So I admit, I needed to do something this evening to take my mind off stuff, so I perused the internet and looked up different poems and quotes on weddings. I came across a few that I really love and thought that I would share them with y'all. Enjoy!
The first is a traditional Irish wedding blessing.
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.
May the saddest day of your future Be no worse than the happiest day of your past
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, A twinkle from your eye. And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days.
May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of His hands. And, today, may the Spirit of Love find a dwelling place in your hearts. Amen.
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This second one is from a traditional Irish wedding song. It is based on Genesis 2:22-24
Wedding Song
He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts, rest assured this troubadour is acting on His part.
The union of your spirits here has caused you to remain, for wherever two or more of you are gathered in His name, there is love.
Well a man shall leave his mother and a woman leave her home, then shall travel on to where the two shall be as one.
As it was in the beginning, is now and till the end, woman draws her life from man and gives it back again, there is love.
Well then what's to be the reason for becoming man and wife, Is it love that brings you here, or love that brings you life?
For if loving is the answer, then who's the giving force? If you believe in something you've never seen before, there is love.
The marriage of your spirits here has caused Him to remain, for wherever two or more of you are gathered in His name, there is love ~ yes, there is love.
Based on Genesis 2:22-24
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The following is more of a wedding prayer and I really like it.
O, God, by your power you have made everything out of nothing. In the beginning you created the universe and made us in your own likeness. You gave man the constant help of woman so that man and woman should no longer be two, but one flesh, and you teach us that what you have united may never be divided.
O, God, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mystery that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his people. O, God, by your plan man and woman are united, and married life has been established as the one blessing that was not forfeited by sin. Look with love upon this woman, your daughter, now joined to her husband in marriage. She asks your blessing. Give her the grace of love and peace. May she always follow the example of the holy women whose praises are sung in the scriptures. May her husband put his trust in her and know that she is his equal and the heir with him to the life of grace. May he always honor her and love her as Christ loves his people.
Keep them always true to your commandments. Keep them faithful in marriage and let them be living examples of Christian life. Give them the strength which comes from the gospel so that they may be witnesses of Christ to others. And, after a happy old age, grant them fullness of life with the saints in the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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This is a poem titled United Hearts by M.S.Lowndes
God has brought us here together
To be united in His love
Joined in Holy Matrimony
With faith in God above
For it's our faith that guides our lives
With a measure of God's grace
For this is what keeps love strong
Through whatever we may face
And as we build our marriage on
The foundation of Christ
It will not crumble or give way
Through the daily pressures of life
But it will stand the test of time
Growing stronger day by day
As we keep our hearts united
And joined as one when we pray
The cord that binds our hearts in love
Will not fray over the years
For when we build our lives on God
We discover His love is there
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Finally, I am including a poem that I wrote around my sophomore year of college, when my sister was getting married. Don't judge it too harshly please!
Beginning Today
Beginning today a new chapter has started
We are not you and me, but now we are we.
Two hearts are joined together as one loving unit.
Boyfriend and girlfriend have become husband and wife.
Beginning today we take a solemn, serious vow.
A promise to the dear Lord that lasts till death.
In sickness and in health we will love and support.
We will be the strength when the other one is weak.
Beginning today a new family has been created.
A home and a shelter through all of life's many storms.
A place to raise and love children and guide them to God.
A place where love, laughter, tears, and joy abounds.
Beginning today I promise to honor, serve and obey.
I promise to protect, love, guide, support and laugh.
I promise to put you before myself and all others.
I promise to help you grow into a more godly spouse.
Beginning today I give you my heart, my body and my love.
I will do my best to honor what you have given me.
I will love with all the love the Lord has granted to me.
Beginning today I promise to take a leap of faith.
Beginning today the journey starts anew!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Satisfying my Wondering
So just out of sheer wonderment I did some exploring online this week. I looked at some of the major online dating sites to see just how expensive it is find love online. I have to say that it surprised me.
Eharmony.com has 2 options: Basic and Total Connect. They give you 3 options in each plan. 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months of service. Now, if you just look at it you see the prices. With the Basic 3 month plan it says $44.95/month. Now that is staggering enough, but if you read the fine print you are billed for all three months at once, so the cheapest payment to eHarmony is $134.85
Match.com is another site that I visited. Match.com will bill you monthly, so you don't have the staggering one installment fee. For the basic membership without any frills it will cost ya $35/month to be on match.com There are extras you can add on- Highlighted profile, e-mail read notification (so you know when people you contacted read your messages)and a first impressions thingy. Each of those will cost ya $5/month.
Christiancafe.com is a dating site dedicated to helping Christians meet other christians. In that area it sounds promising. Christian cafe allows you 10 days free, and if you post a photo you get 3 extra free days, so you can get about two weeks free. For every friend that signs up you get an extra few days free as well. This site will let you pay $29 for two weeks, $35 for a month and on up from there.
Those are the main sites I visited. Out of those 3 sites I like ChristianCafe the best because it allows me to view profiles and photos before I have to even sign up for an account, which is interesting.
