Anthony and Emily

Loooong One! Warning!

2008-11-20T13:10:00.003-05:00

Wow, I never know where to start when I've let time slip by. What do I choose to write about? What do you care the most about reading?

In some ways, life has continued as normal. In other ways, not at all. In the past week we have met with the caterer and finalized the meal and the decorations, met with the cake lady and finalized a design and flavor, had our first shower (and received our first gifts!!), met with the florist and finalized flowers (of all kinds... from bouquets to decorations), spent an evening in Goshen, and had my second dress fitting. And that's just the wedding related things. You don't even want to know about all the other random meetings and busyness that's been going on.

Anthony has mentioned a couple times that he doesn't think I enjoy this whole wedding planning thing. He admits that I've been pretty calm and collected, but that I don't seem to enjoy it. My response to that is both yes and no. I have always loved planning things. It's how I got my reputation among our friend group of being the social affairs coordinator. I enjoy the details of planning and organizing. However, I tend to approach the planning side of things perhaps a little too seriously. Especially big things. I mean, this is a party for 250-275 people! (And I thought Spring Break with 17 was bad...) I tend to be very focused on accomplishing things and therefore my joy doesn't always shine through. The truth is, I'm more excited about the marriage than the wedding. I always have been. I'm so excited to start our life together, and our wedding day is just a step (a pretty big one) in that process. But the truth also is that I am excited about the wedding. I think things are coming together beautifully for us, and I love checking things off my list! It's been so wonderful to have a fiance so willing to come to everything and so willing to contribute. And it's been cool to watch us easily agree on things. So yeah, those are my thoughts.

Hopefully after tomorrow the invitations will be out of my hair forever! (well, at least until the response cards start coming in) I was up past midnight last night trying to double check them all and fix mistakes. Now, they just need the inserts my mom and I made concerning directions and they need to be sealed. And I am imploring my lovely fiance's help in that task this evening. :)

One reason I am ready to be done with the wedding planning is that it just consumes so much of my time. Anthony and I have been reading through 1 John lately, and I've just been convicted about loving others. That's a huge part of our calling as believers, and I just haven't been able to take much action in loving people. I'm excited for things to slow down so that I can start volunteering somewhere and have more time to invest in people.

Oh, we finally signed a lease the other day! I know, you're thinking 'wasn't that news of the past? I thought that house stuff was already taken care of?' If you're thinking that, you're right in some ways. We had looked and made a decision about a house to rent a couple of weeks ago, but it took a little while to finalize the lease and everything. Now, it's official! We are proud renters of a little house on Lowell Street!

I wish I had time in my life to cuddle up in a blanket next to a fire with a good book. And my fiance. And/or a friend. Amy, if you're out there, I want to let you know that I'm still savoring last Friday evening relaxing with you at your apartment. You're the best!

This is getting really long, but I seem to be in the mood to keep typing. So either deal with it or stop reading ;)

Thanksgiving should be an interesting time. We're going to try and fit both families in on one day. Both my family and Anthony's are celebrating on Thanksgiving. So we're going to head to Niles to my aunt and uncle's, then drive down to Goshen for a late afternoon/evening meal with his family. We're planning on spending a couple days in Goshen, so hopefully it will be relaxing and a good break. It will be good to visit with his family too. We don't see them enough.

America's Next Top Model had it's finale last night (yes, I am a pathetic addict... though it's partially Jamie's fault). I miss watching it in Logan with all the girls and drinking milkshakes and practicing our model walks on commercial. Hannah had such great heels for that. Sigh. We should all live in the same town again. Jamie convinced me to watch it with her in Tuckey last night instead of going home to work on invitations after my dress fitting. I'm glad I made that decision. I need more of Jamie in my life.

Ok, this is getting out of control. I will end this for now with the intentions of writing more regularly.

Read John 4:18... I love that verse.

Love,
Em

2008-11-10T14:41:00.002-05:00

This weekend was extremely satisfying. We were able to see a lot of friends who came in from out of town, and it was lovely. The only problem with the visits were, as Anthony pointed out, that they make the weekend go by way too fast.

3 of the girls were able to pick up bridesmaid dresses, and 2 of them even had time to get them altered! Friday was spent relaxing at Bethel. We watched Chris become crowned Homecoming King, picked out a choreographed dance for the wedding party to do at the reception (the boys were so excited about that one), and enjoyed eating lots of food (oreos and chips and salsa... great combination) in my basement. I had 5 girls spend the night at my house on Friday, and it was a lot of fun. I miss living with those girls. Saturday was also very enjoyable and we spent the day at my house. We had a "just-girls" lunch and were surpised by Hannah!, we addressed invitations, and enjoyed Chinese food as a reward for the boys who raked leaves for my parents. Sunday was probably the most relaxing, though. Brett and Roman made a fantastic lunch for a group of us! They are pretty amazing cooks, and we all ate until we were stuffed! I actually took a nap on the couch (I'm not used to late nights anymore). We had practice at church, then relaxed some more at Logan.

Sunday was Anthony and my's (grammar anyone? Is that right?) 2 year dating anniversary. Unfortunately, we weren't able to truly celebrate it 1. because of visitors this weekend and 2. because we have no money. But I was woken up on Sunday morning by Anthony. He somehow snuck into my house and made breakfast for me, Anne, and Dee. It was yummy. And there were beautiful flowers on the table. He did a good job. We were able to have some good conversation as well before I went home for the evening. I really enjoy talking with him. I can't imagine ever running out of things for us to talk about.

The invitations are closer than ever to being completed (Praise the Lord!). I will be ready to get those things out of my room! We meet with the caterer tonight to taste options for the meal. Tomorrow is the cake lady to make final decisions on the cake. Next Monday is the florist. Next Wednesday is my next dress fitting. This Saturday is my first shower. It's actually a couple's shower thrown by my family, so Anthony will be there as well. I'm looking forward to seeing family. But, if you can't tell by this paragraph, things are picking up even more! It will be a mad dash to Thanksgiving!

I was thinking the other day that I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving break, but then I realized that it will probably be pretty busy. Then I thought, well, Christmas break will be nice... but then I realized that that will be even more busy with the wedding right around the corner. So now I find myself craving San Diego (the honeymoon destination). Obviously, it will be nice for Anthony and I to get away, but it will be so wonderful to have nothing to do but enjoy each other. A true vacation. I haven't had one of those in years. Only 2 months...

