// The reason for the season;//

note: The talk I heard today, I know I cannot summarize and give it justice at the same time, but hopefully something below will hit your heart like it hit mine.

Today I attended a Couples for Christ assembly and really wasn’t expecting much. While sitting in the back I heard Tito July say that the theme of the assembly was love. Hearing this caught my interest cause I was expecting them to say something like giving or maybe even just a recap of the year. After the usual assembly things Tito July asked Tito Tet to come up for his talk.

He began his talk saying “you cannot know true love without knowing true hate”. Now really think about that. I’ve heard in the past that love cannot exist without hate and vise versa. He spoke about how much God hates sinning, but not only that but the sinner along with the sin. In Romans 6:23 it says, “for the wages of sin are death”.  God hated sin so much that he wiped the human race, excluding Noah and his family, through a flood. He continued on saying that those who sin will suffer the wrath of hell and will be condemned to . It fell silent as he followed saying, “after hearing this we should be trembling in our seats and filled with fear, but why aren’t we? Because we don’t know God! We don’t take the time to read His word to see what He really wants; what He really has in store.”  At the final judgement day God will either reward us or cast us into hell. He will not only look at the shape of our hearts, but the acts of our flesh. HE made it so simple, “the wages of sin is death”…so still, why aren’t we trembling in fear? Because through His strong hate of sin His strong love came through.

We have been saved through God’s act of love. He sent us a baby that one day would save us from our sins; that was made in an act of love, a love that became flesh to save us from the wrath of hell. He sent us a child to give us peace and joy.

This season isn’t about decorations, songs, gifts and stuffing our face with food, but rather it is a season to change our world; our personal world. Tito Tet put it in this way:4 Rs

What do we do first when the Christmas season begins? We house clean. That is what we must do to our hearts. We need to clean our hearts out of any negativity by Repenting so that we can properly Receive our Savior. Then we Reorganize our lives by always putting Him first so He can Reign. That is simply it; the reason for this season is to realize how much God loves us that He bestowed onto Mama Mary a child that would be born to save us.

I guess I’ll leave it at this, this Christmas don’t stress over the perfect gift or the perfect party for your guests rather prepare for the most perfect guest; the birthday boy and celebrant Himself, our Savior Jesus Christ. Give Him the gift of love for He brings us peace and joy and celebrate His life for through His birth we are promised eternal life.

Merry Christmas everyone! May it be filled with love, joy and peace.

// “Courting?” Courtship?”//

“What’s that?!” “That’s so old school/fashioned!” “What’s the point of that?” “That’s dumb.”

All things I have heard before when the word or subject is brought up. Oh yes, it may seem very “old school”, pointless, a waste of time, and blah blah blah, but it’s so not! I have only recently realized the beauty and importance of this so called “dumb” thing. Let’s start with the first question…”what’s that?” Here’s a few definitions I found to sum it all up.

“During a courtship, a couple dates to get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement. Usually courtship is a public affair, done in public and with family approval.”

Okay, so let’s look at this sentence; it says that the couple “decides if there will be an engagement”. When I read this I was like “whoa whaaat? Engagement?! I thought courtship was just the dating process?” But then I realized/ remembered hearing once that dating shouldn’t even happen unless you’re ready to get married...cause see, that’s what dating is for; to ready you for marriage. Hey hey, I know what you’re thinking right about now if you know me pretty well, “Lace, shut the hell up! You hella like guys and talk to guys all the time!” or maybe you’re saying, “Lace! Whatever! You’re never without a guy! Who are you to tell me about dating and courtship?!” and my response to you? You’re completely correct. Who the hell am I to tell you about dating and how to do it? I’m no one, just a girl that realized that what she wants for her nieces, nephew, younger friends and future children is exactly this…courting. I know it’s not too late for me, I know that I can go about this whole dating thing correctly; in the right manner, order, thought and action.

Let’s look at another question, “that’s so old school/fashioned!”,

“The parents are also seen part of the courtship practice, as their approval is commonly needed before the courtship may begin, or before the female gives him an answer…”

Okay so again you may be saying “Lace, you’re dumb. Shut up! Your mom doesn’t ever get asked permission from the guy let alone know much about the guy.” and you my friend are very correct! I will not deny that my mom didn’t or doesn’t know much about my “love life”, but I can say that I have wanted/hoped/asked for whichever guy seemed serious about me to ask my mom for permission about whatever; it could have been a dance or even to court me, but record shows people are scared of my mom and that want/hope didn’t always happen. Again, I am no one but a girl that hopes that her nieces’/ younger friend’s future “wooer” asks for her parent’s permission and that my nephew/younger friends learn to court and be courteous to the parent.

Okay, next question! “What’s the point of that?”—oh oh, there is so much point to it! So have you heard of the term “gray area”? I’m sure you have and if you haven’t here’s the gist of it. It’s basically not black or white; let’s say black is dating/officially together and white is just friends. Well gray is that area where it’s like, “hey i like you.” “oh! what a coincidence! I like you too” “k. let’s hold hands and stuff.” What is that?! That was nothing official that was just an agreement in feelings. WTH? Then someone asks if you two are together and usually the guy says, “yeah, it’s pretty much assumed. We act like it and stuff.” and the girl will say either the same thing OR “well not officially, but basically. he hasn’t asked me to be his girlfriend or anything, but we act like it.” Aaah! Gray!!! Again, “Lace shut up…” but seriously! Do you see those words? “Basically”, “we act like it”. “it’s assumed”. Ough! “Stop assuming! It just makes asses of u and me!”-Mark Tupaz. Boys, don’t let it be assumed…just ask the girl out, if you care do that for her. Girls, don’t let it be assumed and
“basically”, let it be work and let it be worth it!

Last thing, “it’s dumb.”—NO! IT’S NOT! I started writing this not because I read something and realized how important courting is or was given a lecture, but because I’ve experienced going through not going through this process, if that makes sense, and I realized it’s so important. It’s important to include parents, it’s important to actually get to know each other, it’s important to make things official cause, well think about it…if we assume dating we might as well assume engagement and marriage right? Wrong! Dating is just as important as the other 2 things, don’t degrade it. I advise this to others, but most of all to myself. Through out this whole thing I’ve called myself out and I will continue to do so until I properly learn to go about all of this.

Love and respect,

Lace! <3

“Teach me how to love, show me the way to surrender my heart…how I can get my emotions involved, show me how to love.” - Musiq Soulchild (song playing on my playlist at the moment. :])

What do you think?