Chris and Jenn

How do you describe a wedding? How is it possible to articulate affection, especially the affection that leads to marriage? To be honest, I don't think you can. At least not in such a way that does justice to the situation of love. I think that the best way to explain the reality is to witness it.

Over the weekend I saw my good friend Chris, married. I am surprised by how much I am affected by what took place at that wedding. It is the third one that I have ever been, and it was a great privileged to be a part of it. Rachel and I were both over whelmed by the affects of witnessing a wedding, especially of our friends. I had am still having a hard time not thinking of what took place, what it means to commit your life to something or someone.

Dang, I miss Rachel.

Now I am back in Ohio and I'll be honest, it is hard. It is very hard to be away from friends, especially Rachel. I am completely dependent on God plan for me. Depending on whether I get a job or any kind of income, and my whole life. It is both freeing and scary to entrust your life to the living God. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, what I'll be doing if I'll be doing anything at all. I say all this, but I do not forget the joy that knowing Christ brings. Especially now, taking hold of that joy is one of the most important things I can do. One of my Professors from school said this about tough situations: if they take your joy, they win. If the situation the world brings is more powerful that the joy of grace from Jesus Christ, then the world wins.

Another thought has been going through my mind that last few days. Is it easier to praise when there is something to praise, or when there is nothing but the joy of Christ in you? Would praise be worth more when everything is going well and I have reason to praise, or when everything is going south and I have only Christ? Or, getting very personal, would it be easier to praise God with a job and money or with nothing but the shoes on my feet and the day ahead of me?

The reality from my opinion is that praise, when there is nothing to praise but the life that Christ has given you, is when praise really counts. When your life can be summarized but Christ in you, then praise is truly praise. Am I saying that you have to have nothing before you can truly praise Christ, no. What I am saying is that everything else has to be valued as nothing when it comes to knowing Christ and the life He has given.

Blessings,
Later