Tag Archives: love

I Do.

The best words I’ve ever said:

I, Jonathan, take you, Sarah, as a gift from God,

to be my lifelong companion through tears and laughter,

sickness and health, in times of plenty and in times of want.

I will love you consistently and prayerfully, now and forever.

I promise to be faithful to you and honest with you.

I will respect you and trust you. I will help you and care for you.

I will share my heart, my stories, and my laughter with you

because you are my best friend.

I will forgive you as we have been forgiven by God.

I will work with you to live a peaceful life

as Christ has called us to live.

And, with you, I will work to further compassion, justice,

and peace in our world.

I will love you and be thankful for the blessing of your love

until death parts us.

 

Happy 1 Year Anniversary Sarah Sigmon. You’re the love of my life.

 

 

Quote of the Day: Christian Goal

“How do I want to be remembered?  Not primarily as a Christian scholar but rather as a loving person.  This can be the goal of every individual.”

Elton Trueblood

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”
Romans 12:9-10 (NLT)

(HT Paul)

What would you say is the goal of a Christian? What is your pursuit to be remembered by?

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes Worth Reading

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Last year, I compiled 15 quotes worth reading from Martin Luther King Jr.  That list is quoted below, or you can go to the original post to check that out.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

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I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

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Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.

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Only in the darkness can you see the stars.

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Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

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If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.

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To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.

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Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

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All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

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At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.

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Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?

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Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

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Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

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He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.

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I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.

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I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

For something a little less “orthodox” for most of Christian thinking (I use the word “orthodox” meaning “accepted” here), you can check out my other post from today: MLK’s 6 reasons why non-violence is a good idea. His compelling list might just make you re-think some of your own thoughts on the issue.

“Were all in this TOGETHER.” -MLK.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day. I pray that God would give all of us dreams worth dying for.

(Really) Loving Your Enemy

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“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” -Jesus of Nazareth

I think about this mantra of Jesus quite frequently.  How do I love my enemies?  I think the first step is identifying who our enemies are.

For me, I never really feel like I have enemies.  Is it an extremist-Muslim?  Is it the gay community?  Is it the liberal media?  Is it MTV?  Is it Hulu? (PS – It’s only Hulu if they go to a subscription-based model instead of ad-based. Then they are definitely the enemy).

Or on an individual level.  Is it the co-worker who constantly talks about themselves?  Is it the person in church who treated you wrong a long time ago and the very thought of them makes you well-up with anger?  Or your boss who you know is lazier than you?  Or the person who is always stirring up drama, but “hates all the drama at work”?

Who knows.  I don’t always even know who my enemies are.  But I think it’s important to stop for a minute and think about who our enemies could be.  That way, we could at least try to show these people love.  And not just a half-hearted hello, but making that person feel loved.

I believe this is the most difficult command in all the land, but also one of the most important ways reconciliation can take place.

So, what would it look like for you to love your enemy?  Would you treat anyone differently?  Who are your “enemies”?

Picture Courtesy

13 Engagement Questions

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Sarah and I are getting married in less than 3 weeks now.  To say I’m excited is a bit of an understatement and is a direct result of why I’ve been neglecting the ole blogosphere.  I was asked these questions by a bridesmaid friend to be read at our Rochester shower, which will provide you more insight into Sarah and I’s lives/relationship.  And some laughs too.

We also have one of those “The Knot” websites - and I tried to do it up pretty good, so you can check out some videos there.

Enjoy.

13 Engagement Questions:

1. When when and where was your and Sarah’s first kiss (with one another)?

Well the first kiss was actually when I asked Sarah to date me, which was on the cheek, but she denied me on that one.  This took place in October, and she said we had to wait until Christmas to kiss.  Then, Christmas came, and I did not kiss her.  When it came to New Years Eve, and we were driving home 6 hours in what was the worst blizzard I’ve ever been in, Sarah asked me why I hadn’t kissed her yet.  I kind of deflected the question and tried to get out of it, as I had already planned to kiss her later that night.  I did end up doing that, but the story also shows how open and honest our communication has been throughout our relationship.  I also got some sort of weird enjoyment out of having her hanging for that week in between Christmas and New Years, wondering when I would finally kiss her.

