
Since "kind" doesn't seem to have a lot of room to explore, I think we should move right along to, "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."
"Envy: A painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage.
Boast: 1). To speak of or assert with excessive pride.
2). To possess and often call attention to (something that is a source of pride) <boasts a new stadium>
Proud: Feeling or showing pride as having or displaying excessive self-esteem.
[Merriam - Webster]
So if a real, true, pure, holy love doesn't do any of these things, then what would a whole and Godly love look like? Because the love I see going around today generally doesn't fit this mold well.
What I see today doesn't last very long - actually it last exactly the same length of time as it takes for one or both halves to get bored, or hurt, or to feel unneeded, or scared, or selfish. [I'm not trying to be dramatic here, I'm trying to observe the things I see that don't quite fit right].
What it seems our culture is wading through right now is this attitude of, "When you stop making me feel good, or you hurt my feelings, or I decide you're boring, or maybe you're not filling my need anymore, or maybe I'm just tired of having to fit another person into the equation, as soon as that happens, I'll drop you."
It's heart breaking.
Remember when you were in middle school, or even high school? The relationships we saw around us, or maybe that we were involved in, typically weren't made of lasting stuff. A long relationship then was a month. That mentality appears to have somehow clung onto our heels and has followed us into adulthood. "How can this relationship serve me? What can I get out of it?"
But if real love doesn't envy, then it doesn't feel the need to be jealous of anything my significant other has. Friends, money, attention, etc. And then it has to work the other way, I shouldn't feel envy over the things they give to others either. If he's paying attention to another woman, and I know he loves me, it shouldn't matter. It shouldn't spark that deep insecurity, that gnawing at our cores. [I know there is something to be said for intuition, sometimes that gut feeling is right and maybe what seemed to be a simple conversation doesn't turn out as innocently as it appeared. But then that wouldn't be a pure love anyhow. And I know we ALL have our struggles. Sometimes the smallest things can set a flame to an insecurity we thought we buried long ago, I get that. But if it's a pure, honest love, then those things shouldn't, ideally, be the first things that jump to mind]
Love doesn't look for what it doesn't give me, it looks for what I can give.
"It does not boast", it doesn't flaunt, it doesn't say, "Look at me! I have a boyfriend!" It doesn't say that I have worth because I have a guy looking at me. I don't think this means that we're not supposed to be happy about it and share our joy with others. If it is truly a selfless love, then, in my experience, people tend to want to know about it. I know that there's nosy people who always want to know everyone's business, and then there's that "mushy" stuff that I don't think anyone outside of the relationship actually wants to hear/see =P. But I think that if it's a solid love, other people kind of glean some joy from the others' happiness. I think that might be what not boasting your love means. That we don't have to shout it from the rooftops for attention or for validation, but that we simply enjoy it. We just love it =P.
Anyone who thinks their relationship is perfect is just so out of the loop. No one person is perfect, then put two people together trying to know each other more than any one else, that's a recipe for a whole lot of mess. Anyone who thinks their significant other is perfect is probably in for a nasty surprise. BUT together, the two should make something beautiful, something powerful. I think that to be confident in this is so different than to be proud! Pride says, "I can, I am, I will". Confidence says, "We can, God is, We will" There is that ordained thing, that blessing I guess, that gives married couples after the heart of God just so much authority. That union, when used the way [I think] it way created to be, is something to reckon with.
Like I mentioned in my first entry about this, I'm 22. Never had a boyfriend, never been in a relationship. I know nothing - but I see a lot. I see what works and I see what fails. I think that's actually what took me so long to decide to write this, the fact that I really have little to no experience in the matter. But the heart doesn't need to be broken to know how to love. My heart breaks for the kids I see every day who are growing up with one parent, for some that's lucky. Some live with uncles or grandparents, or are in the foster system. That's not to demean those relatives or foster families at all! Anyone who is willing to step up and raise a child well is pretty awesome in my book. But kids NEED their parents. We all need that, and to grow up and develop without them alters our entire lives.
