I hope that the title does not immediately offend anyone in any way. I do not intend to preach something disrespectfully, rather I have made some interesting connections between my new life and life in the states.
Observation #1: Busy, busy, busy......
After doing lots of time reflecting on my growing up years I realized how much time I was running. Honestly, I would not change a thing about my life. God brought me through challenges and I am who I am because of the life God blessed me with. My parents stayed together and just celebrated their 25th anniversary, which is nothing more than a perfect example for my husband and I as we just married. I cheered in high school, had a variety of friends, not necessarily in one group, and was very involved in church all throughout my entire life.
That being said....what made me think about my childhood and just breathe. Because life was sooooo busy. Why is it that as Americans we are so darn busy? I never found time for quiet time and my life was just SO FAST PACED. I do not mind having a to-do list of things to accomplish, but instead of relationships, my overall time was completely focused on things to do. I clearly remember high school and college. All I could focus on was my future and where I would continue my education and what I would do after college and who I would marry, and everything else that every young person is thrown into as they reach secondary age. I think that I have learned by living in Guatemala, that it is OKAY to have free time. Doing nothing, reflecting, loving on people, visiting people, taking time to just breathe. WOAH. Don't get me wrong. People here are not lazy, but they are not so consumed with the future, their plans, where to drive, what they need to buy at the store for the month, where they have to take their children. Guatemalans walk, buy their food at the market daily or for no more than a week, visit their friends, walk to someone's house rather than calling unless it is a far walk. People do not have all the distractions from technology and are capable of making time for what they want. I see families that allow their kids to play outside and visit family. The son does not have soccer practice because he plays soccer in the street with all of his cousins and neighbors. Life sometimes is stressful, but I feel such peace and so calm with my life here.
I hope none of you see my comments as a direct negativity towards you. I have just had some cultural eye opening moments, some that come to you when you are in other countries, or when you travel and have a larger world view.
I will continue my observations and reflections. I will wait for God to continue to stretch me and grow me and teach me. For now I will leave you with this. Find God among the craziness and seek his presence for peace regardless of where you live. We all need him, all around the whole world.
:) Love, Kara
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
A daughter of the King....
Well friends and Family!
Marito and I are now officially married! We had our civil ceremony 1 week ago! And of course tomorrow makes the 1 week mark from the big church wedding! The music was beautiful and my entrance was breathtaking. I imagined it before....but I could never ever imagine a wedding as wonderful as I had. Everyone pulled together...there were plenty of people to calm me down and it was a Cinderella/romantic wedding just as I had always wanted. God blessed us. We received lots of appliances that we did not have, 220 cups and mugs, and other interesting gifts. I could not believe the total amount of people that came. We had over 900, YES NINE-HUNDRED, people come to our wedding! The biggest wedding I had ever been to myself and I have been to plenty in my lifetime!
The other exciting parts of the wedding were my drive to the hall, where we held both the ceremony and reception, the entrance, and the actual ceremony part.
1-On the way to the hall literally EVERYONE was waiting outside their house, store, or on the street to cheer and clap for my arrival...IT WAS SO FUNNY! I never felt royal until then. I was completely the center of attention and I was the princess, the bride to be wed, BUT in the same way I realized that this is God feels about us. We are sons and daughters of the King. WE ARE ROYALTY IN HIS EYES. He is there by our side to calm us through the storms and loves us so much. Now I understand how my King feels about me....He loves me soooooo much that he wants me to feel that special all the time. He sent his son to die for me and my sins. That's real love.
2-The entrance was the second part that blew me away. I had no idea what to expect while walking down the aisle. The only thing I could see was family nodded their heads, and then immediately my eyes hit Marito's eyes. He was not scared and did not cry. He was not nervous to take me by the hand and lead me to my chair....He was secure and loving. I could again see another analogy. God has me in his care, his arms, his hands. He is there always secure. His love for me never fails. And when we read about how the church is the bride and Christ is the groom. I now understand. Not the materialistic or physical love that some young women search for continuously....it is the love of sacrifice and service and a love that never fails. The way a true groom should love his bride is exactly how Jesus loves us. It is not a romantically perception. I always thought seeing Jesus or God as my groom was weird....but now I understand after doing some counseling and just how God revealed it to me at my own wedding...that marriage is soooooooo much more than the gifts, chocolates, date nights, single stem rose, or diamond jewelry. I am not saying that these things are bad, but the way Jesus loves us-there in no comparison. The best way to describe it is that God sent his own son. Jesus came to die for us. And if we take the free gift-eternal life by relationship, we have the chance to accept Jesus, surrender our life to him and then live with him eternally. I know Marito loves me. I saw it in his eyes....but this heavenly, miraculous love that Jesus has for us has no comparison. It's that grand!~
3-The ceremony was special because that was us taking the first part of our marriage and putting God as the center. IT was SOOO beautiful. I almost cried. Later on after the ceremony and reception...there was a time for wisdom and sharing. Someone sang and our families understood that they are not losing a son or daughter but gaining another. What a gift God can provide from marriage. I have extra parents and so does Marito. My parents gained a son and Marito's parents gained there "5th" daughter. We all cried and shared this beautiful time. We saw the people in our life who really care for us and reminded us of this. We should all be thankful for the people that God puts in our life. It is such a blessing to have this.
