Friday, June 11, 2010
On Weddings
My husband doesn't like to attend weddings, I am extremely fond of them. This is why I often find myself bumming rides so I can go but not be alone at them, because being alone at a wedding is sort of sad. You want someone there that you can turn to and say, "Wow, look at that dress." "The flowers are just perfect aren't they." Come to think of it, I guess this is why my husband doesn't like to go-he couldn't care a fig about dresses or flowers.
Weddings are important though, they are Ebenezers, a special marking of a significant event or decision. The story of the first Ebenezer comes to us from 1 Samuel 7:12 and is the story of how Samuel raised an "Ebenezer" which means stone of help, to commemorate the help God gave to the Isrealites to defeat the Philistines. Weddings are like that, they establish that two people have come to a special place in their lives, perhaps felt even guided to this special place in which they find someone they consider so significant that for the rest of their lives they don't want to part with them. In making this decision they invite special people that have been a part of their lives to be witnesses, a cloud of witnesses that can remember with them through the years of this special day. Personally I consider it an honor to be included in those clouds, and when they struggle as all couples do and they look up in prayer perhaps along with God, they will see us as their witnesses encouraging them on, reminding them that sticking together is important and they can do this, don't give up, be creative, be forgiving, keep putting one foot in front of another, be unselfish, be prayerful, do what you have to do, just don't give up.
Weddings are important though, they are Ebenezers, a special marking of a significant event or decision. The story of the first Ebenezer comes to us from 1 Samuel 7:12 and is the story of how Samuel raised an "Ebenezer" which means stone of help, to commemorate the help God gave to the Isrealites to defeat the Philistines. Weddings are like that, they establish that two people have come to a special place in their lives, perhaps felt even guided to this special place in which they find someone they consider so significant that for the rest of their lives they don't want to part with them. In making this decision they invite special people that have been a part of their lives to be witnesses, a cloud of witnesses that can remember with them through the years of this special day. Personally I consider it an honor to be included in those clouds, and when they struggle as all couples do and they look up in prayer perhaps along with God, they will see us as their witnesses encouraging them on, reminding them that sticking together is important and they can do this, don't give up, be creative, be forgiving, keep putting one foot in front of another, be unselfish, be prayerful, do what you have to do, just don't give up.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
time is relative
I reminded my students yesterday that time is relative.
Later I thought about that and about a short piece of an NPR interview I had caught earlier in the day. The interview was about a woman who had immigrated to the U.S. but then later returned to her native country because she missed connections with people.
Her thought was that Americans are so filled with thoughts of things they have no room for
people in their lives.
I am about to return to my roots, to my relatives for Christmas.
As my parents age I think about how few Christmas times I probably have with them and realize how precious that time has become to me.
Time is relative, relational, "kairos" God-being time, it is filled with moments of relativity.
It is our biggest blessing/curse the opportunity to use time how we choose.
It is all relative.
Later I thought about that and about a short piece of an NPR interview I had caught earlier in the day. The interview was about a woman who had immigrated to the U.S. but then later returned to her native country because she missed connections with people.
Her thought was that Americans are so filled with thoughts of things they have no room for
people in their lives.
I am about to return to my roots, to my relatives for Christmas.
As my parents age I think about how few Christmas times I probably have with them and realize how precious that time has become to me.
Time is relative, relational, "kairos" God-being time, it is filled with moments of relativity.
It is our biggest blessing/curse the opportunity to use time how we choose.
It is all relative.
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