I think that's mainly where my interest in this whole thing is coming from. I'm not in a rush to get married, not even to jump into a relationship, but I am in a rush to see the family dynamic restored in the lives of kids. I am in a rush to see the institution of marriage return to what it was meant to be - safe and strong. That is what I want to be to my kids and for them to be to theirs. I want to continue the chain through the generations, and I want it to be an epidemic. I want to see families flourish. And THAT is why I want to know the breakdown [as much as one can] of love. I just want to give it my best shot, because I want to be able to give my marriage and my children their best shot. And I want to see my generation and the ones following try and do the same.
<3
[Found Here]
A little while ago, I kind of spoke to what love being patient means to me, and I'm thinking that I kind of want to make an exploration of love - based on these few verses - a little blog series.
So, next on the list is, "Love is kind", but I think that kind of mushes into love being patient and all of the other definitions in these verses. Kindness meaning loving in a friendly, generous, and warm hearted nature. Jeremy Taylor said once, "Love is friendship set on fire." I think that's about as accurate as I can get by what I mean by a kind love.
Since "kind" doesn't seem to have a lot of room to explore, I think we should move right along to, "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."
"Envy: A painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage.
Boast: 1). To speak of or assert with excessive pride.
2). To possess and often call attention to (something that is a source of pride) <boasts a new stadium>
Proud: Feeling or showing pride as having or displaying excessive self-esteem.
[Merriam - Webster]
So if a real, true, pure, holy love doesn't do any of these things, then what would a whole and Godly love look like? Because the love I see going around today generally doesn't fit this mold well.
What I see today doesn't last very long - actually it last exactly the same length of time as it takes for one or both halves to get bored, or hurt, or to feel unneeded, or scared, or selfish. [I'm not trying to be dramatic here, I'm trying to observe the things I see that don't quite fit right].
What it seems our culture is wading through right now is this attitude of, "When you stop making me feel good, or you hurt my feelings, or I decide you're boring, or maybe you're not filling my need anymore, or maybe I'm just tired of having to fit another person into the equation, as soon as that happens, I'll drop you."
It's heart breaking.
Remember when you were in middle school, or even high school? The relationships we saw around us, or maybe that we were involved in, typically weren't made of lasting stuff. A long relationship then was a month. That mentality appears to have somehow clung onto our heels and has followed us into adulthood. "How can this relationship serve me? What can I get out of it?"
But if real love doesn't envy, then it doesn't feel the need to be jealous of anything my significant other has. Friends, money, attention, etc. And then it has to work the other way, I shouldn't feel envy over the things they give to others either. If he's paying attention to another woman, and I know he loves me, it shouldn't matter. It shouldn't spark that deep insecurity, that gnawing at our cores. [I know there is something to be said for intuition, sometimes that gut feeling is right and maybe what seemed to be a simple conversation doesn't turn out as innocently as it appeared. But then that wouldn't be a pure love anyhow. And I know we ALL have our struggles. Sometimes the smallest things can set a flame to an insecurity we thought we buried long ago, I get that. But if it's a pure, honest love, then those things shouldn't, ideally, be the first things that jump to mind]
Love doesn't look for what it doesn't give me, it looks for what I can give.
"It does not boast", it doesn't flaunt, it doesn't say, "Look at me! I have a boyfriend!" It doesn't say that I have worth because I have a guy looking at me. I don't think this means that we're not supposed to be happy about it and share our joy with others. If it is truly a selfless love, then, in my experience, people tend to want to know about it. I know that there's nosy people who always want to know everyone's business, and then there's that "mushy" stuff that I don't think anyone outside of the relationship actually wants to hear/see =P. But I think that if it's a solid love, other people kind of glean some joy from the others' happiness. I think that might be what not boasting your love means. That we don't have to shout it from the rooftops for attention or for validation, but that we simply enjoy it. We just love it =P.
Anyone who thinks their relationship is perfect is just so out of the loop. No one person is perfect, then put two people together trying to know each other more than any one else, that's a recipe for a whole lot of mess. Anyone who thinks their significant other is perfect is probably in for a nasty surprise. BUT together, the two should make something beautiful, something powerful. I think that to be confident in this is so different than to be proud! Pride says, "I can, I am, I will". Confidence says, "We can, God is, We will" There is that ordained thing, that blessing I guess, that gives married couples after the heart of God just so much authority. That union, when used the way [I think] it way created to be, is something to reckon with.
