As time goes on I'm meeting more and more people who now consider marriage a swear word. If that's you, I don't usually swear, forgive me.
In some instances talk of marriage has gotten me scowls, 'ewwwws' and 'yucks'. I wasn't talking about it in relation to me by the way, just generally. A girl posted a tweet which made me question whether she ever wanted to get married. Turns out she's one of the 'yuckers'. Somewhere along the way the image of marriage in some peoples' heads has been tarnished to look more like a curse than a blessing.
Well, I have grown up having a fantastic image of marriage (I don't care if fantastic comes from fantasy). I've witnessed via my parents and others how beautiful it can be. It doesn't all have to be stress and restrictions as is the view seemingly in fashion now. Everything in life takes effort, sometimes you don't feel the effort because you enjoy doing certain things or you're just used to them, but effort is being put in regardless.
I had a conversation with a friend who said this: "Both being in a relationship and being single are hard". So true but it made me laugh because it sounded like she wasn't sure if she wanted to be either right now. Maybe this is the view of these 'ewwwers' and 'yuckers', I don't know, just simulating. You can only be one or the other. Some people have told me that they don't want to get married but they do want to live with their partner. To me this makes no sense *shrugs*.
Anyway, bottom line is my parents have proved to me that marriage is not in vain. It can work, it does work. Tomorrow they will be having a party to celebrate 25 years of marriage. I take my hat off to them. If I have a marriage anything like theirs I'll be a blessed man. (Not that I'm not a blessed man now of course :D).
Marriage is the way forward whether you like it or yes.
Toodles.
Friday, 15 October 2010
FEELING A BIT LOW?
Lately I have been hearing/ reading/ seeing a lot about thinking and speaking positively and feeling good about yourself. These things made me obtusely aware of something. It seems that the more I've tried to encourage myself the worse I've ended up feeling. I realise now that I've been doing it the wrong way. The problem is I've been trying to encourage MYSELF. My opinion of myself is always going to be skewed one way or another because it's my opinion. One point of view. It gives me steam for a little bit and then the engine just stops dead in its tracks.
What am I saying? That I should rely on my friends to encourage me? Not even. That's even more dangerous than relying on me to encourage me because a day will come when the compliment tap will stop running. And it even when it is running it still doesn't fill the void. Feeling confident in yourself is not to be mistaken with ego trips. I believe the ability to feel good about yourself comes from humility and not pride. Think about it. Pride makes you look to yourself for strength. The weight of supposed expectation is what makes you think about yourself in a negative light in the first place. If you were able to see beyond yourself as a competitor of everyone else then it I think it would become easier to feel good about yourself.
I believe we have been offered a relief in the form of a relationship with God who does not discriminate against anyone. The God who gives everyone a fair chance to feel accepted. If we were able to fully accept this fact and keep it in mind we would probably spend more time with God. Who doesn't want to spend time with someone who loves them for who they are? Someone who sees them as a champion? God wants us to rely on Him for encouragement, reassurance. He wants to be the one you ask 'can I really do this?' because in truth only He knows. That's why Matthew 6:33 says:
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
If we seek God we will find EVERYTHING we're looking for. Our life has no choice but to fall into place. But knowing this, why is it easier to seek everything first and then look for God? A question I am still asking myself. All I know now is that life is bigger than I but it's not bigger than God. I trust that I am whatever he says I am.
What am I saying? That I should rely on my friends to encourage me? Not even. That's even more dangerous than relying on me to encourage me because a day will come when the compliment tap will stop running. And it even when it is running it still doesn't fill the void. Feeling confident in yourself is not to be mistaken with ego trips. I believe the ability to feel good about yourself comes from humility and not pride. Think about it. Pride makes you look to yourself for strength. The weight of supposed expectation is what makes you think about yourself in a negative light in the first place. If you were able to see beyond yourself as a competitor of everyone else then it I think it would become easier to feel good about yourself.
I believe we have been offered a relief in the form of a relationship with God who does not discriminate against anyone. The God who gives everyone a fair chance to feel accepted. If we were able to fully accept this fact and keep it in mind we would probably spend more time with God. Who doesn't want to spend time with someone who loves them for who they are? Someone who sees them as a champion? God wants us to rely on Him for encouragement, reassurance. He wants to be the one you ask 'can I really do this?' because in truth only He knows. That's why Matthew 6:33 says:
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
If we seek God we will find EVERYTHING we're looking for. Our life has no choice but to fall into place. But knowing this, why is it easier to seek everything first and then look for God? A question I am still asking myself. All I know now is that life is bigger than I but it's not bigger than God. I trust that I am whatever he says I am.
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