This is me blogging... ;-D

Here I am laying in bed at 7:51pm totally pooped!! Last week I started a new job. I was a part time tech in the rehab and some how I am now the case management coordinator of the hospital... min. of 40 hours a week.... what am I thinking?? And I am taking 12 hours of graduate courses...prayer and coffee are my bff. Cody and I are still in Abilene... we stayed here in faith feeling as though we were suppose to stay here. However, even though Cody has a masters degree and a 4.0 he has yet to score a job after graduating in December. He still has had that pull for ministry and the Lord is really growing him in his faith and desire to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we have sort of been in a stand still... yesterday he received two phone calls... one from ACU wanting to interview him for the position of a student service speicalist... basically, the hospitality for the students at ACU. Then, we got another call yesterday that sort of through us for a loop... the church in Durant Oklahoma called us and was looking to see if we were interested in an accounting position along with some pastoral responsibilities starting this summer. Sooooooooooooo..... this sounds like exactly what we have been praying and believing the Lord for.... therefore we might be moving to Durant this summer! haha... crazy! On top of all that... you should google my dad Greg... he is winning an academy award in February!! How awesome is that?? I am so proud of him!! Ok... so I lost my cord that lets me connect my camera to my computer... but once I find it I will put up some pics from work and my new office... it is bigger then my dads at his job that he has been at for 30 years... lol! Anyways, this weekend we are finding out what the sex of Casey and Jenna's baby... woo hoo... a new niece or nephew is on the way! (my money is on nephew).... so... there is my life currently in a nut shell... all and I am learning how to be involved in a new ministry called sozo.... if interested take a look at ibethel.org.... that is it! Blessings and love to you my friend!!

Okay... I go on blogging spurts!

I am so impressed with all my friends that keep up their blogs! Like my girlfriend Mrs. Rachel Carl rocks at blogging~ I mean the pictures and everything... I literally just spent and hour reading and looking at everything new on her site and feel like I have caught up with her! lol... okay, new years resolution... GET BETTER AT THIS!... soooo here is the 411...

I am married... and according to facebook I have been married for 109 days... whoo hoo! lol... I love being married to Cody, what an incredible husband, I will have to post some pictures of our wee little place that I have come to adore so those interested can see our homestead! Umm, our newest adventure is that we are working as leaders in our youth group here in Abilene while being full time students... so that has been fun! I just got a job working at a new hospital here called Reliant Rehab Hospital working as a tech... it is basically the same thing that I did for my internship at the other hospital out here so I am pumped that I will know what I am doing... Cody is working as a tutor and enjoying that... it is about time for him to start applying to PhD programs so if you think about it be praying!

Lessons I have been learning as of late.... moving forward is wonderful, glorious infact!!! And I have always been one to embrass change... but faith and walking by faith has never been so real.... my girlfriend and bridesmaid Michelle was put in the hospital for fungal meningitis (sp?) last month and through prayer God literally moved supernaturally in her body and after just three days quarentined in the hospital she was released... and healthy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But of course we serve a God that does nothing half way.... she has no health insurance and did not qualify for any gov. health .... so she has spent the last few weeks trying to figure out how to pay a 14,000.00 dollar hospital bill with all the tests, scans, and drugs.... and guess what I found out last night?!?!?!? .... the hospital decided to forgive the debt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean WHAT?? Is'nt that crazy!! They had no reason other then that they just wanted to be nice... I don't think you can get more Jesus then that! lol... Praise the Lord we serve a living God... all we have to do is what we can in the natural and then He moves in the supernatural! And we have not because we ask not! Anyways, that testimony totally stirred my faith... so I am believing for something to come through in a supernatural way to pay off my student loans... I mean, I can have them paid off in 10 years in the natural... but why not believe for God to pay them off sooner! As long as I am faithful with what I have and am following where he leads me... why not?!? If my Daddy is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who desires that I lack in nothing... he can pay it off!! Whoo hoo... so, be expecting a testimony from me in the near future of God providing supernaturally for me!!!

Okay, off my kick... but the Spirit of the Lord is stirring in me so deeply to know the character of God on a one on one personal, intimate way... always deeper, ever growing!! Anyways, I will put up some pictures soon of our new lives out in abilene!! I pray blessings and favor over you!!! May the flood gates of heaven shower over you so much that you grow!! =-D

So, I caved... twilight.... yea yea...

