mawwige...mawwige is what brings us togevver today.

Title is courtesy of one of my favorite movies ever... the Princess Bride!

The topic is courtesy of my sister and her husband's 5th anniversary.

Here are this single girl's musings on marriage.

1. It is a beautiful thing.


2. Its not about the wedding.
--as much as all of us un-married girlies like to plan our weddings in theory, it's only one day. If people put as much work into marriage as they put into pulling off beautiful weddings, I think that divorce wouldn't be as crazy rampant as it is. I have been lucky enough to have several beautiful examples of REAL marriage in my life. My parents have been married for 31 years. I have lived with them for 24 of those years. And I have never EVER doubted for a moment that my parents loved each other. And now, my sister and her hubby have been married for 5 years. True love is kinda cute. Not gonna lie.

(p.s. I love the ideas of leopard print shoes hiding under a wedding dress. that's hot.)

3. It is work.
--Whoever penned the phrase "...and they lived happily ever after..." should be shot. Honestly, are you serious? Do you think that Belle and the Beast lived the rest of their days smiling at each other, waking up with no bed head, and he never had any relapses of the "I told you never to come here!!!!" moments? Did he just wake up differently one morning, changing his habits over night? No. It's gotta be work. (Although, neither Belle or the Beast had mothers-in-law, so that had to simplify something... :-D). How about Prince Phillip and Sleeping Beauty? They sang one song together, she almost died (slept 100 years...died...really, what's the diff?), and then they got married. I'm sure they had a huge wakeup call shortly after the honeymoon. And really, he's my favorite (and clearly the most handsome) Disney Prince. If he has issues, who wouldn't?

4. It is worth it.

--I can only say this from what my favorite married people have told me. Having someone who knows you inside and out, and still loves you...that must rock. Waking up beside your best friend every day. Having someone greet you with a smile when you come home from work, and actually wonder how your day was. The SAME person giving you a kiss before you leave for work in the morning... Someone to support the decisions you have to make together, someone to have children with, someone to lean on when you feel like you can't stand alone anymore...

Dear future husband,
I so look forward to life with you. Not a perfect life. Not an easy life. But a life together.

Ashley
me and my sis on her wedding day

Laughter.

Plinky prompt: What makes someone funny to you? Everyone has a different sense of humor. What makes you laugh?

EVERYTHING! I have a crazy sense of humor...I LOVE America's Funniest Home videos. People getting scared silly makes me laugh so hard that I think that I will pee in my pants. In fact, here is a link to one that makes me laugh so hard that I cry: People Getting Scared

My friends definitely make me laugh. Sheetal, Michelle, Denise, and I can get pretty silly after our small group on Friday nights. The later it gets...the more out of control we get.

Babies laughing. The purity of the laughter, the simplicity...it's just contagious.

More linky goodness of things that make me laugh:

1. LOLCats
2. Stuff Christians Like
3. Amy Beth
4. Bon Qui Qui
5. Anjelah Johnson Nail Salon Sketch
6. John Pinette

blogging fail.

I am a blogging failure, I know. I don't think anyone reads it, so I'm not real sure where the motivation for blogging should come from. My blessed sister manages to blog almost every day! And ABB from Ministry So Fabulous has been blogging on an international trip! I really have no excuse other than to say...I am motivationally challenged.

Maybe if I had a prompt-per-day I would do better. Any suggestions?

The cry of my heart

"This might hurt
It’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care
If I break
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just ok
Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

No regrets
Not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love
Make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something

Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Take me all the way"

-"The Motions" by Matthew West

Goal #2

Goal #1 is in the process of being accomplished--opened savings account today.

Goal #2- Figure out the best way to finish out school so I can be teaching in a classroom ASAP. I work as a one-on-one instructional assistant, and I have found that I do better working with various children, not focusing on one all day. With more than one, they are (usually) not all misbehaving at the same time, and can balance each other out. With working with just one, if they have a bad day, you have a bad day. I take things so personally, and when he is not behaving well, I feel like I've failed. I really love kids, but am working hard to convince myself that I still want to be a teacher. I just have to rest in the promises that God has planted in my heart about my calling, and what gifts he has given me.

Until then, I will just have to look at pictures of this adorable niece I've got--and remember all the blessings he has given me.














<3

Life Goal #1

Well, I guess it's really a goal of the moment. Goal #1- Save money. I am notoriously bad at saving money. I really idolize my sister in this--she shops for groceries for the week all on $40. I spent $40 on one Nashville sweatshirt at the airport on Sunday. It makes me sick. It should make you sick, too. I feel like I don't use the resources that God entrusts me with like I should. There is so much that needs saving up for--a new car (I got in mine in the 85 degree weather today and remembered that the AC on my car doesn't work anymore. neither does the rear window defroster.), as well as enough money so that I will be able to make it through a semester of student teaching with no income. This will also entail coming up with a weekly budget once I figure out how much I will be able to save. Did I mention that I am bad with money? Ugh. I'm really glad God loves me no matter how much of a screw up I can be.

This weekend I went to visit my sister (VanderbiltWife--go read her blog!) and saw my niece get dedicated. She is undoubtedly the most beautiful baby I've ever seen. But I'm way biased.

Discontentment

A lot lately, I've been feeling discontent with all areas of my life. As a Christian single in a married church world, it can be so frustrating! I feel that the Lord has promised me that I will be married some day, but he's teaching me a lot about waiting in the interim. Lord, I don't want to wait anymore! So I've been sulking. I've drifted far away from him--more in the sense that I have no motivation to read the Bible, and sermons just bounce around in my head...not that I am trying to sin more, or turning my back on Him. I still pray--do you ever just feel like you're crying out in frustration instead of looking for His direction? In my time of struggle, I've looked for a blog or page that can help, so I don't feel like I am all alone out here in my 24-year-old singleness and frustration at God--but still loving him with all of my heart and deep underneath, really wanting His will for my life, because I know it's what's best. I haven't found what I was looking for, so I really want to try to be transparent, so maybe I can eventually inspire other 20-somethings who long for God's best.
Do you want to take this journey with me? It may be long, and full of complaints, but full of blessing. I know that if I try to follow him, he will bless me. Let me know you're out there, reader...as I think aloud.