2. Describe that kiss in one word.

Faaaaaaannnnnnntastic!

3. If Sarah were a flower, which one would she be? Why?

She would be a rose, because roses are my favorite.  And they’re beautiful too. :)

4. After you and Sarah are married, what is the first thing of yours that she will get rid of?

Probably what she labels “my junk”.  Which would not be one or two things.  I am a pack rat and love my old trinkets.  I suspect one day to come home and be missing a significant portion of my childhood and to be very upset.  If there was one thing though, it would probably be my old clothes, making room for hers.

5. What is the first thing of hers that you will get rid of?

Her uncomfortable love seat.  It shouldn’t even be labeled a love seat, because it is uncomfortable and impossible to take a nap on.

6. When will you have children and how many? (Don’t worry, we won’t hold you to it. Accidents happen :) )

We will have 2 children and we will wait a few years (probably 3).  No whoopsie-babies, Lord willing. :)   Sarah wants 3, but that is just because she grew up in a house with like 14 kids.

7. What is Sarah’s favorite flavor of ice cream?

Sarah does not like ice cream, as it upsets her stomach.  But she is a big sucker for frozen yogurt.  Her favorite flavor is chocolate chip cookie dough.  She recently bought peanut butter, and it’s been in there for weeks.  Bad choice.  Back to chocolate chip cookie dough we go.

8. Coke or Pepsi?

Water. She’s a health nut.

9. How many cups of coffee does Sarah drink in one day (currently)?

Well I have been trying to get Sarah to ween off of her ridiculously high coffee intake for a long time now.  Luckily (in a weird sort of way), she recently got sick and could not drink coffee for a week.  Now, she is drinking about 3 cups a day, rather than 10.

10. What is a petname/nickname that you have for Sarah?

We don’t really do pet names, but I call her “babe” or “Sar” a good bit.  This question makes me want to come up with one though.  I’m open to suggestions.

11. What is your favorite physical feature of Sarah’s? What is her favorite physical feature of you?

My favorite feature of Sarah’s is her big eyes and her cute face (I guess that’s two). Her favorite feature of me is either my abnormally large biceps or my eyes (lame).

12. What first attracted you to Sarah?

What first attracted me to Sarah was her personality and the way she communicated with people.  When we were at Sarah and John Cleghorn’s wedding, I observed her from a distance and how she interacted with others.  By the second day of the weekend, I was asking questions about her to John Cleghorn and Andy Allen, not worried at all about covering up my intrigue of this woman. :)

13. Now something gooshey to keep the old ladies happy: What about Sarah do you find most attractive/loveable/enjoyable/etc/?

The thing I love most about Sarah is her love of people.  She cares deeply about others and makes many sacrifices for those around her.  Her love of God shines through in this area of her life.  This also spills into her love for me.  She forgives me when I do something (or say something) stupid and cares for me when I have a bad day.  She is also a phenomenal listener, who is insightful at discerning when to simply lend a ear and when to speak up and re-direct the situation towards a solution.  She accepts those that are different from her and people feel loved after spending time with her.  She’s a keeper.

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It’s Actually Good to Be Scared to Share Your Faith…

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To read more, head over to Relevant Magazine. I’d love to get your thoughts there.

Also, this was my first time being featured by a magazine, and it happens to be my favorite, so I was pretty excited! Thanks to everyone who read and gave me feedback. I’m always looking to move forward in my faith.

If Mr. T Summed Up Jesus’ Message…

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If Mr. T were to sum up the message of Jesus, I think he’d say I pity the fool that doesn’t love God and love others.” He would have a pretty good summary too.

One of the Pharisees, an expert in the law, tested Jesus with this question:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

And now, some Mr. T pictures for your enjoyment.

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