Amazing Grace

Praise God for answered prayers! On Sunday, I asked my email-newsletter readers to pray that God will let me get involved with bringing some of His dear ones to Him. On Monday, He let me hold a precious baby while I prayed with her mother---a girl my age---who now claims Christ as her Savior and King! Thank you for praying!

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

--Matthew 9:37-38

Salley Baptist

This is Salley Baptist Church from Salley, SC. They came last week to help us in our new library... we couldn't have done it without them!

:)

Another shot of the ever silly Shannon. What a super model. ;)

Karyssa

This is my dear new friend Karyssa. Please be praying for this Beauty.

Salley Baptist 2

Another angle... The preacher (top right) helped me pass out flyers in the Village for this week's kids' club. Thanks, Preacher!

Market

This is our "Pantry" or "Market." The chairs are set up for the Bible Study that we have before Market. During that Bible Study, I lead a kids' Bible Study in the Playroom. :)

Caught!

I was pulling out towels for a family who lost their apartment to smoke and water--their neighbors lost their apartment to a fire. I was saying something.. I have no clue what. I think Mr. Barrett was teasing me about something or 'nother. And, no, that white streak on my head is not a mistake on the film..... I'd stolen a pen from upstairs. *grin*

The Clothing Room #1

This is the storage room for the clothing room. This is Mrs. Barrett: she and her husband come to organize and fold and organize our storage room. Yay for volunteers!

#2

This is the clothing room, where the people come on Fridays to get free clothes. This is Mr. Barrett. This is also me, forgetting that disposable cameras do not always take everything that you see in the viewfinder. I miss my Rebel 2000. *grin*

#4

The people come on Fridays to get clothes. They can come once a month, and get 8 items per person in their family. When we open the doors at 9:45, Mrs Sheila leads a Bible Study. So many people come WAY after the Bible Study: they just want the handouts. How can we convince them that they need so much more than handouts?

#3

I just had to take a picture of this sweet little dolly!

Look at that huge squash plant behind me! :)

This is Mrs. Shirley, the lovely gardener who lets me play in her garden.

Posing with the watercan: great photography...

I love it when I get to take pictures with pretty ladies. It's so much easier to smile. :)

I saw the Sign

The Village sign. 

Miss Creativity

Me, working away at making a mess, I mean, making a patchwork America. 

The Board!

My beautiful board. Aren't you proud of me, LO?? *grin*It reads: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. I forgot the reference,(Psalm 33:12) so I've added that since I took the picture. :)

Wee!

Shannon and Eddie. Eddie is a volunteer... and a grandfather, I think. ;)

L-R Shannon, Karyssa, I don't know, Britanny. This is the TeamKid group. Christina is AMAZING with these kids! 

[Some of] The Ladies

L-R Mrs. Angie, Mrs. Amy, Mrs. Sheila, Miss Christina. Mrs. Angie is the janitor, Mrs. Amy teaches a ladies' Bible Study on Fridays, Mrs. Sheila is the glue of MVBC, and Miss Christina is the ChildWrangler. ;)

Predictable Spontaneity

Spontaneous: Something done instantly and without conscious thought or decision. Living life by the seat of your pants. Take it as it comes. Moving on the fly. Make it up as you go. Going with the flow. Instantaneous. Automatic. Flexible.

When I introduced myself to my fellow TN missionaries at the orientation, I said "Hello, my name is Amanda, I will be the missionary to Knoxville, and my word for the summer is Flexibility." I then explained that I know I'll have to take everything in stride, and just be generally flexible---a missionary's life is very rarely one of predictability. It can be a good thing to be spontaneous.

I can be very rut-oriented, but lately I've been rather spontaneous. Sometimes this---thing---comes over me, and I just want the thrill of making a quick decision and seeing what happens.

