veil

Paul and I just got home from a wedding.  Two of our friends from church, Tim and Beth... are now Mr. & Mrs. Tim Cool!

Paul and me in my veil! sorry i can't figure out how to rotate this... grr!

Beth borrowed my veil from my wedding day.  Our friend Lori, (a church friend)  who got married in July, also borrowed my veil.  I love it!

Boh & Lori 7.24.10

It makes me really appreciate community.  As I think about Paul and my wedding day, I am so thankful for all of the people who were there and supported us.

Tonight at the wedding, as I was watching this couple madly in love commit their lives to serving one another in love, I started to think about community and what it means to be a part of a community supporting a bride and groom becoming one.

It is such a comforting thing.  That all of these people are cheering this couple on and want them to experience love and life to its fullest.

I think that being a part of this supporting community is to be there through thick and thin, whether by prayer, or by a shoulder to cry on or a voice to laugh with... but to be there, supporting them.  and i think about the rate of divorce today... and i wonder why that couple's supporting community didn't stand up and say... NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!  it is not just the two of you breaking this vow, but it is also the community that was there witnessing this union.

I have been to so many weddings over the past couple of summers.  I think that if any of those couples even considered divorce, we should get the entire community that was there at the wedding together... and give a tough argument.  You try and try.  it's for better or for worse....til death do you part.

beautiful inspiring marriages...

Chris & Amy 

Josh & Chelsea 

Ryan & Rach

I pray that if Paul and I were ever in a sticky situation similar, that our community that was there on that day and the people who have come to be within our community will be there pleading and encouraging and on our side.  that is so comforting.

the veil....

i really love the connection of the community between it.  the bond that it brings.... the day that i got to share with these other two beautiful women, who have supported me through my first year of marriage.

thank you jesus for marriage and community that supports marriage.

Disgust.

Paul and I are youth leaders.

Some of our students go to one of the local high schools... North Hagerstown High.

There is a church called Westboro Baptist Church (you can see their website at http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html).  You can tell by the name of the website where this is going... they protested against a gay-straight alliance today at North Hagerstown High.

And all that I can think of is the bumper sticker that reads "Jesus, save me from your followers".

I am reading "Irresistable Revolution" right now and Shane Claiborne gave one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s quotes:

"These are extreme times, the question is not whether or not we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be.  Will we be extremists for hate or for love?"

So we have Christians who hold up signs that say, "God hates fags".

And so what is the answer?  How do we show these kids in youth group how to LOVE a friend who is homosexual?

Because the loudest Christian voice they're hearing here, where I live, is "God hates fags".

(source)

"We see Christians declaring hatred in the name of the Lamb, but where are the Christians who are extremists for love and grace?"

Jesus was all about Love and Grace.


I am nauseous just thinking about it.  and my heart breaks.