Umm... I must confess... I caved and am slowly making my way through twilight.... I saw the movie... and Kristen my sister has already read through all four books (she did that in a week and a half!) so after a year of fighting the conformity in reading the book, I myself am reading it... sorry to all those who I made fun of... my sister included!

Other then that, we are getting together the last few things that come along with getting married... a few showers and such... and making sure everyone that is coming from out of town has a place to stay... but after a month of extra stuff done to my dress, I FINALLY got it!! yeah!! And it is beautiful! So, excited... thus the reason I went to Oklahoma city to get it!! But, anyways, I guess I don't really have a lot to say except that I think God is pretty amazing and very into details... I am going to be rebuking this poison ivy every morning and every night until it goes away... I have decided that I am going to practice what I preach and if Jesus really died on the cross.... and if He really said that we will do greater things in His name.... and if I am going to believe that Jesus really is who the Bible exposes Him to be... then I am going to stand on the Word of God and take my authority! God comes to bring life and life abundantly... standing on the promises of God is the highest mountain ever!!!

Love xoxo

It is official....

I have survived my first semester of grad school... praying for all A's... we'll see how that works out considering if you make below a B in a class your kicked out of the program... sheesh! Anyways, I really enjoyed this semester though... I counted and I wrote about 46 papers, most 8 pages +! Yeah, I was shocked! So anyways, I am excited as I am finally being able to put all my efforts into wedding things, I do not like having my heart divided! So it's 22 days until the big day and I have a TON to do! I am trying to find a band of sorts to play at the reception... that is pretty much my biggest thing I need to do as of this point... and if all else fails, we always have the Ipod, so no stress necessary! Other then that... I am REALLY behind on invitations... and thank yous! So mostly just things that take time... which I have now! Anyways, I am just greatful for all my friends and all the help that people have offered me!! Oh, and wonderful story... Cody and I went and took our engagement pictures... and I got a present... poison ivy! All up my arms neck and legs... needless to say my bridals have been postponed.... and I just pray that this all goes away soon! I am in Dallas and have been for about a month now, Cody is still Abilene, and I miss him like crazy!!! He is working so hard... apparently accounting is not a cake walk! lol... naw, but he will graduate in December... he is taking the GMAT in July and then applying to PhD programs by Aug. first... and then we will see what happens next! If you think of us at all in your prayer time we would really just appreciate prayers for direction in our future as it is really up in the air and a major faith walk!! But we have decided not to stress about it and embrace it with open arms getting outselves excited about the journey that God has ahead of us!! Blessings and love!!

Have a wonderful Day!!!

wedding invite inside

Making my wedding invitations

HE is the desire of my heart

These are some pictures that we took when we went to Branson over Christmas break at our Cabin... the terrain there is just beautiful!!

Other then school (which is going really wonderfully!) life has been so much fun... totally challenging... but what doesn't kill ya makes you stronger... right?!? haha... naw, it hasn't been bad at all just busy and I am doing my best to choose life when it is tempting to choose defeat! So cool though... God is just so incredibly faithful!! I am writing you from my brand new laptop that was free and a blessing from God... okay, not many people read this anyways so I will just share... sooo, as you know I'm getting married thus implying that I am trying to get my house in order to look the way I want it to look! Well, see my wonderful fiance has a fettish with reallly awesome, but really LARGE speakers that I did not want in my future tiny house... it was literally two pillars of speakers on either side of the TV standing about 7 feet tall from the ground... anyways, so I have been strongly encouraging Cody to look at some new significantly smaller speakers... well as I have been worried about all of this superficial stuff Cody has been spending A LOT of time just being alone with God trying to learn how it is that one can truly delight in the Lord... soooo.... he had counted his monies in what he was going to buy the new sound system with and what happens?? But my computer poops out... :-\.... which is really not good because all my classes are online!! ... so Cody decided that he was going to take that money and buy me a new computer instead... well, that very day he got an e-mail from "my coke rewards" and it said "grand prize winner" ... he was going to delete it because those things are always a spoof right... well... he opened it for some odd reason and it took him to the coke site... low and behold he won a drawing... and it was for 5,000.00 to best buy!! LOL... it was so awesome, we were still a little leary about it after we sent in the paper work but a week later we got the gift card in the mail!!! haha!!! And if you look back in some of my posts I talked about how Cody was playing the McDonalds Monopoly game hoping to win the 100,000.00 grand prize, and I was making fun of him... but, that is where he signed up for this drawing!! Haha... therefore Cody was able to choose whatever sound system he wanted and I was able to get a new laptop all from Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!! See, delighting yourself in the Lord is so wonderful because He says that when we do that He will give us the desires of our hearts!!! And the best part was that after we did all the things we did with that money... having stuff wasn't the fun of it... it was being able to give.... and just know that God is always here... monotary things will never satisfy, this computer will one day poop out too... but that doesn't change the fact that God is still faithful and wants to open the floodgates of heaven and pour out blessings on His children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahhh.... I can't imagine living life any other way!!!