Like today, for example. Dr. Joe wanted me to go home early so that I could drop off something for Mrs. Millie before she locked up the associational building for the night. I left a little after 3 pm. I knew she would most likely close the doors at 4:30 or 5 pm. I also knew that there is this little Christian Coffee House in downtown Knoxille, but I wasn't sure exactly where. I had an idea, and I was pretty sure that I would be able to recognize it when I saw it, so I took the long way home: through downtown. Knowing what I do of downtowns, (Knoxville is like Nashville on miracle grow, remember?) I figured that main street and broadway were probably streets that ran the length of the city, and that I could probably find any street I want off of one of them. So I took Chapman Hwy (one of the ways home from the center) to Main street. The coffee house had to be in a building deeper in the heart, so I drove deeper. Then came Gay street. A friend told me that Gay street in Knoxville is like my Broadway in Nashville. I took Gay street deeper into the beating heart of K-ville. This took a grand total of five minutes, so I pressed on. Plenty of time, and the thrill was rising as I soaked in the vaguely familiar sights. I passed over one street, and my gut said "turn right", but my brain said "let's see where this goes first." So I stayed on course, until I passed the Rescue Mission. Yeah, I'm doubting a Christian Coffee House is going to be by a mission. So, since I saw the interstate (which, if I'm correct, usually runs around the outside of the city---well, it does in Nashville anyway). I turned around and headed back to the beckoning street. I turned. In less than 30 seconds I saw it. New City Cafe. Since I had marked in my mind the location of the interstate (everything in my mind is related to the interstate: it's how I can ALWAYS find my way home), I navigated my way to that sweet stretch of road that would take me home.

Then, after I fulfilled my errand, I made another off-the-cuff decision. There's a brand new Regal Cinema in Turkey Creek that just opened this week (I think). Natalie told me that they were having dollar movies, popcorn, and coke all week, and that the proceeds went to charities. Today's go to the Boys and Girls club, something very, very dear to Natalie's heart. So, I said, "Let's go!" We looked up a movie and a time, and grab Christina, and went. After spending probably 10 minutes trying to scare up a parking space, we finally took a parallel spot right beside the construction area, on the very outskirts of the parking lot. We walked a few feet, and found out (hooray for friendly Tennesseans) that they'd sold out until 10pm. I was a little wary of staying out very late, since I have to get up early in the morning. Natalie really, really wanted to do this, so we went to see if there was a movie we really wanted to stick around and see. This was at 7:30 pm. We walked across creation, and my stomach was sinking. This would be one spontaneous decision I just knew I'd regret if I followed through and waited for a 10:00 movie. I hate disappointing people, and I could tell the girls were feeling disappointed. We made it to the door, and sure enough, there was a movie we wanted to see at 10:20. *rats!* Natalie looked at me, all hopeful, and Christina looked at me kind of resignedly---an "I don't care either way, but I did drive all the way out here, and I did survive that mad parking lot..." look---but I couldn't do it. So I mumbled (what a coward) something about not wanting to stay up till midnight. We walked back to the car, and I felt aweful for dragging them out for something that didn't work out. But Natalie saved me by suggesting we rent the movie instead. This brought everyone back, and we planned our own girls' night in. There's just something about curling up inside a camper with three other women (Mrs. Shirley joined us), watching a chick flick.

Some people would say that I'm spontaneous. Others would say that I'm a girl who thrives on schedule and regularity. To be honest, I feel like I don't know which I am. I think I need both. I need the thrill of surprise---like the time my family surprised me by showing up in Florida for my birthday, or the time Ryan showed up behind me with an umbrella in a rainstorm---but I also very much need my security and my schedule.

Maybe that's why I feel like I want to cry. (That, and my emotions are running high tonight.)

I have a friend who called me just about every night last week, or so it seemed. If I didn't get a phone call, I got a letter. Or an email. Something. I've gotten some kind of communication from my friend just about every day. I almost expected to see the answering machine light flashing when I came inside. Actually, I did expect it. I really, really wanted to hear that comforting, familiar voice.

I am so very selfish. And so very spoiled.

I wouldn't be writing this on here, except that I needed to get it out of my head so that I could sleep............and I kind of hoped that I'd see an email when I got online.

If I am anything, I am predictable. Even when I'm spontaneous--I could have told you, in a less emotional state of mind, that I'd take a few risks, but still rely on what seemed like routine for my security. I get this way when I've been in a kind of rut for a while: I need a change of pace. I'd also tell you that I'd be hurt when I finally realized that my routine, my ballast would not hold because it was not based on the Eternal. Predictable Spontaneity.

All I can do now is shake my head at myself and move on. And find my security in Someone who will never leave me nor forsake me.

Why must these lessons be so difficult?

I know better.

So tell me, how beautiful are dirty, blistered feet?

