|
Friday, June 09, 2000
thad smith | 6/9/2000 11:01:38 PM | link
well hello all, not much going on here, tomorrow I leave for a staff meeting down at Ocean Shores. well I hope every one is doing fine well this can't bee looooonnnnngggg. so I am done with my two cents.
thad
Courtney Myers | 6/9/2000 02:16:54 PM | link
Hey, if anyone has a topic they're dying to talk about, please feel free to start up a discussion. :D
Thursday, June 08, 2000
Courtney Myers | 6/8/2000 03:11:19 PM | link
Laurel wrote on her homepage:
"(Courtney) started a new blogger thang, it should be interesting, having no experience in the current topic, and very little interest of being on-line recently, i've not been participating. though some who are well versed in the topic, and have an interest of being on-line have posted some rather thought provoking material."
Thanks Laurel :)
In my experience, there is a time when God lets you know what's right for you, dating-wise, even if you're pining for something else. The relationship I was in prior to my relationship with Thom was Christian, "equally-yoked" and all, but it wasn't the right thing for me. He wasn't the right one. At the time, though, it all seemed OK. But I had no idea what God had in store for me... and like I said before, what He ended up giving me was a lot better than anything I imagined. But first I had to trust Him.
Dating with the intent to marry is an important factor as well. It's important to consider the possible future whenever entering into a relationship with someone... otherwise what are you in it for? To have a little fun, to make yourself happy? It's all a little too precarious and risky. The Biblical idea of marriage is to become completely one with your partner, in body, soul, and mind... I think it would be hard to completely join with someone if there were little emotional pieces of yourself floating around in the world, connected to past relationships.That kind of ties into premarital sex as well, but that's a whole different topic. :)
Jeannine Sawyer | 6/8/2000 10:48:16 AM | link
I think we are all on the same plane here, which makes this very fun. Thad, I loved what you said, and I'm happy you added all that, those are the things I should have said but, well, you included what I didn't. You finished my sentence. =) Courtney, I loved what you said also.
A dating relationship should be focused on God and encouraging the other towards Christ. I also agree that dating a non-Christian, or being married to one doesn't work. I know first hand about this. My dad isn't a Christian, as some of you know. My mom is. Lets just say that when things go wrong, they can't pray and trust in the Lord together for guidance. Observing this my whole life has giving me a living example of an unequal yoke. I know God did this for a reason, so that I wouldn't get into any serious relationship with a non-believer. You can't agree on a way to raise children, even discipline ideas may differ. Anyway, very bad idea.
One thing I've noticed, is that the way you act, your life testimony attracts and repels certain individuals. Especially the way you dress. Not that this matters, but we all know that appearance is one of the first things we notice about a person. I guess this is mainly directed toward girls. But if a girl is dressing inappropriately, i.e. tight shirts, short dresses, skimpy things...you get the idea. I think (and of course I am not a guy) guys may take that as an open invitation. I'm not saying that anything that happens is her fault, but I think she is partly to blame. Also, wearing things that draw attention to yourself can cause a brother to stumble. I am saying all this to myself also. I must keep in mind my Christian brothers, and even non-Christian brothers when I go shopping or looking through catalogs. This is something I've been thinking a lot about lately.
Anyways, back to dating...the same thing happened to me as to Courtney. Once I was happy being single, and not looking for a possible boyfriend, there he was right in front of me, a strong Christian, desiring to grow in Him, one of the greatest people I have ever met. For a year, God kept me somewhat in "darkness" drawing me close to Him before He revealed this person to me. Somehow I knew that I couldn't date during this time. It's amazing how God works. He does miracles everyday, even lifting a spoon to our mouths wouldn't be possible without Him.
I was just reading in Psalm 119 last night...I came across some of my favorite verses:
"I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, O Lord, according to your laws." (verses 147-149)
May we be as "obsessed" with studying God's word as this author did.
Blessings,
Jeannine
Wednesday, June 07, 2000
thad smith | 6/7/2000 11:39:37 PM | link
Sorry about missing singing tonight, hopefuly Jeannine told you the reasons. but if not I just have a speech tomorrow, and stuff I have to do. :) I hope it was awesome, I hope thom, you wern't the only guy there. :) ok back to the speech. bye
Courtney Myers | 6/7/2000 11:27:33 PM | link
I'll explain about the posts not showing up the way you type them in the box - you have to know some HTML to get the line breaks, paragraphs, etc. to show up. Usually after you guys post something I come in and edit the HTML so it looks something like you wanted it to. If you want to do your own HTML, email me and I'll teach you a few things. :)
The point that dating is good for some people and singleness is right for others is a good one. What happened to me was, as soon as I stopped looking (like crazy :D) for someone, the one that FIT me was dropped right into my lap. God waited until I gave up searching on my own and trusted completely in Him for my future, and then He gave me a better relationship than I could have ever come up with on my own. Dating for me is an amazing thing... especially when it's the person you connect with completely, one who is also striving for the same ideals/spirituality that you are. Dating non-Christians is a bad idea, as Thad said. It's just asking for strife... physically, emotionally, and (obviously) spiritually. Not to say that dating a Christian is an easy ride. Good relationships take work... but they are well worth it.
thad smith | 6/7/2000 08:06:09 PM | link
well, this thing isn't doing what I hoped. oh well
thad smith | 6/7/2000 08:03:09 PM | link
well first off, Man I love to have a friend like Jeannine, especialy a girlfriend. I hope that doesn't offend you Beans, but I do, (this is going to be long) I don't know what else I can say other then I agree with you. Laurel, marriage is a good thing, and singleness also. Each has their ups and downs. just a few months ago I could do anything, go anywhere, and not think twice about it (well maybe not). But now I have to think about someone else, and no I am not saying jeannine and I are married even though It may sound like that. but in my mind that is a focus in our relationship, well, also that I might be focused and pursuing my relationship with God, that I might be giving her the respect she deserves. ok here is another thing about dating. In my mind I feel it should be done with a focus of God, that the relationship isn't for the soul purpose of my benifet (spelling ahhhhh) but that I am to encourage and cause her relationship to grow also. I know that I might not marry Jeannine but right now our focus is to be on christ and he is holding our hands, guiding our path; and here is a good example of dating and marriage, maybe you have seen it maybe not.
