Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Bliss

This weekend was one of the best weekends of my life...

On top of an excellent slumber party with some high school friends and a great bridal shower for my cousin, Daryl and I promised to love each other our whole lives long!!!!!!

A.K.A. - WE GOT ENGAGED!

On Friday Daryl took me to this gorgeous restaurant called The Le Mont which over looks the three rivers and highlights the skyline beautifully! We had a wonderful meal together just enjoying each other’s company and then we went down to Market Square.

Out of God’s kindness to us, it was Light Up Night in Pittsburgh where they have a bunch of fun activities downtown and light up Christmas trees and put off fire works. We rode up this incline to Mt. Washington and walked out onto an overlook to watch the fireworks.

When the fire works ended our overlook emptied out all except one girl who I didn’t even notice! This too was God’s kindness towards us because not only were the other overlooks around us still packed with people, the girl was able to take our picture afterwards! (Hee hee)

Daryl began by sharing some things with me and then he got down on one knee, took my hand in his and asked if I would marry him! I of course said yes and wow – the ring is beautiful! I feel prettier all the time!

But I don’t just love being engaged because I have a cool ring, I love being engaged because it makes our love for each other and our commitment to each other public and obvious. I literally have a seal of his love for me, much like I have the Holy Spirit as a seal of God’s love for me.

Pretty amazing how the love between a man and a woman can mirror the love between Christ and the church – and how I have already learned so much about God’s love for me through my relationship with Daryl. It is Christ in him that has so much captivated my heart and I can’t believe God’s kindness towards me in sending me a man who loves me so well and who I want to love so well, always. He is such a gift and I hope you all can meet him soon if you haven’t!

Thank you for sharing in our excitement with us!

More to come…

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Unraveled...

I don't get to watch TV too often, but this week I've gotten more than my fair share!

I was home the other night and joined my roommates for Inside Edition where we heard about all the stars who were divorcing, jealous, or in rehab - all of which made my heart really hurt for them. The show quickly moved into describing the latest fashion at the CMA awards and the prices of some of the girls dresses, enough to feed small countries for years - literally.

Then I went to the gym and they of course hang TV's above all the elliptical machines because thinking is apparently a dangerous thing. Although I had my ipod in my ears, I was distracted by the images that flashed above me. Victoria Secret displayed soft porn in front of me while I prayed that Daryl and my friends husband wouldn't happen to walk over right then, and the other screen showed Nicolas Cage being held at gun point, and the other one a lesbian encounter. All on just regular TV at 9pm.

I confess that I don't typically watch TV so I may be more shellshocked than most, but 2 Corinthians 4:20 says, "Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regards to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults."

While trying to put my finger on why the things I was viewing bothered me so much Daryl made a wise comment, "It's because everything in your Spirit is contrary to what you were watching."

Christ has come to give us hope and life - not death and despair. Christ has given us love and peace - not immorality, jealousy and violence.

Interesting that Satan has come up with such deceiving counterparts to what Christ really has to offer.

As I completed my work outI honestly wondered if media would be the demise of the world and the demise of my children, should I ever be blessed with them.

But this is the encouragement I received from the one who is all together faithful...

Galatians 1:3-4, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father..."

And 2 Peter 1:3-4, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

He will rescue. Praise Him!