What I like about the night

So I've been thinking today about how much I love the night time. It's so peaceful and quiet. And I love how it smells at night time. I never really noticed it as much until I was at least a Senior in high school. It just smells good, especially in spring time.

Something else I love about the night time is the lack of noise that can be heard during the day. Don't get me wrong, I love the day time, too. It's great. However, there's nothing like sitting outside on a porch or on a blanket in the yard at night with quiet surrounding you.

I also love the nights in the summer time. I live in a small town in the country. At night here, I enjoy coming outside to listen to the frogs and the crickets. They seem to be singing to the dancing fireflies who are so care free looking. I can't even fathom how much creativity it took to create a bug who can make the lower half of his body light up. I guess that's why I'm human.

The thing I like most about the night time is the moon. I love looking at the moon and trying to figure out whether or not the color of the moon is what I thought it would be. One of the things I love about the moon is the fact that it acts as a mirror among other things. Because it can't produce it's own light, it reflects the light of the sun.

A friend of mine from Freed and I had a somewhat lengthy conversation about this one night after church. I had gone back to campus to eat dinner after Bible study on a Wednesday (partly because I didn't have time to do it beforehand) and he went back to his house. He called me just as I was finishing up dinner and told me to look at the moon. So I did. The whole length of the conversation lasted with me sitting in the commons talking to him on the phone about the moon. I haven't looked at the moon the same way since that conversation.

We talked about how a christian should be like the moon. We can't reflet our own light (because we are humans, and we sin). A christian can't go through life by his or herself, because we are not perfect beings. Only one is perfect. If we could be perfect, there would not be any need for God, Jesus, his sacrefice or our need and the necessity of our salvation.

Christians are supposed to be examples to the world around us. Matthew 5:13-16 talks about how we are both salt and light to the world. The way we reflect Christ is by him living in us and us following him and walking in His light.

Christians are also commanded to go into the world and save the lost (Mt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16). It is our responsibility to go save these people. God doesn't want any one to die but for everyone to be saved. Once we ourselves become christians, we have to learn how to deny ourselves and follow Christ (Mk 8:24). If we do that, then then the world can see Christ living in us and can see what kind of example we are. We need to shine the light from the SON as spiritual moons in this dark 'night' (the night being death) just like the physical moons shine light from the SUN at night.

Be the light, salt and a moon.

Fireproof

I am getting married in 93 days. Recently, our church did a study with the Love Dare book. I, unfortunately, wasn't involved in that. I should have been and I totally regret it now. I rented the movie Fireproof from the Nolensville Library earlier this week (Tuesday I think...). I really want to watch this movie, and then maybe even do the Love Dare book, too. For those of you who have seen the movie, studied the book or both, what were your thoughts about it. I think it would help me definately love my fiance more like God intended me to and I fully admit it. This was kind of difficult to admit, but I have to be honest with myself. Sometimes, I fall short and I don't love him like I need to and I struggle with that. It makes me angry and very sad when I realize that I fall short of that. Does anyone else struggle with that? I know I should be loving like HE loves all of us, but sometimes it's hard for me. I know I am human. Does anyone who has gone through the study, seen the movie, or faces the same things I have been have any advice they can give me? I could totally use it.

So guess what

I figured it out this morning. I'm getting married in 94 days!!

Here's what I've determined

I think I'm gonna change my posts a little from now on. I've been thinking about the things I've been writing on here in the past, and I am kinda sad that I didn't handle some of these things better. I'm sorry if I offended anyone, made anyone feel uncomfortable or anything. I guess I just felt that this was a way I could vent when I needed to. I did that a LOT and I didn't mean to vent all that much. This just seemed like the only place that I could do it and maybe get some support from other people. That was wrong. I am sorry. I will do better to keep my venting to myself or get it out in a different way.

Since that's taken care of, I have some other things I wanna just talk about. John and I are getting married August 14, 2010 at Crieve Hall church of Christ. I can't wait. My mom and I have been working on wedding plans almost non stop. We've already got our party picked out and I am very grateful that they all want to be apart of our big day. This is the day I've been looking forward to for all my life. I am glad I have found someone who I can share my life with. I've pretty much decided for sure about my colors- perriwinkle (spelling??) and white. I had some other ideas, but one of them was gonna be too dark for August, and the other one was being matched up in ways that would make it look like we were having a sports team wedding. I didn't want that at all (even though I am both a UK and Ole Miss fan). No sports wedding allowed.

Over the weekend, I got to hang out with some of the best people in the world. I'm not just saying that because we're gonna be family soon. These people are incredible. John's grandmother turned 90 on mother's day. John's mom's side of the family all came to town to help her celebrate. John and I went to Lebanon saturday to spend time with everybody. I had a blast. I got to meet some new people I hadn't met yet, and I really like all of them. It was great to see them. I left with a sunburn but I think it was all worth it. Sunday, John went back to Lebanon and I went with my parents to Kentucky to visit my dad's parents for mother's day. It was great to see them. My grandmother is letting me use her cake topper from when they got married a little over 50 years ago. I am so excited. It's gonna be so special.

I just can't even believe I am marrying someone who grew up close to where my great grandparents lived. I never thought that would happen. I am so blessed that God put him in my life. We did have our moments like every other couple does, and our period of separation and that was hard. I do think now that I look back on it that it was something that we needed to do to help us grow stronger together as a couple and it helped us keep God in our relationship where he needed to be.

God never ceases to amaze me. I learn new things about Him and from Him every day. I can't even describe what it's been like except by saying that I have never felt this close to Him in my life. Granted, I know I can always be closer, and my growth in Him and to Him will continue to get stronger and closer every day. Sometimes I forget and loose side of looking to Him first when things happen (good or bad). I know that I am not the only one who feels this way. Things can only get better from here! I can't wait! :)