Like I mentioned in my first entry about this, I'm 22. Never had a boyfriend, never been in a relationship. I know nothing - but I see a lot. I see what works and I see what fails. I think that's actually what took me so long to decide to write this, the fact that I really have little to no experience in the matter. But the heart doesn't need to be broken to know how to love. My heart breaks for the kids I see every day who are growing up with one parent, for some that's lucky. Some live with uncles or grandparents, or are in the foster system. That's not to demean those relatives or foster families at all! Anyone who is willing to step up and raise a child well is pretty awesome in my book. But kids NEED their parents. We all need that, and to grow up and develop without them alters our entire lives.
I think that's mainly where my interest in this whole thing is coming from. I'm not in a rush to get married, not even to jump into a relationship, but I am in a rush to see the family dynamic restored in the lives of kids. I am in a rush to see the institution of marriage return to what it was meant to be - safe and strong. That is what I want to be to my kids and for them to be to theirs. I want to continue the chain through the generations, and I want it to be an epidemic. I want to see families flourish. And THAT is why I want to know the breakdown [as much as one can] of love. I just want to give it my best shot, because I want to be able to give my marriage and my children their best shot. And I want to see my generation and the ones following try and do the same.
<3
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Youth Retreat
Ok, so I wrote most of this right after the retreat, but haven't quite finished it until now. So please excuse the time lapses =P
This weekend was just so good =)
When I was in youth group, you always knew before hand who would cause drama, who the worst issues would be between, what girl(s) you wanted to avoid, and so on.
These girls though, just wow. Even when they were annoyed by each other, they resolved it. That was a total and complete, and very pleasant, surprise for me.
There was a challenge proposed for all of us, and that was to abstain from wearing makeup the entire weekend. Which, although a few girls had a pretty difficult time with it, we all managed to do. And gosh, they are so beautiful! All of them, so lovely.
And that's just the outside, each and every girl on this trip has something precious in them that is specific to their individual selves. I can't get over how they loved each other and were really vulnerable with one another. They all actually WANTED to learn. They all WANTED to be there and to get something out of it. Incredible. I never showed that initiative when I was their age. I am just super impressed with all of them =)
It was so beautiful to watch them open up and really be honest with God and themselves and the leaders, as well as the other students. And oh lordy the leaders! What women of faith! Seriously, the ladies leading this thing are steadfast and passionate and loving. They are so committed to these students. They all pray for them and invest so much in all of their lives. The huge thing for me to see, and I think probably for the students as well, was the leaders, most of them anyway, tell their stories. Hearing about the lives of these women, what they've come from, and where they're at now was so powerful. It was like their openness and honesty gave the girls permission to do the same, to be vulnerable as well.
Purity is a huge thing in this generation. It's like everything that is popularized is out to destroy innocence. It's sick, and actually really pisses me off. How dare anyone even think about impressing on any girl that she is somehow below some standard. And I'm going to full out rant if I keep going here.
The Men's retreat was awesome too - I mean, that's what I hear anyhow, I wasn't there after all =P
What the guys focused on was asking the two questions, "is it wise?" and "is it loving?" when thinking about how they relate to girls. They did a lot of...well, guy stuff. You know, paintball, beating on each other a little, male bonding...I'm sure it was fun for them =)
Really what I feel like this generation is SO in need of is people who will stick it out with them. People who are willing to be there for them and be willing to be a good role model for them. Which I guess is really what everyone wants/needs, but I think this group of middle/high schoolers needs it especially. There's a whole generation that comes from brokenness, and there's this desperation for acceptance. I love their openness =)
Really, what I think it comes down to, is the beauty that is born from pain. The redemption that comes from seeing a broken heart turn into a healing heart is stunning. And that is just a little what I think God had in mind for this retreat, to start some healing. To mend some trust. He is so good =)
This weekend was just so good =)
When I was in youth group, you always knew before hand who would cause drama, who the worst issues would be between, what girl(s) you wanted to avoid, and so on.