I guess that's about all from my end of things. My goal tonight is to get to bed early. I have a lot of sleep to catch up on from this weekend. Thank you girls for coming, and for helping with invitations, and for the company. I love you!

Grace and Peace,
Emily

New Home

2008-10-31T15:33:00.002-04:00

So, the latest and greatest news in the world of Anthony and Emily is that we have secured a house for next semester! We met yesterday with Steve Yaw, the director of maintenance at Bethel, and he gave us a tour of some houses right next to campus that will be open to rent beginning in January. We looked at about 7 different places, and finally narrowed it down to one! I emailed Steve today, and all that's left is for us to meet with him next week to sign a lease and turn in our deposit.

The house is really nice, considering we are just starting out. It's on Lowell Street, right next to Bethel (we could walk to work/school). It's a one level house, with 4 small bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and back porch. It was definitely one of the nicest out of the ones we saw. So, as scary as it is, we will officially begin paying rent January 1! Now we finally have a place to envision where we will be. I'm so glad to have that set and figured out!

I had my first dress fitting this week as well. My dress still fits, which is a good thing, and I got it all pinned to be hemmed and everything. I also tried on about a billion veils and pieces of jewelry. I was pretty hungry by the time I got out of there because I went right after work with no time to eat. But, I picked out a necklace/earring set that I like a lot with the dress. And I have all sorts of ideas about a veil. I've been hesitant about wanting a veil, but now I'm definitely thinking I want one. I just have to figure out what I want and if I want a headpiece to come with it. But, it's all coming together. I have shoes and jewelry, so that's a step in the right direction.

My parents went out and bought some (some being about 275) stamps today, so now I have no excuses not to get started on the invitations. Jamie might be coming over on Saturday, so hopefully we can get started. I'm kind of dreading the whole thing. It all has to be so formal and perfect. I just want them to be done. Hopefully between Jamie coming this weekend, and Anne and Dee being here next weekend I can knock them out!

The list just continues to grow, though. We have a lot to try and get done before Thanksgiving hits. We just have to keep plugging along. We registered at Target last weekend, and it was a lot of fun. For one, we had a much better idea of what we were doing. Also, we were looking at more fun and decorative things so that made it much more enjoyable. I'm nervous to see what all gets purchased for us...

All in all, I am quite happy. Today is Friday, and it is gorgeous outside. Granted, I have not been about to be out there hardly at all, but I still like the idea of it. The day has been going by quickly, so that helps as well. I'm ready for a relaxing weekend.

I guess that's all for now :)

Adios!

Isaiah 58:6-8

2008-10-28T20:58:00.003-04:00

I came across this passage in my reading of the Apostolic Fathers. It is a beautiful passage that could do with being the mission statement of many a churches.

5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD?

6"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe them,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you,

and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

Should a man be a stay-at-home-dad?

2008-10-24T19:57:00.000-04:00

If you haven't watched this clip yet, you should.

Okay, now that that's over his my rebuttal.

1) Biblically, he could not be further from the truth. He quotes (kind of) 1 Timothy 5:8. The NASB renders, "If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

However, the "anyone" obviously refers to, well, anyone. And the verbs "provide" and "has denied" can refer to men and women, which would be the natural reading due to the word "anyone." Therefore the roles of providing for a family are co-equal, a command given to both men and women.

This is exemplified by 1 Timothy 3:4-5 and 5:14. An overseer is to "manage his own family" (3:4-5). And young widows are to "marry, bear children, keep house..." (5:14) The NASB rendering of "keep house" though is unfair. It's the Greek word "oikodespoteō" which means "to be master (or head) of a house or to rule a household, manage family affairs. (Thayer's Lexicon)

2) Culturally, he didn't do his research. Greco-Roman families to home Paul would have writing to don't have the same stereotypical home structures that American's used to have. Even the most modest home had at least 2 slaves. Therefore it wasn't a woman's job to cook, clean, and do other womanly things. She was to manage the home, the slaves, and the family business.

Also to suggest that one parent has more paternal duties than the other is simply not true. The 10 commandments says to honor both father and mother. Proverbs 1:8 instructs to listen to both father and mother's instruction. Both Greco-Roman and Jewish culture understand this. For Pastor Driscoll to laugh it off that it would be bad for him to stay at home with his kids shows a problem, not a virtue.

3) Logically, his ideas are dangerous. If I marry a woman with an MD, do I inform her that God requires that she stays home with the children? Give up her education. If that's the case, then why are women bothering with an education anyway. If their place is in the home, then why bother.

And if it is passive and "boyish" of a man to stay home with his children to raise them, then what is he saying about stay-at-home-mothers?

And if the Bible is telling both men and women to manage and be heads of their household, then where is he getting his gender roles? That sounds like culture, not Bible.

4) Ministerially, he's dangerous. There's no ground for church discipline. There's no reason to call stay-at-home-dads not men. He's insulting both moms and dads; he's creating gender roles not found in the Bible; and he's unnecessarily pushing people from the church.

My Personal ‘Faith Priorities’ for this Election

2008-10-23T14:51:00.002-04:00

http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/?p=3166

I cannot possibly say it better than this.

Fall Break

2008-10-21T19:09:00.001-04:00

This is a fake senior picture.

Emily is right. For whatever reason I find it easier to right about theology then I do about myself. She's marrying a weirdo.

Life has been good though. As has been alluded to, a group of four guys went on a trip to the East. Chris, Brett, Todd, and I went to Washington, DC and Ohiopyle Statepark. The DC part was completely not planned. We just started driving east, suposedly towards the park, and then we though, "Why not got to DC." We didn't have reservations at the park, so we drove to the capital. On Friday we got our Library of Congress Library Cards. How awesome is that! I'm pretty sure that there should be laws for us LoCLC carrying folks. Like we should be able to walk into any library and get any book at will.

We left DC Friday around 3 and headed to the state park. We got there when it was dark and it was completely frightening. We played the soundtrack to "I Am Legend" and screamed like girls whenever Todd turned off the car lights. I'll probably be hanged for telling the general public this, but I can do nothing but tell the truth.

