Can you believe it? It is the beginning of October, and the weather is beautiful! ... can you guess what I'm listening to? Christmas Music! of all things! (and in Japanese of course!) ]
All year I wait to hear the beautiful Hymns and silly songs of this season... It is a part of my fall i guess.
I am a very musical person, and i very much like to practice my christams music So i know it well in advance....
But lets look spiritually, In our lives, we have many seasons of waiting. waiting to marry, waiting for a baby, waiting for Christmas!!! God gives us Hope, and dreams, and sometimes we expect things to happen when we want them to. God only says one thing about that... "wait on The Lord"....
I think though, that go had planned before hand our lives and our dreams, and the best we can do is improve ourselves, grow closer to God, and wait patiently. Prepare for that blessed day when you marry, But don't ruin the now. Keep pressing foward, fight the fight of faith, hold on tight, it may be a bumpy ride!
Keep practicing and reading. God has a plan for you, just wait on the Lord, and He will guide you.
God bless! -Delighted daughter
Showing posts with label singleness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label singleness. Show all posts
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
fall, where art thou fall?
Fall is a beautiful time of the year, where the trees turn to a crisp brown, red, orange,and yellow ,and fall to the ground in a beautiful slow and gracious dance. The air is crisp and cool, and apples are for sale everywhere.Pumpkins cover porches, and scarecrows stand guard. The corn stalks are tied, and lean against the stairs, and you walk slowly, and breathe in the fresh air, wearing your green cotton sweater, a turtle neck, a comfortable corduroy skirt, and beautiful brown boots. You feel like twirling around and around, looking to the sky of deep blue, and enjoying the masquerade of falling leaves.... but wait.. that didn't happen yet!
Sometimes the things we deem perfect are not what God has planned. In my own "perfect" dream, I would have been married a month after I turned twenty, and had a house to care for, and perhaps by now have a baby on the way. I would be shopping for food and clothes the family needs, cleaning house, making bread and roast for my hard working husband. But God said that it was not time yet. Sometimes waiting can be hard. I love summer, it is one of my favorite three seasons (sometimes,winter is too cloudy and lasts too long !lol! But if it :) ) but the changes of the seasons, that is my favorite. I like to watch the snow melt and the birds congregate in the trees and "chat" about who is going to live where or how their trip was (perhaps they have a worship service too! lol!). The warming of the air, the flowers and sounds of the summer, then , the colors, gentle cooling and quietness of a blue skied fall, when the earth prepares to rest. Then of course, I like the signs of winter. the air gets colder, Christmas comes,and everyone decorates and goes shopping! (I think I will keep my decorations up all winter in my home, perhaps that would lighten the mood :) )
This year, fall is coming slowly. The air is till pretty humid and warm, and rather cloudy. But soon, I know, fall will come. I just need to enjoy the now! :)
Keep on enjoying your season, because the seasons of life change, and in life, they don't go around again :)
Sometimes the things we deem perfect are not what God has planned. In my own "perfect" dream, I would have been married a month after I turned twenty, and had a house to care for, and perhaps by now have a baby on the way. I would be shopping for food and clothes the family needs, cleaning house, making bread and roast for my hard working husband. But God said that it was not time yet. Sometimes waiting can be hard. I love summer, it is one of my favorite three seasons (sometimes,winter is too cloudy and lasts too long !lol! But if it :) ) but the changes of the seasons, that is my favorite. I like to watch the snow melt and the birds congregate in the trees and "chat" about who is going to live where or how their trip was (perhaps they have a worship service too! lol!). The warming of the air, the flowers and sounds of the summer, then , the colors, gentle cooling and quietness of a blue skied fall, when the earth prepares to rest. Then of course, I like the signs of winter. the air gets colder, Christmas comes,and everyone decorates and goes shopping! (I think I will keep my decorations up all winter in my home, perhaps that would lighten the mood :) )
This year, fall is coming slowly. The air is till pretty humid and warm, and rather cloudy. But soon, I know, fall will come. I just need to enjoy the now! :)
Keep on enjoying your season, because the seasons of life change, and in life, they don't go around again :)
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
What if?
Many a person worries about the welfare of their children as they grow up. "what happens if My daughter never gets married?" or "what if her husband or father dies?" , These are legitimate questions that need appropriate answering.
for question #1, The Bible is our final authority. Look at these statistics: In 2008, 29.4% of men and 22.7% of women ages 18 and over had never married. - U.S. Census Bureau. “America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2008.” (source http://www.unmarried.org/statistics.html)
Or:
"The percentage of adults who are married
declined between 1970 and 2009, from
72 percent to 62 percent for women and from
84 percent to 66 percent for men. In 2009,
15 percent of women and 20 percent of men
had never married, compared to 7 percent and
9 percent, respectively, in 1970. " Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/Women_in_America.pdf
" Historically 85-90 percent of Americans eventually marry. Ninety percent!" (source
http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001325.cfm)
While the rate of marriage did decrease, it is still only approximately a 15-20% chance that you won't get married. This also is only partially true, because this is general America, not christian culture: many women , while they never marry are in "dating" relationships, as a sinful cohabitation. i
Click here to go to an article referring to the "deficit" of Christian men to women.
so that first question is answered: Christian woman are very likely to get married, perhaps not at age 20 (unfortunately), but they likely will eventually.It comes down to trust in God. God has the ultimate plan for the Universe, and for every individual in it. whether you decide to wait for God's best, or decide to "do it on your own your own way", God will make it work, but in the second case, not they way He intended or the best way.