O (God)
/ \
/ \
/ \
/ \
/ \
O (man) O(woman)
When we get closer to God we get closer to each other. this brings up another thing; each person has to be equally yoked, that is, simply that each person needs to be at the same spot in their walk, so that you are holding the same amount of weights and the spiritualness isn't in just one person. I don't think dating a non-Christian is smart (actually, dumb). mission dating never works, and may cause stumbling in the believer's walk. now the Bible. What does it say. well not alot, ya we have ideas that are applicable but it never says that this is the right way and this is the wrong. it says things like flee from temptation, flee from sexual immorility, this goes more then just fornication (pre-marital sex). Mathew 5:19 says if you even think it is just as doing it is sin. it says in Philipians 4:8 that we need to be thinking about holy things, things of purity, nobleness, things that are praise worthy, things that are lovely. we are called to dwell on these things, and if dating is causing immorality then it is wrong. so how far is too far? I don't know. everyone is different. I do think that knowing boundries is very important. Jeannine and I have even written them down, and yes it was difficult, I don't like hearing don'ts. but they are needed. and I am glad we know where we stand. wow this is long. :) sorry. about High school, dating is really unneeded, no offense Thom, but about you two, I feel differently, maybe it is because I feel Thom is quite mature (don't let that go to your head:) but also that I have talked enough to you two to know that your intentions are good, and admiriable. you see it is alot to think about when we are in these relationships. Paul puts it quite well in the passages Jeannine shared. Relationships are difficult and singleness is easier for some, but for me I have always wanted to get married. I don't think I could handle singleness. I might pop with passion. :) so to sum up the entire thing, dating has its pluses as does singleness. I focused on dating becuase I have been thinking about it a lot really. if your intentions are to abide to the will of God and also to pursue holiness, and lift up that person, then I am behind you. but if you are dating for the soul purpose to have fun and to supply your own wants and desires, then I do not support. well this is long enough and I have plenty to accomplish. May his grace and peace abound on every one of you
Till all have heard
love your brother in Christ
Thadman peach
Courtney Myers | 6/7/2000 04:50:02 PM | link
"Courtney, that passage you quoted is actually found in Ecc 4:9-12, just to clarify. =)"
Eh heh... I've got one of those wee little Bibles... must have glanced at the wrong chapter number when I wrote that down.. :D
Jeannine Sawyer | 6/7/2000 11:56:56 AM | link
Hey, this is a great idea...thanks for including me in your uh..."blogging." =) I don't quite know how all this works, but will catch on soon enough. =) About the whole dating topic, well, I want to hear what Rob and Thad had to say in their discussion. But as for me, I have come to think that both dating and singleness are gifts from God. Singleness is a special time where one can get very close to God and grow, to discover more of His will and plan for their lives. Some have been pre-ordained to be single for life. I will quote pieces from I Corinthians 7...
"It is good for a man not to marry...now for the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion...Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this...What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;...An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs-how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world-how he can please his wife-and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: her aim is to be devoted to the Lord is both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world-how she can please her husband."
Now, I encourage you all to read the whole chapter, as I just quoted pieces, those most applicable to us at this point in our lives, but the rest deals with married life. Now the Bible doesn't mention the word "dating" exactly, but it supports both singleness and marriage. My personal view is that a dating relationship should only be pursued when two are either seriously considering the other as a future mate, or ready to get married themselves. High school dating just doesn't make sense to me, although I did participate in it myself. Yes, that sounds like I'm saying to "do as I say, not as I do." But most learn better by experience. Getting to know someone as a friend is the best way that I have found. Then as you get older, and wiser, begin to ask God what He wills for you and that person. But the hardest thing is waiting for God to bring that person into your life. For some, it's never, and others it's later, rather than sooner. But God knows best, and as we seek to serve Him first, He will bring that special person into our lives, and it will be incredible. Right Thad? =)
Courtney, that passage you quoted is actually found in Ecc 4:9-12, just to clarify. =)
Tuesday, June 06, 2000
laurel henke | 6/6/2000 07:36:06 PM | link
dating bad. (waits patiently for the flames to char me)
Courtney Myers | 6/6/2000 03:36:42 PM | link
OK guys, I'm going to try to start a discussion or something, since this place seems to be pretty dead so far. So... (racks brain for topic) what do you all think about dating? Good? Bad? Waste of time? I remember Rob, Thad, and a few others had quite the talk about it awhile ago. Since I am currently in a relationship I think you all know my opinion on the matter... :) I do think there's a section in Ecclesiastes that supports me:
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken (you, your partner, and God)."
--Ecc. 3:9-12, NKJV
I'd like to hear what the rest of you think. :D
By the way... this is a cool website. Check it out.
|
|
|
|
|