Saturday we went to Laurel Caverns, which is gigantic cave system in Pennslyvania. We climbed 450 feet down (which is like 45 stories) and then - of course - 450 back up. We also army-crawled through something called the "birth canal," which is just a place where the passageway is really thin. I dare say it was a religious experience.

Anyway, the trip overall was fantastic. Four guys, completely care free, beautiful autumn weather and scenary. But life continues on here at school.

Overwhelmed (in a good way)

2008-10-20T21:59:00.004-04:00

Over and over and over again I find myself simply amazed at how things just seem to come together for Anthony and me. It surprises me every time. It shouldn't, I suppose, but it does. Time after time, I find myself asking God, "Lord, how is this going to work?" It could be about simple things or it could be about big things, yet every time it does.

The latest example is the car rental for our honeymoon. It's the last thing we needed to nail down, and we have been putting it off. Part of it was because it was more expensive than we had planned. However, I heard a rumor that Enterprise provides a discount for Bethel staff, so Anthony and I stopped by this afternoon and talked to someone at the local Enterprise. He gave us a code for Bethel, and when I got home tonight, I entered all the information again with the code.

Our price nearly dropped in half!

Don't ask how or why, I could hardly believe it! Perhaps this seems minute to you all, but I was thrilled! Yet another reason why my job is such a blessing.

And the thing is, this is just one example of so many things that have happened to us. Recently I have been struggling with feeling like God is there. I know He's there, but I haven't felt Him in a long time. Usually this doesn't bother me, since I know so much of my faith is rooted in knowledge and faith, not emotions. However, I've found myself lately desiring for more. I want to see God actively working in my life. More than just knowing. And I know a lot of that comes from me. I need my eyes open to see how He's already working. I need to be more sensitive to His Spirit working and moving in and around me. Today I was so encouraged, both by Dr. Stump's message in chapel (amazing!) and by the simple gift of the car rental (silly as it may be). I know I have a lot of ways I need to grow. I'm so glad God is never finished refining us.

In other news, Anthony is back, and that makes me very happy. I feel like a ridiculous school girl because I can't stop smiling when I'm around him. I must have missed him more than I thought. These next couple of months are going to be difficult as we get busier and busier and as we are wanting to be together more and more. But, only 82 more days!

Ok, it's my bedtime :) I know, I'm an old lady now with my early bedtimes. But 6:30 comes early, especially when it's still dark outside.

Grace and Peace,
Emily

Adults?

2008-10-16T18:16:00.002-04:00

So, I'm beginning to realize that adults aren't really that different than kids. They just have a lot of ways of hiding their child-like behavior. I should clarify that when I'm talking about children, I'm not necessarily talking about "child-like faith" or "child-like joy." Perhaps I should explain.

Today, I had a staff retreat at Bethel. All of the staff were required to go to this so called "retreat" held in the Octorium and the Dining Commons. I quickly found that the staff are not too different from the students. For one, I cannot tell you how much complaining I heard about this event. Granted, it does not have the best reputation, and it is known to be boring. However, I could not help but be surprised at all the whispering and all the bad attitudes about the retreat... especially about the fact that it's required (chapel, anyone??).

The 2 ladies in the office wanted to make sure that we got over early enough so that we would not have to sit in the front. I found this humorous, but it really did amaze me how, as everyone came trickling in, the room filled up back to front. I almost laughed out loud thinking of how students do the exact same thing! How can we expect anything different from students when we demonstrate the exact same behavior?! Oh dear.

Well, I will stop boring you about our staff retreat. Though the one bonus about it all was that I got to leave at 4:00 today!!

Now that Anthony has begun posting all of these theological and deep thoughts... I feel kind of silly writing on here. Sure, I have my own thoughts about all kinds of things, but I've always thought of blogs as a way to record what's happening in life. Kind of like a journal so that I can look back and see what was happening in my life at this point in time. Not to mention it keeps you all informed on what's going on. So, forgive my lack of depth.

There's actually not a whole lot going on right now. Anthony is on the road somewhere (I don't even know where) with 3 of the guys on a Fall Break trip. I think their goal is to go camping, but I don't even think they know where they are going. Campus was really quiet today since all of the students are gone. Though I do miss Anthony, I'm glad for the chance to get some things done. For example, I spray painted our dining room table tonight! It looks good, though I might need to do a second coat.

I think that's all for now. Work is good. Life is good. Less than 3 months until the wedding!! We're in double digits now! Crazy, yeah? Lots to do before then, so I'm sure the next 3 months will fly by! We have some insides on housing, but I will wait to fill you all in until we know for sure.

This post is kind of all over the place! Thanks for sticking with it :)

Blessings!
Em

"Heretical" Ideas: Part 1 - The Meaning of the Gospel (or The Gospel Isn't Just "Jesus Died to Be My Personal Lord and Savior")

2008-10-11T14:15:00.001-04:00

Defining the Gospel is probably the most daunting task I could give myself or anyone else. But it is crucial for us to understand the Gospel in order that we may be able to more perfectly live our lives as Christians. Unfortunately a mere blog post cannot go into the depth that this topic deserves, but you get what you pay for.

After His baptism and temptation in the desert, we find Jesus of Nazereth going throughout the Galilee proclaiming the - and I quote - "Gospel of the Kingdom" (Mt. 4:23) which was defined by Jesus as "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near" (4:17). We have already run into a conundrum when we place these statements against the evangelical Christian definition of the Gospel. Our natural tendency is to simply say Jesus died for your sins so that you can go to heaven. If we were unusually verbose we might go so far as to say:

Some of the confusion regarding the meaning of the Gospel today may arise from failing to clarify the issue involved. The issue is, How can my sins be forgiven? What is it that bars me from heaven? What is it that prevents my having eternal life? The answer is sin. Therefore, I need some way to resolve that problem. And God declares that the death of His son provides forgiveness of my sin....Through faith I receive Him and His forgiveness. Then the sin problem is solved, and I can be fully assured of going to heaven.[1]

But we run into a problem. Jesus was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom two to three[2] years before He died and was resurrected. And even after His death and resurrection, Jesus is still preaching about the Kingdom of God for forty days (Acts 1:3).

