I do not ask for easy paths
Along life’s winding roads,
But for the promised grace and strength

To carry all its loads. —Meadows

Johnny Rockets


My first experience at a Johnny Rockets was...thought provoking.


Erin and I sat beside the front windows that stood as the front wall of the restaurant
Before our food arrived I looked over the my shoulder and at the corner of the restaurant was a homeless man sitting on a white tablecloth against the building
We are in downtown DC.  Please understand me when I say I know there is more than one homeless person in DC; we passed at least a dozen that day
Sitting there, sipping milkshakes, nodding our toes to the beat of the jazzy hip music, it occurred to me that I am very comfortable in my lifestyle and I begin to question if I have forgotten what I have learned in my urban classes...do I remember how it felt to have nothing but the Lord?


After talking with Erin, I decided to give the man my french fries.  I do not want to give him money as I will not know how he will spend the money.  I'm beginning to feel a little better about the situation...I even put a ketchup cup in the container just in case


As we exit the restaurant, I greet and chat with him, give him the fries and tell him to have a good night...
THEN it hits me...there is another man sitting beside him.  This second man was not visible from where I was sitting in the restaurant.  The second man was also hungry


I didn't have food to give him


I am slowly realizing that I cannot "save" everyone.  There is always going to be that person...the person who turns away from God...the person who, for whatever reason, chooses the unwise path...the person who I cannot feed.  It's difficult to understand that there will always be the poor, the widows, the sick and weak

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Ephesians 1:7

---

Dylan and I...

are jobless, and hence careerless

are homeless

are foodless

are whitepicketfenceless

are medicalinsuranceless

But by the grace of God...

I have a temporary job that will start next month

We have loving family who lovingly, without a second thought, will take us in

...and who feed us:)

It is scary being married...we are a family now and have to take care of one another

I can't just go along on my own accord...Dylan's still here

Things have not exactly turned out like we planned they would a month ago when we said our vows...and that's okay and in some ways expected

We're okay with God throwing up these roadblocks...we're growing and growing together during these struggles.  But when will God provide housing, food, jobs, insurance?  Weren't these struggles supposed to come later...as in not the first month we are married?

We are slowly realizing that we trust God to provide...but are we faithful?  Are we faithful that He will provide in His own time?  Are we faithful that these struggles will not only stretch us, but we might actually gain wisdom and faith far beyond what we expected to learn during the first month of our marriage? 

We love being married.  We love being married and serving our Lord and the people around us.  

          -that sums up our first month of marriage

Day 44

Thankful For...

Imperfection and Grace

Tonight Dylan and I went on a date
Dates have become more special in our relationship this year
We are getting married and understand spending quality time together is important, especially in marriage
It is so easy to live in a routine together and forget the elements of a strong relationship

As I am sure many married couples have learned, dates are no exception to our imperfections that seem to peak up during inconvenient times
The date started out with Dylan and I spending time looking our best for one another
Dylan surprised me with gorgeous flowers at my house
He opened every door imaginable
We laughed our way through supper
Dylan paid and pumped my gas in the freezing cold
Knowing my true love in life, he bought me dessert (ice cream, of course)
And then we came to my house and I told him he was rude for his actions toward me, never listened to a word I said, interrupted while I spoke and lived an ill disciplined life



Then, he forgave me


We both have so much to learn about a Christ-centered relationship

Grace, such a kind and undeserving word