UPDATE time

Wow, so it is February 1st and 104 days until I get to marry my best friend... I am so excited! Well, today I am in Abilene, tomorrow who knows where I will be... I am kindof drifting homelessly right now as Brittney is really enjoying having the house in Abilene all to herself, all my stuff is at Cody's and in storage... so I am living out of a suit case pretty much until I get married, so you will have to excuse me if you see me wear the same outfit multiple times in a row... haha! Well my masters program is going wonderfully! I am really enjoying it and loving the convieniance of online classes... and psychology was the perfect path for me to take! Praise the Lord... well God is up to some awesome things... and let me tell ya... He just want's to open the flood gates of heaven and bless his people... he says that if we delight in Him He will give us the desires of our heart... so I have been having fun delighting in the Lord and the desires of my heart are just overflowing!! Sooooo cool! No better way to live! Anyways, I will have to get back on soon and maybe put up some pictures... but know that Jesus loves you more then you could ever know and it's important that we not only believe that but recieve it too!! half the battle is beliving that God is actually as good as He claims to be!! wierd! xoxo... peace love and Jesus!

playing around new scrap blogger

Oh Happy Day!

Sooo... life in my side of the world has been a little bit crazy... We had to put peanut my teacup chihuahua down yesterday, her poor little kidneys were failing =-(... but it was a great 5 years with her!! Also, a dear old man from my old church was in the hospital last week when I was doing my hours for class and I got to visit with his wife (Doris) but, the dear old man (Sam) passed away on Sunday I am sad to report, but the good news is, he knew the Lord and he loved God with all his heart! So now he is dancin with Jesus, but I know Doris is taking it pretty hard, so please keep her in your prayers. Other then that... I graduate in a little over 4 weeks... PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is if I can pass this physics class that is royaly kicking my butt at the moment... but the wonderful Cody Maynard has made it his personal duty to tutor me (AHHHH... I am so thankful!) But other then that Cody and I found a house that we like and he is going to be moving in within the month... eh hem... (no ring yet... =-D)... but, the Lord is good and His timing is perfect! Anyways, I suppose that is all that is going on in never never land abilene... oh, another prayer request, a friend of ours son died yesterday of a heart attack caused by a blood clot... he was 23 and in his first year of optimoligy school... your prayers are coveted... it is the Allen familiy. Anyways, until later... blessings and love!

God is always in a good mood! =-)

I am so so so blessed! I have been home to see my parents the last two weekends helping with some home renovations and I have fall break this weekend so I am headed back again! =-) I love home... my parents are awesome, and Kristen and Daniel (my sister and brother-in-law) just moved in with my parents... kindof-- they turned our huge garage into an apartment sort of thing-- and they are starting construction on Wed. for a new garage slash half barn for the horse and goats... (yes, I said goats... a few weeks ago my brother went an bought two goats... they are so funny they were raised by hand so they think they are dogs and they follow you around like crazy one of them even licked me last week)... when I leave my family starts a farm! lol... but we do have a baby calf that is soooooo cute-- but she won't let us near her-- anyways, I will have to post pictures after this weekend, but the neatest thing about Kristen living out in the boonies with my parents is that her kids Ethan, Meranda, and Ty are out there too!! I get to see them every time I come home-- they are PRECIOUS! Again, I will have to put up pictures later! But, anyways, God is just so good and I have so much joy in my life especially as of late-- Joy is ALWAYS available, it is just harder sometimes to find it, but the Holy Spirit seeks and desires to bless us... God is in a good mood and I was not baptized in lemon juice! I have liberty and freedom and I will not succom to the things of the world-- because the supernatural world is so much better! haha... love love and pics coming soon!

I LOVE OLD PEOPLE!!