These girls though, just wow. Even when they were annoyed by each other, they resolved it. That was a total and complete, and very pleasant, surprise for me.
There was a challenge proposed for all of us, and that was to abstain from wearing makeup the entire weekend. Which, although a few girls had a pretty difficult time with it, we all managed to do. And gosh, they are so beautiful! All of them, so lovely.
And that's just the outside, each and every girl on this trip has something precious in them that is specific to their individual selves. I can't get over how they loved each other and were really vulnerable with one another. They all actually WANTED to learn. They all WANTED to be there and to get something out of it. Incredible. I never showed that initiative when I was their age. I am just super impressed with all of them =)
It was so beautiful to watch them open up and really be honest with God and themselves and the leaders, as well as the other students. And oh lordy the leaders! What women of faith! Seriously, the ladies leading this thing are steadfast and passionate and loving. They are so committed to these students. They all pray for them and invest so much in all of their lives. The huge thing for me to see, and I think probably for the students as well, was the leaders, most of them anyway, tell their stories. Hearing about the lives of these women, what they've come from, and where they're at now was so powerful. It was like their openness and honesty gave the girls permission to do the same, to be vulnerable as well.
Purity is a huge thing in this generation. It's like everything that is popularized is out to destroy innocence. It's sick, and actually really pisses me off. How dare anyone even think about impressing on any girl that she is somehow below some standard. And I'm going to full out rant if I keep going here.
The Men's retreat was awesome too - I mean, that's what I hear anyhow, I wasn't there after all =P
What the guys focused on was asking the two questions, "is it wise?" and "is it loving?" when thinking about how they relate to girls. They did a lot of...well, guy stuff. You know, paintball, beating on each other a little, male bonding...I'm sure it was fun for them =)
Really what I feel like this generation is SO in need of is people who will stick it out with them. People who are willing to be there for them and be willing to be a good role model for them. Which I guess is really what everyone wants/needs, but I think this group of middle/high schoolers needs it especially. There's a whole generation that comes from brokenness, and there's this desperation for acceptance. I love their openness =)
Really, what I think it comes down to, is the beauty that is born from pain. The redemption that comes from seeing a broken heart turn into a healing heart is stunning. And that is just a little what I think God had in mind for this retreat, to start some healing. To mend some trust. He is so good =)
Friday, February 10, 2012
Introducing - Meandering Ramble =)
Everyone, I want to introduce you to a suuuper talented person today. Her name is Laurie and she just so happens to be my much loved Aunt. She writes beautifully and this poem of hers is one of my favorites. I'm going with the girls from my church's youth group on a retreat this weekend and I am SO excited. I really want to do a post with some feedback on it, and maybe even from some of the guys [who are also having a retreat this weekend]. I think listening to what God is doing in our youth is incredibly important so I'm excited to be a part of it =)
Anyhow, to tide me over getting to write about all that, I'm reading This. Seriously folks, this woman could write life into a rock - give it a read =)
See ya in a few days <3
Anyhow, to tide me over getting to write about all that, I'm reading This. Seriously folks, this woman could write life into a rock - give it a read =)
See ya in a few days <3
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Love is Patient
1Corinthians 13:4- 7 "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
[Found here]
I think there's a reason that patient comes first in the list of what love is. Things that we have to wait for gain value over time as we abstain from just grabbing it. Or maybe it's simply out of our reach for a while, and that is what gives it value, that we have to wait for it to come down to where we can grab it. Or actually, we are probably more likely waiting until we've chosen to grow enough to be able to reach it.
Love is patient because patience is loving. Obvious, I know. But somehow my generation seems to miss this.
I know so many people who just are all the sudden in a relationship. Like, BoomIt'sOnFacebookWeLoveEachOther kind of quick. Even if you've been friends for a bit, like you didn't meet on a first date, that doesn't mean you actually know the person.
