What It Means To Be Married...

Yes, I got caught up in the Royal Wedding hysteria. What? I'm a girl! As I watched this prince and princess exchange vows, the gravity of the words struck me. This is powerful stuff, people! Marriage is a reflection of God's relationship with us. After all, the Church is described as the bride of Christ. We are called to glorify God in every aspect of our lives-including our marriages. This may seem like such a basic concept, but it's something that whacked me in the face as I listened to the promises being exchanged here. I'm including a copy of the transcript here, as the words are as powerful in print. Read through the vows and think of God promising this to us. Wow!

Archbishop to Prince William: William Arthur Philip Louis, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony?

Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?

He answers: I will.

Archbishop to Catherine: Catherine Elizabeth, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?

She answers: I will.

The Archbishop continues: Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?

The Archbishop receives Catherine from her father's hand. Taking Catherine's right hand, Prince William says after the Archbishop: I, William Arthur Philip Louis, take thee, Catherine Elizabeth to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.

They loose hands. Catherine, taking Prince William by his right hand, says after the Archbishop: I, Catherine Elizabeth, take thee, William Arthur Philip Louis, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.

They loose hands. The Archbishop blesses the ring: Bless, O Lord, this ring, and grant that he who gives it and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other, and abide in thy peace and favour, and live together in love until their lives' end. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prince William takes the ring and places it upon the fourth finger of Catherine's left hand. Prince William says after the Archbishop: With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honour; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The congregation remains standing as the couple kneels. The Archbishop says: Let us pray.

O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author of everlasting life: send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name; that, living faithfully together, they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge; and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Archbishop joins their right hands together and says: Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.

The Archbishop addresses the congregation: Forasmuch as William and Catherine have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Archbishop blesses the couple: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.

A Divine Letter

Wait until you are satisfied, fulfilled, and content with being loved by Me alone... With giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me.

I love you, My child. But until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship I have planned for you. You will never be united with another as you desire to be until you are united to Me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires and belongings.

I want you to stop planning and stop wishing, and allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan that exists-one that you can't imagine. I want you to have the very best. Please allow Me to bring it to you.

Just keep your eyes on Me, expecting the greatest things.

Keep experiencing that satisfaction, knowing that I AM.

Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you.

You must be patient.

Don't be anxious.

Don't worry.

Don't look around at the things others have.

Don't look at the things you think you want.

Just keep looking at Me, or you will miss what I want to give you.

And then, when you are ready, I will surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you could ever dream. You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready and you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I have prepared for you, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me... And this is perfect love.

-God

My little sister, Amanda, sent this to me a few weeks ago, and I now keep it on display on my desk. A little reminder of God's goodness is always a good thing!

Princess Lessons

"Whatever comes, cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in a cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it." -Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Little Princess

Starry Eyed Surprise

So I know I've already posted a song by this girl, but I just enjoy her music so much! If you happen to come into my room and see me dancing around, it's probably to this song. A little glimpse into my life at the moment...

A Surprise To Start The Year Off Right!

It's official: I have the best friends EVER! I was slightly bummed that my birthday fell on a Tuesday this year, as everyone seemed to be busy. I kept throwing out random ideas, and was perfectly fine with just going out to dinner, but no one seemed to be able to make it! My friend Julia (more like my soul sister, now that I think about it) kept telling me not to worry about it. Today was my birthday, and there was still no hint that anything was going to happen. Julia had me meet her in front of our dorm building. She blindfolded me (and by "blindfolded", I mean she threw a pillowcase over my head), and she and my roommate McKayla led me to her car. From there, we drove for a while. We got out, and walked up a bunch of steps, and I was completely confused by this point. Then we took my pillowcase blindfold off, and I saw where we were: Mount Soledad!! I absolutely love Mount Soledad. For those who have never been there, it's a beautiful cross on a mountain top that overlooks everything. Every time I come up, it takes my breath away. My beloved friends were waiting there to surprise me! We ate delicious Funfetti cake decorated by the amazing Jessie (seriously, this cake was BEAUTIFUL). Then everyone shared what they appreciated about me/a memory they cherished with me. I am so blessed! This was the most amazing birthday ever! Thanks be to God for all His blessings in every aspect of my life, especially the people He has put around me. This was a birthday to remember.

From left to right: Julia, Jessie, and Me! What a blessing from God these girls have been! Thanks for such an incredible birthday!

Found on StumbleUpon

Ain't this the truth!

"Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes."

Exactly A Year Ago...

Tomorrow is my 20th birthday. I started this blog on my 19th birthday, and after looking back to that very first entry, I cannot believe how much has changed! Last year, I made a HUGE deal about my birthday. Everyone heard about it for weeks, and I had a nice shindig planned and ready weeks before the actual day. This year, I forgot about my birthday entirely until people started to remind me that it was indeed coming up. I don't have anything planned at all, and I haven't really mentioned it at all. I was pondering why this was, because I usually love birthdays! After thinking about it for a while, I came to one conclusion. This time last year, I was in a very depressed state of being. By the time my birthday rolled around, I was really needing to feel special. I needed to know that I was loved and valuable. Since then, everything has changed (THANK GOD). I now know that I am loved and valued every day, not just on my birthday. It's not that I don't want a birthday celebration, because I still love them (but I hate planning things, so a birthday celebration probably won't be happening anyways). I just don't need one to know how much I am truly loved. I had the hardest time figuring out what to ask for, because I don't need or want anything. My life is absolutely wonderful, and my birthday is an added bonus, not the determining factor. So this year, I am going to just enjoy my friends and family, and rejoice that God chose to make me and bring into this world exactly 20 years ago tomorrow on April 12, 1991. I really, truly am blessed.

A Little Tidbit of Wisdom

I love finding little snippets of wisdom in movies. While watching Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, I found a little line that's been ringing in my head for a week. It's so simple, yet so precious. Sometimes we make love so complicated, but could it really be this basic? Time will tell, I guess...

"We must not waste a second of this precious life. Listen to me. Once I too had ambitions. Not grand ones, simple ambitions. Marriage, family, and a house of our own. He died in the mud in France. A good, solid man. Some would call him dull, no doubt, but he smiled whenever he saw me and we could've built a life on that. Our hearts know the truth. Trust them."

On Vulnerability

As Henry Nouwen once said, "The most personal is the most universal." Something God has really been teaching me these past few weeks is the power of vulnerability. And as I discover myself more and more, I've come to realize how much I detest being vulnerable. This has made for quite a few interesting experiences, as I allow myself to open up more and more. God has been bringing more people in my life who open themselves up, calling for me to open myself and relate. You know, deep cries out to deep, and all that. I don't know where this deep fear of vulnerability came from, but it's beginning to affect my relationships, both long and developing. The most I can say is that I guess I take Proverbs 4: 23 too seriously when it says, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." I keep interpreting this to mean, "Maintain an aloof facade at all times, and keep everyone at arm's length at all cost." While being vulnerable does not mean I should start emotionally vomiting on everyone who approaches me, or that I should start throwing myself at boys, there is a power that comes from opening up and relating to others. As C.S. Lewis once wrote, "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'" True vulnerability is key to true relationships, and as God once made Himself open and vulnerable to us, (even unto death-check out 1 John 3:16!) so we are called to open ourselves up to Him and to others. God is faithful, when we obey and strive to imitate Him. As Psalm 25:9-10 says, "He guides the humble (vulnerable!) in what is right and teaches them His way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep His covenant."