February Blog Chain

Today's post is part of the Absolute Write February Blog Chain.  This month's propmt is to write about second chances and can be fiction or non-fiction.  Once again, I am writing a non-fiction piece.  And it's not too mushy, I don't think.  If it is, it's February; Valentine's Day was just the other day.  That means I should be allowed. 

January 10th, 1998.  That was the day my naive, fifteen-year-old heart fell in love with Adam. (name changed for privacy)  Though we had talked on the phone a few times and hung out at a basketball game, it was on January 10th that Adam asked me to be his girlfriend.  I was so excited and was instantly smitten.  My perception of him was that he was a good, Christian, church-going boy.  He was cute.  He loved me.  Nothing else mattered.  But my dad didn't trust him.  And when Adam gave me a promise ring for Valentine's Day just over a month later, my dad was less than thrilled.  But I was in love.  Adam and I often talked of our future together.  We'd graduate high school, go to college, and not be officially engaged until I was at least nineteen.  We referred to my promise ring as a pre-engagement ring, and Adam said he'd get me another ring later.  I have to admit, I was head over heels for this guy.  "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo was one of our songs.  We each had the CD, and we would listen to them while talking on the phone.  Yes, I mean them.  I'd put mine in my CD player, he'd put his in, and we'd hit play at the same time so the songs were synchronized.  Though we got along great, our families were less enthusiastic.  As I said, my dad didn't trust him.  And his family wasn't fond of me, either, though I never knew why.  The months flew by until summer came.  My parents were divorced, and I always spent six weeks of my vacation with my mom.  Adam was fine with me leaving, but I decided to go for only four instead of six.  I just couldn't be away from him that long! And then he blindsided me.  One week into my vacation, I felt like something was wrong.  Two weeks in, I couldn't get a hold of him.  Then he finally called me on July 6th.  My absence made him realize he didn't love me anymore.  I bawled.  And bawled.  And bawled some more.  And when I came home two weeks after that, he had a new girlfriend and took the ring back.  Our break-up set into a motion a string of events which I won't list here because it would take too long.  Suffice it to say, by March of my senior year in high school, I thought I would never find anyone to love me.  And that might sound pathetic, but give a girl a break!

My second chance came on March 18th of 2000.  That's when I met Nate.  We hung out with some friends that night.  He officially asked me to be his girlfriend the following evening.  One month in, he told me he loved me.  But I'd been burned before.  I told him he hadn't known me long enough to tell me that.  But when he said it again after another month had gone by, I was able to say the same to him.  He proposed on September 3rd (his birthday!), and we got married just over a year later on September 19, 2001.  We've been together for almost twelve years, married for a decade! And unlike my relationship with Adam, this love is real.

Check out this month's other participants by clicking on the links below.  Enjoy!
orion mk3
Turndog-Millionaire
Ralph Pines
magicmint
Tomspy77
LilGreenBookworm
LiterateParakeet
AFord
writingismypassion (you are here)
SuzanneSeese
Bogna
kiwiviktor81
randi.lee
arteus
Domoviye
pyrosama
julzperri
Nissie
more to come, check back soon...

Arose Blessings

Today's post is about a ministry that was started by a friend of mine.  God has called her to share His love in a very unique way.  My friend puts together wooden rose arrangements and sells them.  With each sale she donates an arrangement to a hospital patient or nursing home resident.  Isn't that awesome? When my friend first told me of her idea, I thought it was very creative.  If you've ever been to a nursing home, you know how dreary they can be.  And though some residents have family who come to see them often, many do not.  Hospitals aren't much better.  Being confined to a hospital bed is depressing.  The residents/patients who are on the receiving end of this ministry get a beautiful reminder that they are never alone and are always loved.  And the cool thing is the flowers won't die which makes them a permanent reminder.  You can find more information at Arose Blessings.  And for anyone nearby, she is having a yard sale tomorrow morning and will be selling arrangements at her house.  Check out the link I gave!

I think sometimes we're too intimidated to reach out and help someone.  We think it will takes tons of effort on our part, or money, or whatever.  Or we think there are too many people, and we just can't help them all.  But the truth is it doesn't take much.  Everyone can help someone ~ by sending a card, taking a meal, offering a listening ear, or simply asking what can be done.

Helen Keller said it best: "I am only one, but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."  How wise of her!   

Honest Questions Regarding Religion

When I was a child, I believed in Santa Claus.  On Christmas Eve, I would search the sky in hopeful anticipation, fully expecting to see Santa and his reindeer.  Over time, I learned that Santa was not real after all.  However, I knew of many kids who still believed.  I did not ridicule them because I didn't care.  Their belief in Santa wasn't, and still isn't, a threat to me.

I tell you this because I often wonder why people who do not believe in God get so worked up about the subject of religion.  Why get so defensive if you don't believe? I believe in God.  I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins.  I have accepted him as my savior and I have a close, personal relationship with him.  When I share that knowledge, I do it with respect, and I understand many people do not share my beliefs.  I don't force anything upon other people.  So I honestly and sincerely ask, if you don't believe, why are you so disrespectful to those of us who do believe?

I don't believe in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, or Zeus for that matter.  But I don't accuse believers of non-Christian faiths as being babies who believe in fairy tales.  I don't lash out at them or ridicule them.  I may pray for them, but only out of brotherly love.  Not hate.

So why fight so hard agaisnt something you do not believe to be real? If you think the Bible is a book of fiction, why do you care if I read it? And why do you care what it says? Better yet, why do some atheists use parts of the Bible to justify their disbelief? That doesn't make any sense at all!