To me, it just makes immeasurable sense to be good [or best, or close, or whatever term you prefer] friends with the other person for a much longer time that what appears to be the norm these days. Like a year at least.If I'm interested in someone, I want to know them. I want to know that I can trust them, based on their track record, and based on their actions. I want to have actually seen that their personality, that their good qualities, are who they really are. If I can't trust a man as a friend, then I sure can't trust him with my heart.
Logical, right?
I think so.
And I know, I know. There are people who haven't done it that way and have been together for 50+ years. I get it, the way that makes sense to me is not the only way to go. I'm aware. But I've also never heard of a couple who got together super quick that didn't have to really struggle through things for a while. Obviously all couples have struggles, but the pattern seems to be that when it's a more quickly formed romantic relationship, the struggles are much more difficult, and generally more deadly to the relationship.
Why enter into that pain knowingly? If I knew the guy as my friend for some time before hand, it follows that I would be better prepared for how to work within a relationship with him, and he with me.
Again, not saying that other ways are wrong necessarily, but I do think that it generally makes less sense.
I want the man I marry to already be a part of my social circles, to already be loved by my family by the time we're ready to love each other.
Maybe that's a little unrealistic, but I really don't think it's crazy to want something like that. It worked for my parents after all =P
Not to say that you don't like each other, I definitely understand how emotions and attraction work =P
But to wait for each other, until it's healthy to be together, I think that's so beautiful.
We live in a culture that is obsessed with instant gratification, and I love that the heart can be shielded from that. I love that if my heart is really loved, then a man will wait for it to be ready, will wait for God's timing in it. And that I can do the same for him.
This is getting kinda mushy, and I'm actually a little uncomfortable with it. Ha. =P
Anyhow, Love is patient. Boom. <3
[Found here]
I think there's a reason that patient comes first in the list of what love is. Things that we have to wait for gain value over time as we abstain from just grabbing it. Or maybe it's simply out of our reach for a while, and that is what gives it value, that we have to wait for it to come down to where we can grab it. Or actually, we are probably more likely waiting until we've chosen to grow enough to be able to reach it.
Love is patient because patience is loving. Obvious, I know. But somehow my generation seems to miss this.
I know so many people who just are all the sudden in a relationship. Like, BoomIt'sOnFacebookWeLoveEachOther kind of quick. Even if you've been friends for a bit, like you didn't meet on a first date, that doesn't mean you actually know the person.
To me, it just makes immeasurable sense to be good [or best, or close, or whatever term you prefer] friends with the other person for a much longer time that what appears to be the norm these days. Like a year at least.If I'm interested in someone, I want to know them. I want to know that I can trust them, based on their track record, and based on their actions. I want to have actually seen that their personality, that their good qualities, are who they really are. If I can't trust a man as a friend, then I sure can't trust him with my heart.
Logical, right?
I think so.
And I know, I know. There are people who haven't done it that way and have been together for 50+ years. I get it, the way that makes sense to me is not the only way to go. I'm aware. But I've also never heard of a couple who got together super quick that didn't have to really struggle through things for a while. Obviously all couples have struggles, but the pattern seems to be that when it's a more quickly formed romantic relationship, the struggles are much more difficult, and generally more deadly to the relationship.
Why enter into that pain knowingly? If I knew the guy as my friend for some time before hand, it follows that I would be better prepared for how to work within a relationship with him, and he with me.
Again, not saying that other ways are wrong necessarily, but I do think that it generally makes less sense.
I want the man I marry to already be a part of my social circles, to already be loved by my family by the time we're ready to love each other.
Maybe that's a little unrealistic, but I really don't think it's crazy to want something like that. It worked for my parents after all =P
Not to say that you don't like each other, I definitely understand how emotions and attraction work =P
But to wait for each other, until it's healthy to be together, I think that's so beautiful.
We live in a culture that is obsessed with instant gratification, and I love that the heart can be shielded from that. I love that if my heart is really loved, then a man will wait for it to be ready, will wait for God's timing in it. And that I can do the same for him.
This is getting kinda mushy, and I'm actually a little uncomfortable with it. Ha. =P
Anyhow, Love is patient. Boom. <3
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