Something strange is going on. Perhaps Jesus didn't just "live to die" as some might suppose. Maybe Jesus had a larger goal than just covering your sins with His blood. Maybe Jesus wants to be more than just your personal Lord and Savior. "...Christian tradition certainly deals with guilt and the afterlife, but by no means does it take them to be the only issues involved in salvation."[3]

And what's with that term anyway: Personal Lord and Savior? Is that like a personal computer? A personal loan? No one in the Gospels (including Jesus) or in Acts is asking if you would like Jesus to be your personal Lord and Savior. This phrase smacks of 20th century individualism. Actually I think the phrase misses the very point of the Gospel.

Jesus did seem to come with a definite purpose, fulfilled in a variety of ways. But that purpose is more than just insuring that we go to heaven when we die because Jesus died for sins. That is simply a gospel of sin management. That gospel is too small. Jesus came for a purpose much bigger than that. That purpose is without a doubt the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

I say "without a doubt" simply because of the textual evidence. The phrases "Kingdom of God" and "Kingdom of Heaven" (the word "heaven" serves as a way of saying the name of God without actually saying it) appear 82 times in the Gospels, 35 times in the book of Matthew alone. Most of these are on the very lips of Jesus. It's all He seems to talk about. And - intriguingly - He speaks of it quite often apart from the death and resurrection, guilt and the afterlife.

Now what is this Kingdom? Is it simply a fancy name for heaven? Is it a reference to the Millennial Reign in Revelation? Or is it something much bigger, much more elaborate? I think you can guess my answer.

First of all, we have to understand that when Jesus said, "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" the phrase is at hand is actually the perfect tense of the Greek verb eggizo which means "to draw near." The perfect tense describes an action which is viewed as having been completed in the past, once and for all, not needing repeated. The Kingdom of Heaven has already come. Obviously this isn't referring to some end time prophecy or to heaven, i.e. the abode of God. The Kingdom is something that came when Jesus came and is still here.

So, we know that the Kingdom has already come. But what is it? Well, fortunately it appears 82 times in the Gospels, so we hardly lack a definition. The key verse in understanding the Kingdom comes from the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Jesus says that we should pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

First, it would be a great mistake to assume that we are simply asking that God do His will on earth. Instead we are praying that we do His will. Second, there is a parallel statement going on in the poem/prayer. Your kingdom = Your will be done on earth as it in heaven.

For Jesus, the question wasn’t, how do I get into heaven? But how do I bring heaven here? The question wasn’t, how do I get in there? But how do I get there, here? [4]

So, on the one hand we see that the Kingdom has come. And on the other hand, we are praying for it to come. Confused yet?

Let’s go back to the “personal Lord and Savior” talk. As soon as you add the word “personal” to the word “Lord,” you’ve missed the point. In Acts 16:30-31 we have a jailer ask Paul and Silas, “What must I do to be saved.” They respond, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” At this point Paul and Silas had committed a crime, for instead of citing the common Roman greeting “Caesar is lord,” the put that title on Jesus of Nazareth.

It’s not that Jesus in the Gospels or Paul and Peter in Acts went around the world hoping people would accept Jesus as Lord of their life, their personal lord, as if the other lords didn’t really matter. Instead they were spreading “the Gospel of the Kingdom,” the fact that the Kingdom had come with Jesus and that Jesus was the Lord of it, whether people realized it or not.

Obviously this Kingdom has many facets to it: it’s spiritual (Rom. 14:17); it’s physical (Matt. 25:34); Christians are already in it (Col. 1:13); and it is yet to arrive (2 Pet. 1:2). Christ brought it with His incarnation, manifested it with His transfiguration, inaugurated it with His resurrection.

Here’s my main point, though. Jesus didn’t just die to be your personal Lord and Savior. The Atonement (seen as merely the clearing of sins) is important, crucial, and is obviously a part of the Good News.

But it isn’t the point!

Again, if all Christ came to do is cover your sins with His blood, then all we have is simply a blood thirsty God and a gospel of sin management. God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit have so much more in store for us. The crucifixion is about the reconciliation of all things, about Him making peace (Col. 1:15-20). No strings attached. No sinner’s prayers or formulas. All things are reconciled whether we like it or not. And no, I’m not saying that everyone is now automatically going to heaven. We have to stop thinking that all God cares about is simply heaven and hell.

But death and reconciliation is not all there is to it. With his resurrection, we have the inauguration of the Kingdom. Christ becomes the first fruit of the resurrection (Col. 1:18), a resurrection that we too will receive as will the entirety of creation. Our goal then is to anticipate this consummation of the Kingdom by helping brining about. In other words, fulfilling the Lord’s Prayer. His Kingdom come. How? By doing His will here on earth.

The fact is, the Kingdom is already here. We serve as erasers, removing the dirt and the grime of sin from it; doing our best to bring “up here” to “down here”; praying and waiting for the day when His Kingdom comes in glory.

RECOMMENDED READING

The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard

Surprised by Hope, N. T. Wright

The Gospel of the Kingdom, George Eldon Ladd (download here)

Secret Message of Jesus, Brian McLaren

[1] Charles Ryrie, So Great Salvation, p. 40

[2] We get this number, by the way, by how many times the book of John says Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover once His minstry had started. One of the passages is a little more vague, so it could be referring to a fourth passover (and thus a third year of Jesus' ministry) or just to another Jewish feast.

[3] Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 44

[4] Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis

Extravagance

2008-10-08T23:08:00.000-04:00

Tonight at Vespers, Matt Metzger was speaking on the part of the Lord's prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread" and simplicity. My favorite quote of the night was:

Are we praying for simplicity but seeking out extravagance?

Ouch.

"Heretical" Ideas: Part 0

2008-10-03T11:37:00.001-04:00

So after one of my more recent posts, my always-perceptive-fiancee Emily pointed out that I have a bad habit. I tend to say things that I honestly believe are true, but I say them without context and therefore I sound either ludicrious or heretical. Generally I say these things concerning spiritual or theological truths, but other times its more soceital or political.

I guess I have a bit of an adreneline rush from being different. I can be honest enough to admit that. But I also don't attempt to be different for the mere sake of being different. I think that the things I believe in are true. My ideas - at least the theological ones - came about not by seeking out the opposite of the norm but by prayer, study, and contemplation.