Next week First Baptist Dyer (from where? I don’t know) will come with a group of teenagers to give Montgomery Village “Kids’ Club,” which, I expect, will be much like a two-hour VBS. This week we had Salley Baptist from Salley, South Carolina come and help us pass out flyers for next week’s Kids’ Club. Actually, the two teenage girls from Salley were too tired to help (one of them has an injury), so it was just me and the Pastor. Anyway, we passed out flyers for about an hour today. I knew we were going to do that today, and yet… I wore my leather-strap sandals. Brilliance. Well, my sun-burn and accompanying blisters are brilliant, anyhow!

As I was slipping rolled-up flyers into door handles, I started thinking about the smells of Montgomery Village. I smelled many, many different odors on my trek, and I smell many things just working in the Center. I smelled body odors, various body fluids, rotting food, cat litter, dirty cat, stale beer, many (MANY) different smoky smells---some of which I recognized, and some of which I’m glad I don’t recognize. Then there was the smell of burnt house, the smell of dirty children, the smell of leaky air-conditioners... But the one that burned my nose the most, the one that got to my heart and soul, the one that did more than just irritate me was not something you can physically smell---but it’s not hard to recognize. Way too many of those houses, way too many of the people there reek of it. It’s enough to make your honest heart coil in disgust.

It was apathy.

When I thought about it, the thing that bothers me the most about my work here is the incredible amount of apathy. They just don’t care. Yes, there are those who simply cannot move up and out of that sink hole called poverty, but there are so many who simply don’t want to. WHAT? Who wouldn’t want to be affluent… or downright rich? Especially in dear America, the land of the free, the capitalistic country where the “American dream” says that anyone can become a someone—who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that?? Yeah, I don’t understand it either.

I used to think like my liberal professor from Junior Statesmen Summer School. I used to feel guilty about all the Americans who live in utter poverty. I wished that the rich would pay more to help the poor, and that the poor would be given a break. I felt so selfish when I enjoyed the sweet privileges my father worked so hard to pay for. I wished everyone was on the same social/economic status. But then I learned better.

When Jesus said that we’d always have the poor among us, I believe that He wasn’t saying that some people are doomed to poverty; rather, I believe that He was saying that it’s simply the way humanity works. Some people honestly don’t care. I can’t even tell you how many people of come in to the center, complaining about Social Security’s stinginess, only to back up and say that they’d rather deal with Social Security than get a job. These are perfectly able people: they just don’t want to work. The ones who need help, the handicapped, the mentally retarded, they don’t complain. They are usually the ones who are most grateful for what little help they get. My heart aches for these people. My heart also aches for the kids who know no different. Their parents are not raising them with the goal of them growing up and leaving the projects. I wonder how many will stay in the projects all their lives? I know many adults who already have.

Montgomery Village Baptist Center should be helping those dear people. Since all we do is give free food, free clothes, and free services, we should be using those resources to care for those who cannot care for themselves. I can’t feel sorry for those who are just too lazy to work. I know that it is possible to pull out of poverty. Let me tell you a little story as an example.

There once was a family of four girls: a mom and her three daughters. The dad was in jail, and they lived in a two bedroom apartment. The three girls lived in one small room, the mom lived in the other, and they had the smallest imaginable bathroom between them. The only other room in the house was split in two, between a small kitchen and a living area. The mom did her best to save the money she earned from her job, being as thrifty as she knew how. They did without many of the things that even some of the people in Montgomery Village think are necessary—they did what they could with what they had. Shortly after the dad was released, he found an honest job and worked his hardest to provide what he could for his family. After several years of hard work, diligence, and faith, that family today owns a home, has one daughter in college---no scholarships---all four of the girls will soon have orthodontic work, all four have gone and will go out of the country on mission trips, and they somehow afford the gas for their three personal vehicles. It was not easy for the family, but they were able to pull out of the sink hole. Yes, they did receive help from friends, family, and church, but they could not have done it without their hard work and faith in Jehovah Jireh.

With lots of hard work, and a little faith, anyone can fulfill the American Dream. If only we could break through the apathy and show some of these precious people that they don’t have to live in the projects forever.

If only we could retrain their minds, and get them in tune with God. If only we could teach them a good work ethic. If only we could get the apathetic ones to see that they don’t have to depend on the broken Social Security system. If we could break through this apathy, we’d work ourselves out of a job. (And isn’t that the idea behind mission work?)

Some may say that ministering to the poor is hopeless work.

I know better.

*yawn*

I’m Back!
Navigating traffic can be tiring...

