Three Things

Here are the three things that I've learned so far from being married (not the only three, just three that I choose to share right now):

1. It's really set up to bring you closer to God.  Being married, you get to experience someone that tries to love you as close to unconditionally as they can.  Doesn't mean the expectation is perfection but rather it means they are striving hard to emulate God's love for us.  And that, in essence, creates this tangible example of God's love for us.  It helps bring your closer to God because you have a physical example his love for us.

2. Painful reality that we are broken and that we carry baggage that isn't easily left at the door.  No matter how long that baggage has stayed dormant, it's bound to rear it's ugly head.  But because of #1, there is the chance for resurrection.  Though there is 'death' in our lives, marriage creates a unique opportunity for that death to be replaced with new life.

3. Everybody's love story is different and God's timing in everybody's love story is different.  Comparison will only steal away joy.

4. I know I only said three, but I have a fourth thing I've learned.  Ain't nobody cuter than these two:

Online 'Book Club'

I'm probably more excited than I need to be when it comes to this 'book club' type deal I signed up for. I had to submit a few writings, write a bio about myself and my life, and fill out this short application, but after a few weeks I heard word that I was accepted (I'm sure everybody is, it's nothing prestigious).

So how it works is they'll send me a list of new christian books every couple of weeks or so, and I look through it and see if there are any that I would like to read. If any of them are interesting to me, I tell them I want that particular book and they send it to me free of charge. All I have to do is read the book within 30 days (piece of cake) and write a review about it and post it either on my blog here or on their site (how hard can that be?).

So I actually heard word a couple of weeks ago that I was accepted. So for the past couple of weeks I've been anxious to see the first wave of books. Well they finally came (only three were released) and I chose 'A Prayer to Our Father' as my first read.

The premise of the book is exploring the Hebrew origins of the Lord's Prayer. A Jewish Bible scholar and an African-American pastor collaborate to 'uncover the truth about the most beloved prayer in the Christian world'.

Sounds interesting enough. And whether I like it or not, all I'm required to do is give it a review from my point of view. Can't wait to get started..

From the Womb to Graduation

If birth to five years old is the most important part of a person's life and most indicative of that person's future, then more models like this must be replicated. This is worth the read about a non-profit in Harlem, NY called 'Harlem Children's Zone' that is committed to each stage of a person's life. Literally from the womb to college graduation.