With that context, I'd like to give myself a chance to explain what I believe and why. The topics I'd like to touch on are:

1) The Meaning of the Gospel (or The Gospel Isn't Just "Jesus Died to Be My Personal Lord and Savior").
2) Heaven Is Not Our Home (or The Kingdom of God Is At Hand)
3) The Reconciliation of All Things (or Why Spiritual Warfare Seems Fishy to Me)
4) The End of This Age (or Why I'm A Classical Pre-Millennialist or Why the Rapture Isn't Biblical)
5) Male and Female He Created Them (or Why Men and Women Are Equal in Person and in Role)6) A Broader Definition of Beauty (or Why Fat People Are Beautiful Too)
7) Character not (only) Issues (or Why I'm Voting for Barack Obama)

If you can think of others, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Just a couple of notes about these issues. First, understand my previous post about worldview and absolute truth. Absolute truth exists; it's difficult to find. This is where the two sides of "childlike faith" come in. First, we full-heartedly believe in God and His love for us. But I strongly believe that when Jesus asked us to be like children, He didn't mean for us to merely dumbly and unquestioningly accept what we've heard to be true to simply be true. This is why the main catalyst for Jesus' Discourse on the Hill (Matthew 5-8) is, "You've heard it said...but I say to you." So, the other side of childlike faith is to do what any good 2 and 3 year old would do: constantly ask "Why?"

Rob Bell got in a lot of trouble with the far religious right for using the analogy of theological bricks versus a theological trampoline. Some Christians have become Pharisees, building their theology (and thus their relationship with God) with bricks. The problem with this is that when either tragedy strikes or they are hit with a new idea, either their wall breaks down or they don't allow in holy, edifying ideas. Brickianity sees a man hanging on a cross and thinks, "He must be a criminal."

On the other end though is a theology made of springs. Yes springs have limits of how far up and down they will stretch, but they are also willing to be changed. When tragedy strikes or a new idea comes along, the springs absorb, not break. They see a man hanging on a cross and declare, "Surely this man was the Son of God."

So, read these posts that my theology is based on springs, not bricks. It is constantly stretching, growing, and moving upward towards God. I would not be arrogant enough to build my brick wall and call it done. My prayer for you who read this is that you would be the same.

It's been a while

2008-10-01T14:43:00.002-04:00

Today marks the beginning of October. To be honest, I am quite happy to have begun a new month. Normally, I find myself dreading winter, and though I am not thrilled about the coming cold there are just too many other things to be pleased about. For one, winter = wedding, and that makes me happy. Also, I really love the fall! If life could transition between summer and fall, the world would be perfect. I love the cooler weather (yet, I still don't need a coat), and I love the leaves falling. Plus, who can turn down apple cider, playing in the leaves, or hayrides??

Last month was a very rough month for me. My dad's surgery, though it went well and though he is doing great, had great implications on our family. I ended up bearing a lot of the weight, and it was, at times, very difficult. I feel like I was on an emotional roller coaster. I just wanted normalcy, and it didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. There was one thing after another with no breaks, and I just plain didn't like it. I found myself missing friends like crazy and being really frustrated with life right now.

Though I am doing much better, I can't help but still be frustrated at times. I feel like I am stuck in this middle ground until Anthony graduates. I love my job, I really do, but it's not what I was meant to do for the rest of my life. I love Bethel, I really do, but I feel the need to stretch my wings. I'm beginning to feel dissatisfied with this waiting period. But the Lord is working with me on it, and I know this is where I need to be right now. But sometimes I just want so badly to be married, and sometimes I just don't want to wait anymore. For example, I left Anthony around 11:00 on Saturday night to go home, knowing I would have to pick him up in the morning at 7:30. I cannot wait for the day when we will finally be in the same place!

But enough of that. In happier news, my wedding dress finally arrived on Monday! I went to the shop to try it on, and it fits! I was kind of nervous that it would be too small, or it would be the wrong dress, especially since I didn't try it on at the place I bought it. But it was all good, and I love it still!! Now, I just need to find shoes, jewelry, and decide how to do my hair.

I'm going to Grand Rapids this weekend with Brett, Anthony, and maybe Todd to see Deanna and maybe Anne. I am pumped! I'm ready to get away and just hang with friends. It will be like a mini road trip, since I can't go on any of those right now. Speaking of, I was browsing through facebook pictures today and found myself really missing roadtrips. I was literally laughing out loud at some of the Fall Break ones from last year. I am so thankful that I have had so many awesome traveling opportunities while at Bethel.

Anyways, this is getting to be long, and I haven't even addressed some of the random thoughts I've been having lately. Hmmm, maybe another time.

Love,
Em

Black, White, and Red

2008-09-28T22:59:00.003-04:00

This theme keeps coming up in my life: the world is not painted in blacks and whites. People grow uncomfortable realizing this, I'm afraid. They think it's as if I'm denying absolute truth or something.

Fact: There is absolute truth.
Problem: We don't always know what it is.

The solution then is the seek out that truth to the best of our ability. You could say that this is what Jesus was talking about when He talked about (as He constantly did) the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom was not some reality that was simply yet-to-come (though it did have those characteristics as well). It was a present reality that had been marred and covered by humanity's own devices. Jesus' incarnation, life, death, and resurrection began the process of uncovering the Kingdom.

And thus our search for truth should lead to the Kingdom. But I ramble. My point is about things slightly more mundane. Like politics. "Well you know those democrats are tax-and-spend politicians." And Republicans aren't? Or church strife. A pastor at a church was not given his credentials. The automatic assumption is to blame the superintendent. The fact is, 99% of the church population doesn't know the whole story. So they make up their own. Caricatures are drawn of a superintendent who is just out to get you, who just doesn't understand. But when did it become his responsibility to let you in on all the secrets of the world?

And again I ramble. I guess my point is that decisions are never as easy as they seem. Truth - in all of its existent glory - is hard to grasp. We are humans with five senses that can deceive us as quickly as work for us. Our "facts" are usually gotten second- (or third- or fourth-) hand. The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the American Revolution, England's response to the American Revolution, Jihad--these were all preformed by men and women who think who were doing the right thing, who think they were doing the will of God. Even the Pharisees started out as good people. They just wanted to keep the people from breaking Torah. Their black and white world was shattered by a red-bleeding Jesus.