This past weekend I drove to Nashville to surprise my Dad for Father’s Day. And I did. Y’know the funny thing? He was planning on driving over today, to surprise ME! I’m so very spoiled…

I went to Parker’s Creek (my home church) this morning, and I became convinced that God has moved me to this church so that they can spoil me: they had a box of craft supplies and a few other things for me to take back to Montgomery Village! Thank You, Abba, for providing all these goodies for my dear little friends!

In that box, they gave me 5 disposable cameras. I think they want pictures. *grin* This coming week, I’m planning on taking pictures of the people I work with, and the places I live and work. Including the 2 cameras Mom gave me, if I use one camera a week, I’ll have enough for almost the entire time I’m here! I’ve got my work cut out for me…

This afternoon, when I was navigating the unpredictable traffic, I discovered a thought--an epiphany, if you will--about my state. Knoxville is like Nashville on Miracle Grow. :) I mean, the hills seem to positively grow; you can almost watch the gorgeous hills mature into stalwart young mountains! Man, I think I need some sleep. Or chocolate. Or both.

We'll see which I find first......

I can't believe it's been a whole week!

It has indeed been a whole week! I started at the center last Friday. Since then, I've answered phones, loved on little girls, colored pictures, fed the community, answered phones, prayed with a grieving lady (her grandfather, the man who raised her, died this week), given food to the people in the community, played with little girls, answered phones, given clothes to people in the community, listened to Dr. Joe preach, talked with people in the community, answered phones, and played with little girls. Yup, my days are full of repitition, but that's a good thing. I like being useful. :)

Next week, I hope to get some pictures of the different people that I work with, the volunteers and staff... and some of the people who come in on a regular basis, like Ms. Barbara.

Please, please, please be praying for us! Pray for Christina: she started her radiation this week, and is starting to feel the results of that. She really wants to be able to come in the afternoons to play with the kids, but she couldn't today because she's too tired. She asks you to pray for endurance and strength.

Pray for Natalie, my roommate: she works at the bigger center, Western Heights. She has been there two summers now, so she knows what's going on. Unfortunately, the two summer missionaries that work under her guidance.... don't yet. Please pray that God will work wonders there.

Pray for Dr. Joe, the interim director: he is coming into a center where people are very set on certain things, and he is working with many, many, many different kinds of people. Pray that God will help him as he tries to keep this center running efficiently. Pray also for the people of the community, that they'll love him as I already do.

Pray for the center: I'd love to see us do so much more than we are. I'd love to see someone come in and teach financial responsibility to these people. I'd love to see the children coming in on a more regular basis to learn Bible stories and to meet their Savior. I'd love to see a girls' retreat set up to tell those teenage girls that they are beautiful and precious to Christ, and that they can easily take care of their bodies in a much more healthy manner.

Pray for the community: There are so very many hurting people here, and I'm afraid they only view Christ and His followers as a way to get free food and clothes.

Pray for me: I'm trying to get an infection out of my lungs and sinuses. I was sent home yesterday because I had started a fever, and told to stay home today so I could sleep it off. I am taking medicine for it (started yesterday, and maybe that's why I got a fever), but I'd love for God to take it away way before I use up the 14 days of medicine!

Well, since my director and all of the motherly figures I talked to yesterday told me to get some rest, I think I'd better sign off and do just that.

To all my mentors, grandfathers, uncles, and those who treat me like a daughter or grand-daughter or neice, Happy Father's day!

I love you all!
Amanda

See Mars, like never before!

Hey, everyone!

My Astronomy teacher said something about this when he was teaching us last semester... But he didn't give us any dates. So, when my sister Ashley sent this to me, I jumped on it. I do know this is not a scam because my teacher told me about it, and he studies these things. I do want to put it in laymen's terms, though, because if you're not careful when you read this, you may get a bit confused. (wink, wink, Ashley!) I am sending you the original email that was forwarded to me, but here's my version of it:

Mars will be closer to Earth than we've ever known it to have been. If you have the resources, you can look at it through a telescope, and it will be so close that it will look as big as the moon appears to the naked eye. It will come closer and closer (only several MILLION miles from us) in its orbit, until it is the brightest "star" like object in the sky. [For those who haven't heard me yap about it, right now the brightest "star" is Jupiter.] Mars will rise in the eastern sky. The night it will be its brightest is apparently Aug 27th. So get out there one night and wonder at creation and its Author!

Here's the original email:

The Red Planet is about to be SPECTACULAR! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it MAY be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again. The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars! grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.