So trusting in the Lord is getting more and more awesome... really! So, I am taking this class at the hospital, and through it I am a student chaplain there, it has been stretching but good.. . anyways, yesterday I went into this room with this elderly lady (89 yrs old) she broke her leg...well she and another woman visitor were sitting in the room and lit up when I came in, so I felt really welcome (which was nice!)... we talked small talk for a while then it started getting a little awkward... so I started praying and asking God what I should do... and some scripture from Titus came to my mind... about the older women teaching the younger women how to love their husbands... so, I began asking them about their husbands who have both passed away.. it was some wonderful advice so I thought I would share!

**Always choose love, when its hard, get over it and choose love

**Serve, when you don't feel like serving them, do it anyways

**Keep a tender heart for them, always be willing to change your perspective to encourage them where they are at and not for where you wish they were

**When you get angry, smile, go out onto the back porch scream, smile, come back inside and hug your husband until you feel love for him.

**Cherish the little things

Talk about awesome! These women were talking about how they lived as wives during the great depression and said that they were broke beyond what I could understand, and that they were just as happy then that they were in the prime of their work... they said that finances are NOT what determines the joy that a young couple is capable of having... their attitude is... to laugh, they lived very joyfully and laughed often... she noted that there is more money in the US then there has ever been and yet there are more divorces then ever in history...

So, anyways, for those of you married or unmarried I thought that this would be neat wisdom to absorb! Well, I am going to go watch the 700 club with Cody... hehe...gotta love Pat Robinson! love, peace, and Jesus!

Growing Up = Responsibility = Trusting God = Amazing!

WOW!! The last three months of my life have been kinda crazy... I have gone from changing my entire career path, to taking physics (the devil), to making future plans with Cody (yeah!!)... and here is my conclusion.... TRUSTING GOD is both entirely freaky, and the best thing I could ever do! So, where I am at right now, is applying to graduate school in clinical psychology (after this I might need to see a psych! jk) , I am actually applying with my Mom, so we would do our masters together, which would be a lot of fun I think! So I am sitting on and waiting for my acceptance letter! Cody is applying to the ACU graduate program in Accounting, God has transformed his mind into going on to further education vs. working for an accounting firm, which is cool, he is looking and planning on becoming a professor, so he will be moving to lubbock next year to start the PhD program which means I will be moving to lubbock next year (fingers crossed!!!) ... wink wink! I think we thought we weren't far enough from civilization, so I thought I would follow in Smithy's footsteps! haha... but then I have been slapped in the face with reality... if (when) we get married, what does one do about health insurance, as two full time students?!? And how do we pay bills?!? Living on love is a very romantic thought, but, uhh... call me a realist... but, electric companies don't care so much about the mushy love stuff! So anyways, I am doing my research.... and praying, and trusting that if we are on the path that God has called us to, He WILL provide! Sooo... Cody has been playing the McDonalds Monopoly... lol, hoping to win the 100,000.00.... haha!!! Anyways, growing up, wierd, I never thought I would be concerned about not having health insurance-- bam! Wow, slap! So to any of you reading this, I would really appreciate your prayers!

But, I must say.... God is so faithful!!!!! It is my nature to be a planner... and when things don't look like they will be just right it is easy for me to stress, like to the point of my hair falling out... But God has given me peace... seriously... just as David, prayed (ps. 51) "resore unto me the joy of my salvation"... I feel restored in that!!! My joy is complete... in knowing that my future could be in no better hands... so here I go... practicing what I preach in living my life walking on the water... taking steps of faith... doing my best to hear the voice of God... man, I don't know exactly how, but I want to... and I am desiring the heart of God more then ever... I keep declaring over my life the quote: "I will not be moved by how I FEEL, but by the Word of God"... amen, and amen... so even though I have a physics test tomorrow (which I like to consider and attack from satan)... I can dance on that test, because I can trust that I have the ability to overcome that test, because greater is He that is IN ME, then he who is in the world!!! It is through Christ that I am made victorious!! So be encouraged, because He that overcame the world, the grave, sin, and death... lives within you today, He desires to withhold no good thing from you... I encourage you as teachers... get to class a little early, pray over those seats where those little ones will be sitting, your days will change! You in the buisness work place... get to work a little early and pray over your office... the atmosphere will change!!! =-).... God IS FAITHFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Physics.... simple???..... lies, all lies!!?!?