I am not totally sure yet what I think of online dating, I know I've talked about it before on here. I still think going to bar and meeting your soul mate is best (ummm...I meant church choir...!) ;) But, online dating is growing in popularity. It seems to look for a lot of people. It isn't for everyone, but that is what makes life so interesting-we can be friends with people and we all have our own stories! I love it!
Eharmony.com has 2 options: Basic and Total Connect. They give you 3 options in each plan. 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months of service. Now, if you just look at it you see the prices. With the Basic 3 month plan it says $44.95/month. Now that is staggering enough, but if you read the fine print you are billed for all three months at once, so the cheapest payment to eHarmony is $134.85
Match.com is another site that I visited. Match.com will bill you monthly, so you don't have the staggering one installment fee. For the basic membership without any frills it will cost ya $35/month to be on match.com There are extras you can add on- Highlighted profile, e-mail read notification (so you know when people you contacted read your messages)and a first impressions thingy. Each of those will cost ya $5/month.
Christiancafe.com is a dating site dedicated to helping Christians meet other christians. In that area it sounds promising. Christian cafe allows you 10 days free, and if you post a photo you get 3 extra free days, so you can get about two weeks free. For every friend that signs up you get an extra few days free as well. This site will let you pay $29 for two weeks, $35 for a month and on up from there.
Those are the main sites I visited. Out of those 3 sites I like ChristianCafe the best because it allows me to view profiles and photos before I have to even sign up for an account, which is interesting.
I am not totally sure yet what I think of online dating, I know I've talked about it before on here. I still think going to bar and meeting your soul mate is best (ummm...I meant church choir...!) ;) But, online dating is growing in popularity. It seems to look for a lot of people. It isn't for everyone, but that is what makes life so interesting-we can be friends with people and we all have our own stories! I love it!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Facebook Hiatus Continues...
Ok, so I have cheated a few times this week, but mostly I have enjoyed my time away from facebook. Today it hasn't been hard at all, because I feel like uckiness. I am catching some form of a bug and I hope it passes quickly, because being sick is not my idea of a good time.
Yet, there is something to be learned while we are under the weather. It could be that my body is telling me to rest and recover, or to rest and prepare for something coming up. Either way it reminds me to take a time-out and make sure I am overflowing with Living Water.
Being sick also gives me more cuddle time with Queenie, and she loves it. She also gets to be outside more, because I love to sit on my front steps in the sunshine and let the sun warm me up and help me to feel better.
I am starting to yawn, so that is good. I'm off to get some more juice and then head back to bed and fight this darn bug. Have a blessed day, I know that even though I am sick I am still going to count my MANY blessings!
O&O,
JLK
Yet, there is something to be learned while we are under the weather. It could be that my body is telling me to rest and recover, or to rest and prepare for something coming up. Either way it reminds me to take a time-out and make sure I am overflowing with Living Water.
Being sick also gives me more cuddle time with Queenie, and she loves it. She also gets to be outside more, because I love to sit on my front steps in the sunshine and let the sun warm me up and help me to feel better.
I am starting to yawn, so that is good. I'm off to get some more juice and then head back to bed and fight this darn bug. Have a blessed day, I know that even though I am sick I am still going to count my MANY blessings!
O&O,
JLK
Monday, March 22, 2010
Chance Encounter! :)
Our globe really is a small world after all! Here I am sitting at the Richmond Int'l Airport minding my own business, when I happen to look up from my laptop screen (I was working on finishing up a paper). I see that some passengers are heading toward the baggage claim when I do a double take. Lo and behold 2 friends from college are at the airport!
This is a guy that I haven't seen in YEARS but was a GREAT friend of mine in college, we just lost touch. He was with his wife (gf when I knew them). I've been praying for them and wondering what had happened to them! The Lord is amazing. HE knew I needed the boost of seeing an old friend. I think my friend was as shocked as I was that we ran into each other.
We talked for about 15 minutes, but they wanted to get to their car. At least now I have his updated e-mail, cell phone and snail mail addresses so we can hopefully stay in touch better.
I just love chance encounters, they bring a smile to my face and renew my energy, which I need since at 10:00pm I have to get in my car and drive the 2.5 hours to my apartment! What a blessing the Lord brought my way. I pray that you can find all the blessings of each day.
This is a guy that I haven't seen in YEARS but was a GREAT friend of mine in college, we just lost touch. He was with his wife (gf when I knew them). I've been praying for them and wondering what had happened to them! The Lord is amazing. HE knew I needed the boost of seeing an old friend. I think my friend was as shocked as I was that we ran into each other.
We talked for about 15 minutes, but they wanted to get to their car. At least now I have his updated e-mail, cell phone and snail mail addresses so we can hopefully stay in touch better.
I just love chance encounters, they bring a smile to my face and renew my energy, which I need since at 10:00pm I have to get in my car and drive the 2.5 hours to my apartment! What a blessing the Lord brought my way. I pray that you can find all the blessings of each day.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Facebook Sabbatical Day 4
Ok I have to admit I logged on for 30 seconds to update my status. I know, but I wanted to thank all my friends for the marvelous birthday wishes.