Share this with your children and grandchildren.
NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN !

Mrs Sheila

This is Mrs. Sheila, the wonder-woman-do-all-assistant-director. Without her, this little ministry would fall apart! 

Jennifer's Mom

This is Jennifer's mom. This is where the little girl turned shutterbug and finished off my roll for me.  

Me and Jennifer, 2

We finally convinced Jennifer to face the camera. :) 

Me and Jennifer

This is Jennifer. She's playing shy... she asked her mom to take this picture of us coloring, but she didn't want to look at the camera. She's such a cutie! 

Feet!

How beautiful are these feet? *grin* this is part of the little garden I was weeding.  

My Board

This is the board I put up for my church. I made it by myself! Ok, well, I kind of recruited Mom... and Dad... and sisters... to critique... But the it's my board! :) 

Finally!

I finally got to go to work today! Today was a slow day for the center, so it was a good one for me to start on. :) We started with the clothing store, and we had probably a dozen or two dozen families come through. It was kind of hard at first, since Christina and I had never done it, and we had to count the children's clothing and the adult's clothing seperately, all while keeping track of how many items they could have total... It was really hard when we had to tell people that they had to put things back, especially after we got to tell some that they still had a few things that they could get, if they wanted to! Then, at 12, we closed up for lunch, and Mrs. Sheila took us to Cancun's. :) From 1 to 3ish, we sat in the front, coloring with little girls, playing Barbies, taking pictures (I'll get those developed and put some on the website by Wednesday), talking with the residents, and marveling at God's character.

Please pray for the center: we're going through a huge transition. Our director retired, and today was her last day. Mr. Joe Chandler (I think) will come fill in until we find someone else. This has been very hard on many people, and there seems to be quite a bit of confusion going on. Please pray that the confusion goes away--we need to be operating on the same plane if we're going to be efficient!--and that the staff, missionaries, and volunteers will learn to rely solely on God and His strength. I seem to sense an exhaustion mingled with weakened faith in some... pray for revival!

I'm so glad to finally be in there, being useful! Yesterday I felt so incredibly useless that I begged Christina's mom (Mrs. Nye)permission to weed her garden. :) She's planted a little garden outside our house, with tomatoes, squash and melons... and some other things.. I forget. I got half of it weeded pretty well, and she did the other half today.

By the by, thank you, Deborah, for my postcard! (My bestest ever little suite-roommate from Albuquerque, New Mexico sent me a postcard; it's the prettiest
little picture of a river!)

Thanks, everyone, for praying for me. I really appreciate it. I know that God is definitely here and at work!

Love you all!
Amanda

So I went driving.

Christina, the resident missionary came home yesterday, and I was hoping that would mean that we would go to the center today, but when I took her mail to her this morning about 10ish, she was still locked away in her dark little camper. I hope she's feeling ok--or that she will be again soon. Since she wasn't up and about by then, I assumed that I'd be sticking to the schedule my Director had laid out: I'll start tomorrow. I went back inside and looked at my freshly-moved-into room (which, by the by, was very neat and clean--I even made my bed!) and sighed. Nothing to do.

So I went driving.

I timed how long it will take me to get from the house to work: 21 minutes and 48 seconds, give or take. I'm thinking that if I make it my goal to leave 30 minutes before I'm to be there, I'll be on time, given that I'll hit a couple more redlights and some more traffic every now and then. And what a drive it is! For those of you familiar with Middle Tennessee, pretend you're driving in Belle Meade. Can you see the oldstyle Dutch, German, and French houses with their highly-manicured, over-landscaped lawns? Ok, now double the traffic. And the amount of trees and other greenery. And the size of the hills. Throw in a couple miles of construction to pave the road, and an extra police car, and you've got the majority of my drive to work. Then, after I pass the UT Cancer Hospital, (I saw a heron at its little pond today!) I drive through the longest, most lush translucent-green tunnel carved out of the side of a massive hill. As soon as I exit that curvy wonder, it's as if I've driven out of one social class and into another. Welcome to the outskirts of the Projects, the land where KEEP OUT signs and gaurd dogs rule many of the yards. From here, the road gets rougher; the inhabitants tougher. Just a few minutes of driving, and it feels like I'm working my way to the center of the Tootsie Pop, only the center doesn't seem as sweet. A quick turn onto Joe Lewis road, and I'm in the very center of my new life: Montgomery Village.