So, I got my Physics test back today... not pretty... although I have never been so proud of a C... haha... I have taken the initiative and gotten cable and internet... the first time I have turned on my TV for a year and a half... just in time for finding out what in the world is going on with our economy... Lord help us all!! geez... what a crazy situation... props to McCain though... bravo on the campaign strategy... even though the other day the poles he was at 42% and Obama 58%... a man hasnt come back from being down in the poles this far in the game since 1949! Sad, day... I really like McCain... time to pray! So I am also in this Intro to Hospital Minisry class for my last upper level Bible class... and basically we are student chaplins... it is called experiential learning, we are not trained really before... we just go into patients rooms by ourselves and talk with them... yesterday, I went into my first prisioners room... it was crazy, there were guards everywhere and he had handcuffs on... I felt like I was in a movie... he looked just like the goofy sidekicks in movies... he was short, chubby, shavedhead, with black framed glasses that were to small for his head! But we had a great prayer time! After the hospital Cody and I went with Love and Care minisries for our first homeless outreach outting together... it was awesome, we just handed out food at homeless camps and to guys along the train tracks and everything... everyone was drink by 6, extremely entertaining, and fun to be able to give them something to sober them up a bit so we could love on them... it was heart!! Anyways, Cody has two interviews next week.. One with Whiltey Penn (Wed.) and the other with Ernst & Young (Fri.), I think the Whitley Penn one is the one he will go with if he sticks with a job in Acct. ... he will be in Ft.Worth right next to TCU... I talked to Amanda Owens the other day asking her about where to live and the cost of living... so that was really nice to hear from her! But, anyways, time to get back to writing my Non-Fiction Paper...Brittney and I have a meeting tonight with CMDA (Christian Medical and Dental Association)... basically we get to hear the testimonies and life stories of local community doctors, dentists, nurses... ect.! So that is what is going on in the life of Crystal... cheeze!

Hole in the wall... bottomless coffee... amen!

Here I am sitting at a little hole in the wall coffee shop that has the best coffee in town... it is like the art district of Abilene and there is some very deep art all around me... it makes me want to paint,or write, or I don't know... be deep! But it got me thinking about how our atmosphere often dictates our natural mood or feelings... it is when we are in a gloomy setting where we have to choose to be bright and shiny... As Meredith Grey would like to think of herself... I think that is why the Bible encourages us to choose life... no matter where we are we always have the option of our attitude toward whatever our circumstances might be... so I encourage you... blogger... choose life, choose joy... when things suck... smile... go against your natural tendency to succom to the norm... everybody can adapt to their nature... but it takes God and true peace to be more to expect more out of life... out of yourself...life is good, especially in a modern art hole in the wall bottomless coffee shop... peace

I am in a Summer I course... "Drug Education"... I felt less ignorant in Cardiovascular Physiology!!.... I know nothing about street drugs... I didn't even know that there was a difference between heroin and cocain.... needless to say... I feel kindof incompetent everyday of class... but thats okay, because that is just my flesh... and I know that my ignorance can open a door for someones deliverence!!
Amandas wedding is this weekend... then Smithy's is coming up the early part of this fall... it's funny... there have been at least 12 weddings since school let out of friends on mine... crazy... I feel like a kid with a bunch of grown up friends... not in a negative way, but just that I have so much more school ahead of me it feels like I have been held back a few grades... I love it, I wouldn't have my life any other way, it's just a odd phenomenon.....
I met a guy named Forrest last week.. it has been a really long time since I have encounterd someone with such a fresh sincere brokeness towards the things of God... he has been to hell and back it seems and has a very realistic idea of the power of Jesus Christ... he was so encouraging... he kept of saying how happy he was to meet Cody and I, but I couldn't help but be incredibly blessed by his presence, I wanted to be around him... he didn't pretend to know everything, he knew that God was the answer to everything, he doesn't even know it, but with his attitude -- he could have a serious impact on our generation! He is one of those people you look at and think to yourself... "that guy is cool without even trying"... and you just want to meet him... but he is super humble.... wow, I think sometimes that I have come so far... that I can do so much because I am a good little girl that loves God... but the truth of the matter is... my 22 years of being a "expert" christian is totally challenged by a young man that has known God for 6 months... I have clearly NOT arrived.... I have far to go, and alot to discover and know... so I end these thoughts with a prayer...