I will post picture when I get them. I still get butterflies when I think about the wedding. It was a fairytale wedding, in a most royal way. Seeing my Prince Charming at the alter waiting anxiously for me was only the beginning. I left the hall that day, December 3rd, understanding and knowing my God much more deeper than I ever had before. The commitment, honor, loyalty, and love a Groom has for his Bride is learned from God. God is the ultimate. The way the Groom the loves and cares for his Bride-even AFTER the wedding, that is how Jesus feels and acts towards us....We learn love by his example. JESUS WILL NEVER FAIL YOU! His love keeps you going. His love is eternal. His love never fails.
Marito and I are now officially married! We had our civil ceremony 1 week ago! And of course tomorrow makes the 1 week mark from the big church wedding! The music was beautiful and my entrance was breathtaking. I imagined it before....but I could never ever imagine a wedding as wonderful as I had. Everyone pulled together...there were plenty of people to calm me down and it was a Cinderella/romantic wedding just as I had always wanted. God blessed us. We received lots of appliances that we did not have, 220 cups and mugs, and other interesting gifts. I could not believe the total amount of people that came. We had over 900, YES NINE-HUNDRED, people come to our wedding! The biggest wedding I had ever been to myself and I have been to plenty in my lifetime!
The other exciting parts of the wedding were my drive to the hall, where we held both the ceremony and reception, the entrance, and the actual ceremony part.
1-On the way to the hall literally EVERYONE was waiting outside their house, store, or on the street to cheer and clap for my arrival...IT WAS SO FUNNY! I never felt royal until then. I was completely the center of attention and I was the princess, the bride to be wed, BUT in the same way I realized that this is God feels about us. We are sons and daughters of the King. WE ARE ROYALTY IN HIS EYES. He is there by our side to calm us through the storms and loves us so much. Now I understand how my King feels about me....He loves me soooooo much that he wants me to feel that special all the time. He sent his son to die for me and my sins. That's real love.
2-The entrance was the second part that blew me away. I had no idea what to expect while walking down the aisle. The only thing I could see was family nodded their heads, and then immediately my eyes hit Marito's eyes. He was not scared and did not cry. He was not nervous to take me by the hand and lead me to my chair....He was secure and loving. I could again see another analogy. God has me in his care, his arms, his hands. He is there always secure. His love for me never fails. And when we read about how the church is the bride and Christ is the groom. I now understand. Not the materialistic or physical love that some young women search for continuously....it is the love of sacrifice and service and a love that never fails. The way a true groom should love his bride is exactly how Jesus loves us. It is not a romantically perception. I always thought seeing Jesus or God as my groom was weird....but now I understand after doing some counseling and just how God revealed it to me at my own wedding...that marriage is soooooooo much more than the gifts, chocolates, date nights, single stem rose, or diamond jewelry. I am not saying that these things are bad, but the way Jesus loves us-there in no comparison. The best way to describe it is that God sent his own son. Jesus came to die for us. And if we take the free gift-eternal life by relationship, we have the chance to accept Jesus, surrender our life to him and then live with him eternally. I know Marito loves me. I saw it in his eyes....but this heavenly, miraculous love that Jesus has for us has no comparison. It's that grand!~
3-The ceremony was special because that was us taking the first part of our marriage and putting God as the center. IT was SOOO beautiful. I almost cried. Later on after the ceremony and reception...there was a time for wisdom and sharing. Someone sang and our families understood that they are not losing a son or daughter but gaining another. What a gift God can provide from marriage. I have extra parents and so does Marito. My parents gained a son and Marito's parents gained there "5th" daughter. We all cried and shared this beautiful time. We saw the people in our life who really care for us and reminded us of this. We should all be thankful for the people that God puts in our life. It is such a blessing to have this.
I will post picture when I get them. I still get butterflies when I think about the wedding. It was a fairytale wedding, in a most royal way. Seeing my Prince Charming at the alter waiting anxiously for me was only the beginning. I left the hall that day, December 3rd, understanding and knowing my God much more deeper than I ever had before. The commitment, honor, loyalty, and love a Groom has for his Bride is learned from God. God is the ultimate. The way the Groom the loves and cares for his Bride-even AFTER the wedding, that is how Jesus feels and acts towards us....We learn love by his example. JESUS WILL NEVER FAIL YOU! His love keeps you going. His love is eternal. His love never fails.
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