I don't think Jesus came to shrink our worldview. This is why Matthew begins his gospel with Gentile women in Jesus' genealogy, Mary giving birth to an illegitimate child, and astrologers worshiping Jesus while (part) Jewish kings try to kill Him. Obviously Jesus wants our worldview to be centered on the Kingdom. But Jesus is teaching us the Kingdom will show up in places where you least expect. Like a condemned criminal hanging on a cross. And an empty tomb.

A Variety of Things

2008-09-25T23:33:00.000-04:00

Where do I even begin. I believe this post shall simply be random thoughts in a stream of consciousness kinda fashion.

--I'm beginning to think the whole "spiritual warfare" thing is a farce. Don't get me wrong, I believe in angels and demons. But I'm beginning to think the idea of them out there in the spiritual realm fighting battles is just not true. This has incredibly little Biblical precedent (the only example I can think of is Revelation's "Great Battle In Heaven," which I would label a special exception to the genre of the literature of Revelation, but anyway). But what is far more Biblically accurate is the idea of God reconciling all things to Himself and making peace through the blood of the cross (Colossians 1:20). Even the whole Ephesians 6 Armor of God thing is - if anything - an attack against the idea of "spiritual warfare" not an argument supporting it. Paul is using hilariously ironic language. Our weapons are truth, righteousness, gospel of peace (HELLO! IRONY), faith, and salvation. God doesn't want us to fight a war. He wants us to join Him in His movement of reconciling all things to Himself.

--All of life fades a mere monochrome when faced with the prospect of marriage. I guess that's not completely fair to say. I've been living with the guys, which is fantastic (but Board is in Costa Rica...collective moment of silence...NOW) and my classes are also interesting and fun (of course 3 credit hours in Human Sexuality and 2 credit hours in Sexual Ethics definitely keeps things, ahem, interesting). But really, being engaged really creates this amazing tunneling effect on how you see the world. I suppose this illustrates the importance of being focused on something. Of course it doesn't really matter how much I focus on accomplishing this goal of getting married; it's happening whether I focus or not. But it certainly makes the ride more enjoyable, if not unbareably slow (106 days, 17 hours, 13 minutes!!!).

--I was supposed to be Pastor Parrott months ago. It's true, at any point I could turn in my credentialing paperwork to the Missionary Church licensing committee and (assuming they didn't brand me as a heretic, which they might considering my views on spiritual warfare) receive the ability to "hitch 'em and ditch 'em" or "marry 'em and bury 'em" or (incredibly less catchy) perform weddings and funerals. Of course, I just need to finish the theological questionnaire (where do you put the Rapture on a timeline when you don't think there is a Rapture?) and get all my ducks in a row. But ducks only travel in rows when crossing the road. And that's not where they belong. So why should my ducks be in a row?

--I can already feel some callousing beginning to grow in relation to Christianity. I suppose that's not a very Christian thing to say on a public blog, but alas. I really think that Christians should be past declaring certain words too holy, making fun of canidates of we don't like, and other ridiculous things. Of course maybe I should be past pointing out Christian foibles on a blog. But if Christians are abrasive to other Christians (notice how the only bluntly premiscious relationship in The Office involves Angela, the only Christian in Scranton's Dunder-Mifflin office) then how on earth are we doing on that whole "making disciples" thing? I mean really? Isn't there a better way to spend our time then arguing about hymns and choruses (and having to count the ratio of hymns to chorues I've done since I began leading worship at a church just to appease some members) and telling people to stop using the name Yahweh? (And writing about it on a weblog?)

--I really need to eat a meal that consists of nothing but sharp cheddar cheese, ritz crackers, and summer sausage.

--Jesus Came to Save Christians will probably be on my "must read list" for ya'll really soon. I recently acquired it from Amazon.com and got 3 chapters in before my school load defeated me. It's by Rob Bell and Don Golden and it basically serves as an introduction to narrative theology (which is like, 66 times better than systematic theology since the Bible was written in, you know, a narrative).

--The point of Christianity is not to go to heaven. And heaven is not our home. And we won't be in heaven for the rest of eternity. I just had to get that off my chest.

--Read Genesis 1 and explain to me how man and woman are not equal in both personhood and role. I bet you can't do it. Well, I should say, I bet you can't do it well.

Update

2008-09-12T16:30:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone!

In case you didn't know from the last post by Anthony, my dad did indeed have a 5 bypass surgery this past Tuesday. Here's a little bit of background as well as an update.

About a week or so ago, my dad started experiencing some chest pains when he was at work. He started getting tired easily, and he knew something wasn't up. So he called his cardiologist, and he decided that my dad should have a catheterization and they scheduled it for the following Tuesday. Now for those of you who don't know, my dad has had heart problems for a while, and he had a heart attack about 10 years ago. So, he was advised to take the rest of the week off work and wait to see what the catheterization says. Well, the pains started getting more and more frequent, and they started happening even when he was at rest. In fact, last Friday, he started having pains even after taking medicine and after he layed down to go to bed.

My parents thought it best to take him to the ER because they knew it was getting worse, and they didn't want to chance anything. Unfortunately, his weekend visit to the hospital didn't do too much. They didn't see anything immediately wrong, but they kept him over the weekend to monitor him, and they moved the catheterization to Monday.

For those of you who don't know, a catheterization allows a doctor to look at the arteries in the heart through a small video camera of sorts. So my dad went through this procedure on Monday afternoon. We didn't really expect much except maybe a stint or two put in. Well, they found a lot more blockage than they expected, so we were told he was going to need open heart surgery the next day to do 5 bypasses. Basically, 5 of his main arteries were 60-80% blocked. This came as a shock to both my mom and dad (me as well). Though extremely nervous, we were so thankful that his body warned him through chest pains instead of a heart attack. If he were to have a heart attack, it most likely would have been fatal.

Ok, here's the update!

The surgery went well! Nothing out of the ordinary. And thus far, recovery has been going well. Yesterday, he was moved out of ICU where they were monitoring him very closely, and back to a normal room in the cardiac center. He has all of the tubes out of him save an IV, and he's even getting up and walking.

He should be home Sunday or Monday, but unfortunately it will still take him a while to recover. He's officially off work for 4-6 weeks (which he isn't very happy about), and it will be a while even after that before he is 100% with his energy level.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. It has meant the world to us! Please continue to pray for a speedy recovery.

Love you all!