Thinking about my birthday I naturally think about life and when life begins. According to many states, life begins when the fetus takes it's first breath. I find that to be utterly ridiculous. I spend 9 months growing and developing in the womb, I shove my way out the birth canal and I'm NOT a human life till I breathe? What is it about inhaling and exhaling that makes me more "alive" than before?
The thing that really makes me shake my head is that many of the same people that are fighting for abortions to be even easier to obtain are the people that are fighting for more rights for animals! Now I have a cat and I love her, she is my sweetie and she is part of my family, but she is a CAT--I don't love her the same way I will my children or my husband. I love my nephew, sister, parents and friends more than my cat!
I'm all for protecting animals from abuse, but when animals have more rights than people that is just asinine. People are more outraged these days by the "murder" of calves for veal than they are by the abortion of a human baby! Veal is aborted calf! How is it that the baby cow is considered to be alive and worthy of rights when the human baby is not? How insane is that?
Moving on from that soapbox to the other issue on my mind which is what to do with my life. Right now I'm in a place where I have amazing friends. I love my friends here, and I am working toward my PhD and I love my school, but there are better schools out there that offer the emphasis on trauma counseling that I want. If I stay where I am my studies will be broad and any focus I get will have to be independent studies or going to clinics. If I am going to pay for a PhD why not pay for it somewhere that offers the classes I want, especially if that school is in DC?
It is no secret that DC is my favorite city. I love US history, I love our political system (though I'm fed up with the direction our country is going and that we Americans are allowing the liberals to do whatever they want. We need more grassroots efforts like the Teaparty Movement to spring up and force lawmakers to realize some things) and I love city life. DC offers 3 of my favorite things in one place- and a lot of the museums and memorials are FREE! Can't beat that!
So I am praying. Do I stay here, in a town that I like with friends and a church that I love? Or do I pack up and move to a city that I love and go to a school that offers exactly what I want? It would be hard to leave my friends, I hate making new friends, I'm not good at it, too introverted (it is easy to be honest on a blog, harder to go out of my comfort zone and meet new people IRL). I don't know what to do, so I'm praying about my decision.
I want to follow the Lord's guidance, I want to be in the city where HE wants me, doing the work that HE wants me to do, and loving and serving the people that HE puts in my life. That may be here, it may be DC, or it may be somewhere else totally different. The important thing is to seek HIS guidance and then follow it.
All these thoughts and more as I continue my Facebook sabbatical. Have a blessed evening!
-Me-
Thinking about my birthday I naturally think about life and when life begins. According to many states, life begins when the fetus takes it's first breath. I find that to be utterly ridiculous. I spend 9 months growing and developing in the womb, I shove my way out the birth canal and I'm NOT a human life till I breathe? What is it about inhaling and exhaling that makes me more "alive" than before?
The thing that really makes me shake my head is that many of the same people that are fighting for abortions to be even easier to obtain are the people that are fighting for more rights for animals! Now I have a cat and I love her, she is my sweetie and she is part of my family, but she is a CAT--I don't love her the same way I will my children or my husband. I love my nephew, sister, parents and friends more than my cat!
I'm all for protecting animals from abuse, but when animals have more rights than people that is just asinine. People are more outraged these days by the "murder" of calves for veal than they are by the abortion of a human baby! Veal is aborted calf! How is it that the baby cow is considered to be alive and worthy of rights when the human baby is not? How insane is that?
Moving on from that soapbox to the other issue on my mind which is what to do with my life. Right now I'm in a place where I have amazing friends. I love my friends here, and I am working toward my PhD and I love my school, but there are better schools out there that offer the emphasis on trauma counseling that I want. If I stay where I am my studies will be broad and any focus I get will have to be independent studies or going to clinics. If I am going to pay for a PhD why not pay for it somewhere that offers the classes I want, especially if that school is in DC?
It is no secret that DC is my favorite city. I love US history, I love our political system (though I'm fed up with the direction our country is going and that we Americans are allowing the liberals to do whatever they want. We need more grassroots efforts like the Teaparty Movement to spring up and force lawmakers to realize some things) and I love city life. DC offers 3 of my favorite things in one place- and a lot of the museums and memorials are FREE! Can't beat that!
So I am praying. Do I stay here, in a town that I like with friends and a church that I love? Or do I pack up and move to a city that I love and go to a school that offers exactly what I want? It would be hard to leave my friends, I hate making new friends, I'm not good at it, too introverted (it is easy to be honest on a blog, harder to go out of my comfort zone and meet new people IRL). I don't know what to do, so I'm praying about my decision.
I want to follow the Lord's guidance, I want to be in the city where HE wants me, doing the work that HE wants me to do, and loving and serving the people that HE puts in my life. That may be here, it may be DC, or it may be somewhere else totally different. The important thing is to seek HIS guidance and then follow it.
All these thoughts and more as I continue my Facebook sabbatical. Have a blessed evening!
-Me-
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