Thursday, March 24, 2011

"lonely single people turn into lonely married people"

Cross Point Church is having a wonderful series right now called "5 things that will ruin your marriage" and it has truly been amazing for both married and single people. Pete Wilson, the pastor, says that it is a help guide for married people and a cheat sheet for singles that may one day be married.

First of all, we need to ask ourselves why do we want to be married, or why did I get married?

It is important first of all to know what Marriage is NOT.

It is not a strategy for wholeness. It is not about fulfillment- only Jesus can fulfill us. If someone tells you that you complete them... RUN!

There are a lot of things from this series that have stuck out to me. One thing in particular is when our pastor Pete said this:

"Lonely single people turn into lonely married people."

For all you single people let that sink in for a minute. How often have we caught ourselves thinking that when we get married we won't be lonely anymore, or I have to get married because I'm fearful of being lonely. Marriage is not a cure to loneliness.

So, why get married?

Seeking God....
gives my marriage a purpose.
Read Gen 2:18 and 1:28- a purpose in marriage is companionship and raising children.

God has given us a desire to do something significant together- you are married with a mission.

We should pray together with our spouse or potential spouse.

We are not created just to love each other, but to love others together.

gives my marriage maturity.
Read Colossians 3:23- Do I want God at the center of my marriage, or just in the mix?

For the singles: There is a difference in dating someone that has God in the mix of their life and someone that has God in the center of their life.

gives my marriage grace.
Read Lamentations 3:22-23

Marriage is hard because it unites 2 sinners.

Another thing that Pete did was re-define the concept of the man being the "spiritual leader". This does not mean that the man knows more about the bible or is less of a sinner than his wife, but it means that he is the "spiritual initiator".


You can listen to the whole series online at crosspoint.tv or you can download podcast on iTunes. Just search "cross point tv"

This has truly been an eye-opening series and has given me a totally different outlook on marriage. I pray that you are somehow encouraged by this today.





Monday, March 21, 2011

Crafty Sundays

Yesterday started the first of many “Crafty Sundays” with my sweet friend Megan. She and I both have a LOVE for owls, so we decided to make our own owl pillows. Megan is a sewing master and makes the cutest stuff all the time. I, on the other hand, have never sewn anything in my entire life. Megan had to give me a sewing for dummies lesson and we were off!

It only took us all afternoon, but this is what we accomplished…


Hopefully my sewing abilities will improve with our next project. We had so much fun creating these on our own... that's right... no pattern. We just saw a picture and replicated it.

I'm really loving this new hobby! WHOOOOOOOOOOOO knows what our next project will be! Probably some kind of owl!


Sunday, March 6, 2011

HAPPYS and CRAPPYS

So, I have been Deb all day and have been whinning and complaining about how terrible my week is going to be... No worries, you're not going to get through this post without hearing all about it.

Sorry... Let me share with you my "happy/crappys"


So let me start out with what I call the "crappys," or what some people call "lows" or "concerns" etc. My crappys are as follows:


Monday-9 hour clinical orientation day
Tuesday: NCLEX questions due & an A&P Test
Wesnesday: Parent/Child Test & Group Discussion Project due


All of these things are examples of why nursing school sucks, however, I am also experiencing quite a few "happys" this week:


Monnday: Watching the Bachelor with my SWEET friend Megan

Tuesday: Dinner with El, Cait, and Linds

Wesnesday: The dread of school is OVER for the week

Thursday: My precious little brother's 10th birthday

Friday: Non-Commissioned Officers at the Mercy Lounge (more exciting details about this to follow in another post!!!)

AND....

(drum roll....)




Saturday: CHATTANOOGA FOR HANNAH'S WEDDING!!!


So obviously my happys outweigh my crappys... I mean, come on! Saturday alone will make this dreadful week worth while. I will get to be in Chattanooga, see so many people I love, and see my beautiful friend marry the man of her dreams!! Does it get any better?


I cannot even begin to explain how excited/eager I am for the weekend to come. It will be so much fun with the most amazing people ever! Let the week go by fast, and the good times roll...

WOO HOO!