Em

News Bulletin

2008-09-08T20:16:00.000-04:00

I just wanted everyone to know that Emily's dad John is having 5-bypass open heart surgery tomorrow (Tuesday) at noon. His life is not in danger or anything, this is simply to clear some extreme blockages in his heart. Prayers would be appreciated.

A

Another Week, Another Blog

2008-09-05T15:35:00.003-04:00

As life goes on, time only goes by faster and faster. Remember in college, specifically your freshman year, when 3 weeks seemed like a lifetime? So much could happen in those 21 days... you could find your future husband and have your heart broken and mended all within that time span. I remember being a block mentor and counseling the freshman girls who would come to me with their boy problems after only 2 weeks of school. How can one have boy problems so quickly?! All that to say time no longer moves that slow.

I cannot believe that I have been working at Bethel for a month. I cannot believe that I have been engaged for 5 months! I'm going to be 50 before I know it!

We're plugging away at the wedding and marriage planning. We are officially done with pre-marital counseling and now have the stamp of approval from John and Diane Dendiu! Anthony picked out and bought a tux last night for him and the groomsmen. I was so surprised that he found something so quickly... the first place he looked. Him and his brother were supossed to go and just browse, and he came home already having ordered something! I wish I could make decisions that easily. They sound really nice, though I haven't seen them yet. Now I have to face the battle of the hats. The boys want to wear hats... we'll see.

We've also started to look into registering. We've browsed through a couple stores and tried not to get overwhelmed. There are so many things! And who knew that pots and pans are so expensive?! It'll be kind of fun to go around with a "gun" and just mark whatever we want.

Oh, and we have 2 appointments tomorrow to look at some apartments! I really have no idea what or where we will end up living. I guess we won't find out until we do some looking! Ideally, it would be nice to have a place of our own... something we can put our furniture in and a place that's ours. But, I'm not ruling out the possibility that we might have to live somewhere out of someone's basement or something. We'll see how the money thing goes.

We're busy, busy as always. There's always something to be done, someone to see, or somewhere to go. Poor Anthony hasn't had much breathing time. And I haven't even been home in a while besides to sleep.

Keep my dad in your prayers. I don't know if I will be able to write or not before Tuesday, but he's been having heart problems lately and he's going in on Tuesday for a catherization (spelling?? Anne, help me out!). It might be nothing, but they're concerned enough to do this procedure. I don't really know what to make of it all, but he hasn't worked at all this week.

I guess that's all for now. I'm off to finish my work week and enjoy a (hopefully) relaxing weekend!

Em

2008-08-29T16:02:00.002-04:00

Here I am again at work. The day is coming to a close, and we are coming upon a 3 day weekend. Therefore, everyone is a bit antsy, and there isn't a whole lot to. 'How shall I pass the time?' I ask myself. 'I know! I'll update the blog!' There is no real purpose to this post, other than to give a brief update.

There is probably more going on in Anthony's life than mine right now, and since he does not update this blog except to post odd facts, I might as well fill you in. He moved back to Bethel last Wednesday, and he started classes yesterday. He's living in Logan this year (way bizarre), but he's on the opposite side of our apartment last year (can you say confusing?? I've already run into the wall!). He's really enjoying the extra space, and living with all the guys is an added bonus as well. I'm so glad that he gets this last semester with them. Board, contrary to all the grief we've given you, I think it's a good thing we're not getting married in October. Though it would have been a beautiful time of year, this just gives us more time to save, prepare, and enjoy this season of life. Anyway, Anthony is loving being back at Bethel, though he has a full schedule like usual. He's filling up his spare hours with work so that he can save as much as possible as well.

Work is going well for me. The pace is picking up with the students being back on campus, so I am grateful for that. It's a bit strange being on campus with all the students here. I'm in the awkward place of being a graduate and a staff member, yet still having plenty of connections with the students. So far, I've surprised myself with not missing the life of a student yet. I think that's mostly because none of my girls are back. It just wouldn't be right to be a student here without them. But in the next few weeks I will be finding a balance of being with Bethel people and being a graduate. We'll see how that goes.

Tomorrow we're going to the dunes, and Dee is meeting up with us there. Sun, friends, and water...mmmm. I'm really excited for a relaxing weekend. Last night was the first night in at least 3 weeks that I haven't had something going. Most nights, I haven't gotten home until at least 11, and that's not good when I have to be at work at 8am! But last night, I went home and vegged for a while. Then I went to bed early, and today I feel so refreshed and good!

One of the 'things' that I've had to do these past three weeks was get some free furniture! Anthony and I ran into Danny Hunter one afternoon and learned that he knew a guy who was moving and giving away furniture. So, we said get us in on that deal! We went this past week, and moved a bunch of stuff. We now have matching couch and loveseat, dining room table and chairs, entertainment center, bookshelf, desk, and end table for FREE!! It's not the most beautiful stuff in the world, but it's nice and in working condition. And the couches are comfy. It also gives me some projects to work on, which makes me excited.

I think that's about all for today. Happy Labor Day Weekend, everyone!

Until next time,
Emily

Vote for Who?

2008-08-22T00:10:00.001-04:00

“Of those 80 million homeowners, only 55 million have a mortgage at all, and 51 million are doing what is necessary --working a second job, skipping a vacation, and managing their budgets -- to make their payments on time. That leaves us with a puzzling situation: how could 4 million mortgages cause this much trouble for us all?
--John McCain [Economic Speech in Santa Ana, CA, 3/25/08]

[begin sarcasm] Simply inspirational. [end sarcasm]

2008-08-21T09:39:00.002-04:00

Apparently, I'm the only one who posts on this blog now ;) But time has certainly been flying by these past two weeks. Not only am I working every day, but I've also have had my evenings packed. I've pretty much given up on getting to bed at a decent time. Every morning when I wake up at 6:30, I think to myself, 'I really need to get to bed earlier.' Then the next night happens, and nothing changes.

However, I'm sure things will slow down now that Anthony is actually back at Bethel. I won't get him to myself as much because he has other people all around him. But I'm so glad that he has this semester to live with the guys and just really enjoy Bethel life. It is weird to see them in Logan. I'm curious to see how much time I spend at Bethel this semester. Yes, I work here, so I will at least be here for 9 hours, but I'm in this awkward position of being a staff member, yet being a recent graduate. We'll see.

