Something just like this
I have to say, I really, really enjoy this song. I feel like this could easily be my theme song lately.
One Flesh, and Reflections
So, tonight as I am listening to the rain and doing some reading in scripture, I thought I’d share a recent realization I had.
I was thinking back to some memories from my childhood, and my parents, and how they used to laugh and carry on, and I said, out loud to myself, “Man, I miss them.”
My dad is still alive. I see him at least once a week. It’s my mom that I miss… right? Then I realized… My parental unit was just that, a unit. Two people, yes, but joined together by God, one flesh.
6“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
~Mark 10: 6-9
I still have my dad, yes. But, God took my mom home. And my dad is now joined with my lovely step mom, Polly. He is the same man, but also, different, his other half has molded and changed him and they have become their own unique unit. One that I admire and enjoy, but it’s not my unit. So I do miss them. I miss my parents. Both of them. I miss what they were, and what they meant to me as I grew up. Their marriage was not perfect, they had some struggles, but almost 25 years and they were still totally in love. I remember the day my mom passed away, we saw it coming. We watched her O2 levels drop.
70%
65%
60%
and my dad leaned down and kissed my moms forehead and said “Liz, I love you, dear. I love you. Stay with me. I love you.”
To her very last breath. Till death do us part. I pray that the Lord brings me a man who will love me like that. When I have nothing to give. My mom was too ill to cook, or clean, she was not able to be sexually available for him, she was barely able to put on her own shoes. But he loved her. And he painted her nails, and shaved her legs for her so she would feel pretty and feminine even though she was unable to go anywhere. He cooked for her, and cleaned, and brushed her hair. And he never once complained. He cared for her the way Jesus cares for us, His Bride. We have nothing to offer, but He treats us like we are precious, and irriplaceable.
I sometimes have nightmares about that night. The sounds the body makes when it literally suffocates are other worldly, and horrifying, and when those nightmares come they last for several nights. But on that night, without being invited, or told what was going on, no less that 6 close friends of my family came to visit my mom. As I was being ushered out of her room so the nurses could attempt to keep her breathing, my friends were walking in. One of them, my good friend Jese, stayed the night with me. Her awesome husband brought her pjs, and she slept on my couch, let me sit numbly without talking to me and was just… there. I didn’t sleep. I just sat. And I didn’t sob. I just let the tears roll down silently. In the morning she made me gluten free pancakes and vacuumed our house, and cleaned our kitchen, all of which had fallen to ruin during the week we had spent practically living at the hospital. She also arranged for a full course Thanksgiving dinner to be cooked for us, as this all happened on Nov. 22, 2014.
Since my mom was taken home, I have seen the fruit of my suffering. God has used me to reach out to people in ways that I would not have been able to, had I not experience this pain. Empathy is such a gift. Anyone can say I’m here for you. But when someone can come along side you, and cry with you, and feel your pain with you, that is truly a gift.
Anyway, all that to say, the marriage union is truly, miraculous, and beautiful, and the best picture of Christ’s love that we can find on this earth. And that is why Satan attacks it with such vigor. Kind of eye opening, isn’t it?
~TQG
Bragging on Bragg ACV
I moved recently (In January) and I now live within almost walking distance of a Kroger!
Yesterday, after getting off work, I stopped into Kroger and wandered vaguely through the isles. Suddenly, I found something WONDERFUL. Something AMAZING. Exactly what I had been looking for for AGES!!!
No, not a husband… *sigh*
I had previously only found these on Amazon.com, and seeing how I had never tasted them, I didn’t really want to order a 24 pack and have them shipped to me for an outrageous amount of money. I have so far only tried the Apple Cinnamon one, and it is super good! Reminds me of tart apple pie. Apple Cider Vinegar has a lot of great health benefits. I use it in my hair, on my face, and to clean in my kitchen. But I had not yet found a tolerable way to drink it. Super glad I found a place to buy these in person!
To learn more about Bragg products, click here.
Fifty Shades
It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and that means Singles-Awareness jokes, lots of pepto-bismol pink, fluffy things, chocolate and, as TV adds, media, and probably your coworkers won’t let you forget, Fifty Shades Darker.
This post is to all my Christian followers, and those who are curious about Christian’s standards on entertainment. I will be the first to admit, I am preachy when it comes to this subject, but for today, I just want to offer some biblical advice to my Christian brothers and sisters who are curious about this series of movies/books and are trying to rationalize their way into going to see it.
I will be careful to live a blameless life—
when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity
in my own home.