For being a little white girl, it's a good thing that my God is so very big!

One more thing...

I found a picture of my best friend, Monica... (The link to her website is in the Missing Links section. So, anyway, here is her wonderfully done self-portrait: isn't she beautiful?? 

Oh, and just so you know:

See the "Index" to the left of this post? Those are shortcut links to the rest of the page. If you're not using them, give one one a try--they're very handy!--go ahead, click one. :)

This is it.

Well, this is it. This is my first day as missionary to Knoxville, TN. I am scheduled to actually start work on Friday... But I'm thinking that I'll start tomorrow or Thursday, depending on when Christina (the resident missionary) comes back in town, and depending on when I can get my trainor. So, since I had nothing scheduled for today, I figured I'd go get lost in town and try to find my way home. I found Panera Bread instead. *grin* (By the way, Mom, it's just down the road a bit from Booksamillion.... on North Peters or something like that.) Hooray for Panera's!

I stayed in my new home last night; I love my new roommate. She made dinner for us--praise God for chicken dinner from a box!--and, after dinner, showed me how to get to Walmart. I'm going to try to find that again, after I leave here. :)

Sunday night, my wonderful new church prayed over me and my mission trip. I could not believe how beautiful that service was, and how kind those people are! I can feel God's Spirit working there, and it is indeed a very sweet Spirit.

This morning, I met Ms. Milly in the office (nextdoor). She called me while I was trying to get ahold of the different people that I'm responisble to, and told me that she had some forms for me to fill out---and that I already had mail waiting for me! [Thank you very much, by the by, for 'spoiling' me... that positively made my day!] I also got a key to the house, found out that there's something stuck in the key hole, and was promised a gate opener so that I can come and go as I please.

I will be here for the next 66 days. 66. Days. Somehow that sounds like a very long and a very short time. Please pray for me, when you think of me; email me, when you're online; and write to me, when you have the time. I love you all!

Amanda

Another one!

Ok, how about an old one of me? What do we think? 

Pictures, pictures everywhere... but here. Until now.

Ok, so I'm trying out a cool new toy-- a photo publishing program-- let's see if this thing works. Oh, by the by, this is where I'll be working this summer. :) 

The Night Life is a hard one to maintain.

I need a break. For the last few nights, I've been working on a display board to tell my church about my mission trip, and tonight I just finished putting everything on the board. As I sit here, peeling the rubber cement off my fingers, and waiting for the glue to dry, I figure I might as well write something. What's the use of claiming the title of Writer if I don't take every opportunity I can to do what I claim to love? :)

Daddy gave me my promise ring back today. I'm so glad to have it back! Last summer, I snagged it at work, bending it into a most uncomfortable shape, and I haven't had time or gas money to take it back to our jeweler's to get it fixed. I mentioned this sad fact to my dad the other day, and he offered to take it down there for me. Now it's back on my finger (which, by the by, has gained some meat since last summer), and I'm so very glad to have it back!

I've heard of some boyfriends giving their girls "promise rings," and the intent seems to be that they promise to keep their relationship pure for their (assumably) pending marriage. I've also heard of girls buying (or their father's buying for them) purity rings, which are more general, it seems, and are supposed to help the girl remember to keep herself pure for whoever God has for her. Mine's kind of both. And it's neither.

My promise ring resembles a promise between me and Dad, Dad and me, me and God, Dad and God, and all of us to my future husband (bless his poor heart!). It resembles the promise I made my Dad that I will do everything in my ability to keep my heart, mind, and body pure. It resembles the promise Dad made me to help me protect myself, and to be the best father he can be for me. Both of those promises we share with God. The goal is to keep me as pure as possible, so that my father can present me before God to my future husband as an innocent maiden.

The older I become, the more I realize is entailed in those promises. Purity is not an easy thing to hold on to these days--neither is innocence. Unfortunately, even in the church, the promise is viewed as merely a vow to abstain from premarital sex. Purity is so much more than that! Where are the days when the girls (and guys) were expected to be modest? Why do we let ourselves believe that physical intimacy (or fantasies of it) is ok, just so long as the pair remain technical virgins? What ever happened to the treasuring and protecting of innocence?

All I know is that I am grateful to my parents for protecting my innocence, and for teaching me that purity is about maintaining and protecting heart, mind, and body. And I am grateful to have my beautiful ring back to remind me of the precious treasure I've been entrusted with.