I absolutely love the ladies I work with. They are truly fantastic, and they crack me up! Yesterday, they gave me both Thursday and Friday before the wedding off. And they're letting me have that whole next week off for the honeymoon! They also told me that they're planning on having a wedding shower for me. I'm just so touched that they have so easily accepted me as part of the team. The past two Wednesdays I've gone out to eat with ladies from the building, and that has been a lot of fun. I think I'm doing ok at this whole transition to adulthood thing. Though sometimes I still feel awfully young.

Our goal was to finish the second season of 24 before Anthony moved back to school. unfortunately, we still have about 6 episodes to go... and we left off at a really suspenseful part! We just don't have time for tv any more.

Less than 5 months til the wedding!! I'm so excited to finish up all the planning. Sometimes, I just want it to come right now!

Ok, I can't think of anything else to write about, so this is it for the day.

Blessings,
Em

P.S.

2008-08-14T16:30:00.001-04:00

My birthday is a month away. I will be 23.

My wedding is 5 months away from this past Sunday.

Weird.

New Job!

2008-08-14T16:13:00.002-04:00

I know, I know... I started my new on Monday, and I still haven't posted about it! I've been bad. But I feel like I haven't even had time to breathe! Monday night we had premarital counseling, Tuesday night a bunch of us went to see Chris and Anne spent the night, Wednesday Anthony and I went out to dinner, and here we are.

But you probably don't care about all of those details. My new job has been great! I've been extremely surprised at how easily I've been able to adjust and fit in. I had someone come in to train me for the first half of my first day, and since then I've been pretty much on my own. It's been slow, too. The director of career services is on vacation this week, so that might be part of the reason I haven't had as much to do. The students aren't here yet either (with the exception of the RA's who come today). But the slower pace has allowed me to learn things and get used to some of the programs they use.

Everyone has been super nice. They have a "women's wednesday" where all the women in the administration building are invited to go out to lunch at Tradewinds. So I went with a group of about 5 other women. It was a lot of fun, though a bit weird to be on the other side of things. It's also been a lot of fun being located between Student Development and R&P. People are always coming in to say hi. Sherry Weldy is hilarious (she's in the office with me), and we have a good time. And, of course, it's great to be near Anthony. We had lunch together today, which is an added bonus.

All this to say that everything has been great, and I think I will really like the job.

I also really like the Olympics! I wish I could watch more, but I've been so busy! I think the women's gymnastics is on tonight, so I want to try and stay up for it. I don't know what it is about the Olympics, but it somehow causes me to want to watch all these sports that I normally pass by any other time. I think Anthony thinks it's a little strange that I get so into it, but he's learning to deal with it ;)

I think that's about all I have for today!

Blessings!
Em

It's been a while

2008-08-05T23:10:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted for a while, and even though it's getting late and I should be in bed because I have a full day of work tomorrow, I can't seem to help being on my laptop. I'm not tired yet, and I should be reading and increasing my intellect. Oh well, here I am.

Speaking of reading, I'm almost finished with the Scarlet Letter. I've never read it before, and I decided when I went to the library last week that I should add some classics to my reading list. It's quite the fascinating book, and I'm curious to see how it all ends. Was there truly a world where adultery was treated with such harshness? No grace extended for this particular sin. At least not to the woman. The man is fine, with the exception of his own guilt. Again, I haven't finished yet, so who knows. But to walk around in isolation with the letter "A" embroidered on your clothes... not my idea of fun.

In other news, I finally made it to the beach!! I was so excited! Brett, Anthony, and I went to Silver Beach on Lake Michigan this past Saturday. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. Sunny with just enough breeze to take the intensity off the heat. I dozed in the sun, went exploring, and took some walks along the shore line (if you can call it that when it's not an ocean). I was happy.

Our invitations arrived on Monday! Yay! They look great... no typos or anything. So now the massive box is sitting in my room, and some day I will attempt to start assembling them. But we have plenty of time for that.

The other night a group of us watched the movie You've Got Mail. It's one of the better chick flicks, in my humble opinion, but this particular night I couldn't help but judge it a little. It's not You've Got Mail's fault, it was simply the catalyst. I've noticed more recently in chick flicks or romantic books or even TV shows that everything is about the sexual tension leading up to a couple getting together. It's all about the pursuit. Don't get me wrong, this is exciting and important, but there is nothing in the media that focuses on marriage. It's as though the message is being sent out that once you get to the point of marriage, life is boring. The exciting stuff happens before- that's why movies always end with the wedding. Or with the first kiss. But is that true?? I don't think so. At least I hope not... Since when does marriage equal boring. Love doesn't stop at the altar- if anything it begins more deeply than before.

But then again, maybe it does become more boring. I mean, the chase is over, right? Flowers are given less frequently. Dates become relaxing on the couch watching a rented movie. I was reading a book the other day that reported that couple who live together/sleep together before marriage experience a sudden drop off of sex after they get married. It's as if it's lost the excitement. Before it was dangerous or at least more forbidden and adventurous. Now it's legal, and where's the fun in that? Of course, this illustration leads into a whole other realm of the dangers of living together/sleeping together before marriage, and that's not my point here. My point is why do things have to get boring... or why are told, whether explicitly or implicitly, to expect this? Don't get me wrong... there is something to a level of comfort that comes with marriage or engagement that makes it wonderful not to feel like you have to perform. But I still think there should be an even higher standard in marriage. I think it's important to still go on dates- frequently. I think it's important to keep things spontaneous and fun. I think it should be movie worthy, referring to the beginning of this rant. I guess I'm not even sure where I'm going with this other than to say that I think society has the wrong impression and idea of marriage. It's beautiful, and it's sacred, and it's an adventure. Not that I have any experience. I'll let you all know more when I'm actually married.

Ok, not sure where that all came from. Sorry guys. This has suddenly become much longer than expected. I guess I will leave you all with those thoughts. If you think about it, be praying for Anthony this weekend as he embarks on a retreat at a monastery in Three Rivers. He's going just to get away from it all and to spend some time with Jesus. I'm really glad he's going. Life sometimes goes non-stop, and sometimes complete breaks are really needed.

Tis all for tonight!

Em

This Picture Cannot Be Explained

2008-07-31T19:13:00.001-04:00