Question Number 2 is a tricky one. many woman are left widowed in our country. according to Boundless, (see click here article above) the number of widows to widowers is 4-1 in christian circles. now, what age are these widows?
"The U.S. Census Bureau puts the average age of widowhood at 55." (source: http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/23161.htm)
So, this If it happens, will likely happen when the woman is older, and has children to help care for her.
This is how it was intended to be in the Bible. I believe that a daughter or son should take in an elderly parent(s), this is a way of repaying them for all they did for you, it is also a biblically sound model portrayed by Ruth and Naomi in the book of Ruth.
God does not plan for anyone to be outside of families, alone. The only group of people I find in the Bible living on their own unmarried men. take a look at Paul, or Jacob. Still though, they lived with or near families most of their Christian or Jewish lives.difference: They cared for themselves. Paul Made tents to sell, he made his own money, even while serving God!
Now back question #2: what about if their father dies? Girls, Don't be without some kind of skill that can make money from home. now, the only mention of women being alone is widowed or divorced women, not unmarried. But even then, many a girl moved back to her father's house (mentioned in Leviticus). Why can't a daughter help the wife of one of her Brothers? or , perhaps, assist her unmarried brother in his mission or vision? she would make things to sell or what not to earn extra income for herself and his home, But she certainly should not be alone, especially in her youth (twenties).
Perhaps she can move in with a family from the church who has a bunch of little children and needs a hand. this is not only providing a home, but reciprocating a service to the poor tired wife!
These are some simple answers for the few tough questions. The summary of the whole page is really Trust God, keep His commandments, and follow His ways, and He will lead you to hope.
for question #1, The Bible is our final authority. Look at these statistics: In 2008, 29.4% of men and 22.7% of women ages 18 and over had never married. - U.S. Census Bureau. “America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2008.” (source http://www.unmarried.org/statistics.html)
Or:
"The percentage of adults who are married
declined between 1970 and 2009, from
72 percent to 62 percent for women and from
84 percent to 66 percent for men. In 2009,
15 percent of women and 20 percent of men
had never married, compared to 7 percent and
9 percent, respectively, in 1970. " Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/Women_in_America.pdf
" Historically 85-90 percent of Americans eventually marry. Ninety percent!" (source
http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001325.cfm)
While the rate of marriage did decrease, it is still only approximately a 15-20% chance that you won't get married. This also is only partially true, because this is general America, not christian culture: many women , while they never marry are in "dating" relationships, as a sinful cohabitation. i
Click here to go to an article referring to the "deficit" of Christian men to women.
so that first question is answered: Christian woman are very likely to get married, perhaps not at age 20 (unfortunately), but they likely will eventually.It comes down to trust in God. God has the ultimate plan for the Universe, and for every individual in it. whether you decide to wait for God's best, or decide to "do it on your own your own way", God will make it work, but in the second case, not they way He intended or the best way.
Question Number 2 is a tricky one. many woman are left widowed in our country. according to Boundless, (see click here article above) the number of widows to widowers is 4-1 in christian circles. now, what age are these widows?
"The U.S. Census Bureau puts the average age of widowhood at 55." (source: http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/23161.htm)
So, this If it happens, will likely happen when the woman is older, and has children to help care for her.
This is how it was intended to be in the Bible. I believe that a daughter or son should take in an elderly parent(s), this is a way of repaying them for all they did for you, it is also a biblically sound model portrayed by Ruth and Naomi in the book of Ruth.
God does not plan for anyone to be outside of families, alone. The only group of people I find in the Bible living on their own unmarried men. take a look at Paul, or Jacob. Still though, they lived with or near families most of their Christian or Jewish lives.difference: They cared for themselves. Paul Made tents to sell, he made his own money, even while serving God!
Now back question #2: what about if their father dies? Girls, Don't be without some kind of skill that can make money from home. now, the only mention of women being alone is widowed or divorced women, not unmarried. But even then, many a girl moved back to her father's house (mentioned in Leviticus). Why can't a daughter help the wife of one of her Brothers? or , perhaps, assist her unmarried brother in his mission or vision? she would make things to sell or what not to earn extra income for herself and his home, But she certainly should not be alone, especially in her youth (twenties).
Perhaps she can move in with a family from the church who has a bunch of little children and needs a hand. this is not only providing a home, but reciprocating a service to the poor tired wife!
These are some simple answers for the few tough questions. The summary of the whole page is really Trust God, keep His commandments, and follow His ways, and He will lead you to hope.
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