God, I know I am your daughter... I think that is so awesome that I can say that and understand it to some levels, teach me how to opperate out of the gifts that you have given me... teach me how to submit myself to others and love beyond my natural ability... Through your Holy Spirit I have power... the same power that was in Jesus as he walked on the earth... it makes me a little nervous to know that, because I know that very few people in the world will understand that... but God I ask for boldness, not emotion but the ability to speak TRUTH in love as you lead and guide me! I want to understand your Word in the depths of it... teach me about YOU God... open my ears... silence the world around me and give me supernatural ears to hear You... I want to do what you want me to do, I want to say what you want me to say... I desire for you to not be my top priority but for you to be THE priority in everything that I do... be the core of me God... be my all and my everything.... and I ask that you would be with me in class today, I don't know very much in this class, but I know that you are with me and I pray that I can be a light, that I can speak truth, and that I will be supernaturally wise in my thoughts and words! I love you God... be my core!!

You could say it has been a while...

I think it has literally been a year since I have been on here... wierd... today has been a strange day... I find myself kindof drifting in my thoughts... it's been difficult to remain focused... school is good... hard but good... life is good... challenging at times but all the while God remains my constant... what a relief... to know that He is unchanging... never ending... He is my all, my everything... my life sustainer... God I give you my thoughts... my drifting ones especially... I ask that you would show your mercy.... your powerful grace.... your unending and undeniable love... God, I ask that you would show me you!!

The Lord calls us to come away as His beloved... He desires to be intimate with us not in a wierd way but in a way that He longs for us to be in His presence... I am challenged... to go... be with God... in a vulnerable and personal way... in a way that I don't have to explain, I can't explain... CONCLUSION: GOD IS GOOD... and He is in LOVE with His children!!!

Feeling Blessed

Wow, I am constantly in a state of awe as I walk around and think about the blessings that we have been so freely and graceously given. When we walk in the favor of the Lord, the boundries are limitless! There is no stop to the hand of a Father who has the whole world in His hands and is anxious to give His children the desires of their hearts. When we, God's precious children submit, and obey the guidence of the Holy Spirit (which is the best road we could ever take anyways) the road is truly paved in a perfect way. To often we think we can take the reigns at one point or another, but in all honesty if we were to just be patient and willing to wait on the Lord to guide us, we would be saved from a world of hurt. Not that the road marked out for us by God is going to be an easy one... but He gives us the strength and wisdom needed to go on that path of obediance. Then His grace is sufficient when we have our "flesh moment's."

But more on the side of blessings... wow, great family, great friends, great school, great future, great life... and none of this I mean/say in boasting... but everyone of these great things has been given to me by the Lord!! Really!! He needs to be glorified in all these things!! So, I thank Him for all these blessings! And I pray that I would be faithful in glorifying Him through everything!!

thoughts...

What is it in us as humans that desires and seeks approval from people around us? Why to some of us change to please... and then why do some of us remain so stuck in our ways that we make nobody around us happy?? Like... Conformity vs. non-conformity??

How does one finally find their identity independent of another human being? And what place does a person need to get to to be considered "whole" in Christ?? I hear that so often... we need to be whole in God before we identify ourselves with another... well, if that is the case then I will never be able to identify myself with another due to the fact that I am a sinner, and I will not be whole in Christ until I am present with Him! So when can a person be content with who they are when they are in constant change... for better or for worse. It kills me to see people selling themselves short to please another for vain purposes (speakin to the choir here)... Is their something wrong with changing circumstances?? I think it would depend on the honest motive behind the action.

Then on the flip side, how do you accept a person as they are... And once the relationship has reached a mature enough position to where you can encourage them to change for the better?? And still not be the dictator as to what the better is for them... But just to encourage them to be in forward motion... I mean, yes, you will accept them as they are, but what about when they change... And what about when we change? Both become vulnerable to the other as to whether or not the change will be accepted...

then we have unconditional love... And the question as to if humans can even comprehend this thought. Yes, it is an act of a supernatural God... But is it always limited with humans? What is the breaking point? Is it a trait or a choice?

A couple married for 50+ years... AMAZING right? Some people can't even imagine spending that much time with one person... Yet it is one of the most admirable things on this planet (bias?? Maybe)... Marriage is a very very very important decision... to those who have the choice to do so. The Bible talks about a woman setting the atmostphere of the home... "it is better for a man to sit at the corner of his roof top then to live with a corralsome (sp?) wife"... (paraphrased from Proverbs somthin... work with me) ... therefore a woman is a pretty big mood setter in the house... her words can be pleasant or harsh... one should NEVER go into a marriage with divorce being an option... ever. Thus the importance of understanding oneself and ones spouse. Not only is one getting a roomie, but a lifetime mate who will hopefully be their best friend for the remainder of their lives! AND ITS A WONDERFUL THING!!

Anyways... just thoughts being writen... peace, love, and chicken grease!