I will refuse to look at
anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all who deal crookedly;
I will have nothing to do with them.
I will reject perverse ideas
and stay away from every evil.~Psalm 101 2-4 (NLT)
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
~Ephesians 5:3&4 (NIV)
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
~Psalm 119:9 (ESV)
Don’t tell yourself those rational-lies. Keep your way pure. Keep your heart and mind free of the sin of this world and pursue true, honest, gentle, and guiltless love. What you put in your mind effects you, fellow believers. Don’t give Satan a foothold.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.
~Philippians 4:8
Need an alternative movie night idea? Here are two great titles! Both available on DVD.
“Old-fashioned”
“Priceless” (Available Feb. 14th on DVD)
Happy Valentine’s Day! Let true love win the day!
Shameless Plug
Have an Instagram? Like photography? Then you should totally go like this Instagram page! Not mine, but promoting it for a friend who is very talented. 🙂
Why I Want To Be Married Young
I am currently on lunch break at work, and just found these articles. Super good. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Men Need Romance, Not Just Sex
Click here
Outdated Dating Advice: Date For More Than Just Marriage
Natural Beauty Tips with Moriah
In the previous post, I described how crazy my life has been lately.
Little did I know that all that stress was culminating into a hair catastrophe! Shortly before officially getting settled into my new living situation, I began having waxiness in my hair. Day one, I assumed I had forgotten to shampoo my hair the night before (this happens when I’m super busy). Day two, I scrubbed and shampooed throughly. And the next morning, even more waxy than before! So, I called my hair stylist. She’s been cutting my hair since I was like 10 years old. She told me to try baking soda.
DO NOT USE BAKING SODA. So many tangles. So many. So, after frustratedly searching the internet, I found a blog talking about how to use Apple Cider Vinegar to cleanse hair, and how it balances the oil production. So, I tried it.
Oh my gosh, guys. My hair feels like it came straight off the head of a newborn baby angel. (And I never exaggerate. Ever.) I have now been using baking soda in my face wash, which is helping a lot with the redness, and using AVC as a toner on my face as well. (You do need to rinse it after it dries, though. Unlike store bought toners.)
I’m told you can overuse ACV in your hair. So I’m going to try every other day, and see if that keeps the waxiness at bay. We shall see. I like the fresh, clean feeling it has been giving me. I used to get build up on my scalp a lot too, but that seems to be almost completely gone as well! YAY ACV!!!
Give it a try, and comment below with your results! Remember to dilute it, straight AVC is very acidic. 🙂
Also, if you have any *ah-hem* shall we say, lady issues with yeast (sorry, guys..) AVC (again, diluted) kills candida, which is the primary cause of that icky issue. I would not apply directly though. Just use it on your hair, maybe even a teaspoon in your 24-32 ounces of water, it will find it’s way where it needs to be. 🙂
Live on Forever ~ The Afters
They showed us this video at Faithwalkers, and I just had to share it with you all.
Cliché but True, “New Year, New Me”
Timelines of my life in the last… gosh… two weeks-ish? Seems like so much more than two weeks…
Mid December:
Found out that the house I was living in (which was on the market) had a contract on it and was due to close on Feb. 3rd.
Dec. 28th-Jan. 1rst:
Went to Faithwalkers East, which was AMAZING. Later, on a night when I have more time, I intend to type up some of my notes from the seminars I went to and post them. So stay tuned! But until then, let me just say… Wow. So awesome to spend several days just seeking God, having Godly fellowship with other believers, and having hours upon hours of time away from the stress, temptations and weight of the world. I went hiking up a crazy steep North Carolina mountain, and we spend New Years Eve night into New Years Day dancing swing, shag, and line dances, finishing up with praying in the new year!! I don’t have enough words to in my vocabulary to properly express how much I enjoyed it. I highly recommend it.
Jan. 2nd-6th:
Found out that the closing date of the house was moved up to Jan. 23rd, AND the only bathroom with a functional shower had to be ripped out and replaced prior to Jan. 23rd. Time to move out. Now.
Jan. 6th-present:
Moved out successfully over the weekend. Still working on organization and feeling settled. But so far, so good. I’m pleased with how things have turned out.
Currently, my area is having a cold spike. It was 19 degrees this morning on my way to work. Windchill made it feel like 13…. I live in the south, we aren’t used to this. I don’t even really own winter clothes. I’m frozen.
Anyway, just though I would give you all an update on my life. It’s crazy. But it’s good. Looking forward to seeing what this new year has in store for me. Or, more accurately, what God has in store for this new year. 🙂
