A Love Story

I'm taking a short reprieve from my usual blend of sassy cynicism to write about a love story that delivers more oohs and ahhs than the silver screen.

This year my grandparents will celebrate their 66th wedding anniversary. 66 years! Even as I type, I find myself shaking my head in a dazed disbelief. How can two people be married for 66 years? Maybe my questioning comes from the poisonous message of the current culture that validates an "I'm sick of it and want out" policy. Maybe it's because I don't really believe people can marry their high school sweetheart; don't we have to "discover ourselves" first? DeLores and Joe Ackert answer my skepticism with proof that I can't deny. 66 years after they said "I Do" they still stand by each other with unwavering loyalty and a love that I can't even begin to do justice with my feeble words.

About three years ago my cousin, Katie, and I stumbled upon a box full of old letters. When we looked closer at the letters, Katie and I both thought we had struck gold. The box contained hundreds of letters written by a young husband stuck overseas involved in a war that tore him away from his lovely bride for three years. Katie and I both vowed to type the letters and create some sort of a book for our family. The way in which our grandpa wrote brought tears to our eyes. Life has gotten in the way of our once ambitious plan to bring the love letters to life again, but my passion to tell their story has been renewed. Their health has been slowly declining and each day brings a new set of challenges. In the wake of my very own love lost, I have come to see the rare and priceless beauty in a love that defies all odds, years, and even wars. It's a love that makes me believe it can exist and trust that love really does overcome. It's a love story that begs to be told...and so...I will.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ~1 Corinthians 13:1

What is going on here?

For what seems like years, but in reality has only been about six months a small group of us have been planning a well...movement for lack of better word. Give Yourself Away 08 is a movement to connect people with needs to the people that can help meet those needs. It's kind of a "needs network".

We are launching it on September 14 with a big Robbie Seay Band concert. The catch is you can't get into the concert unless you give something away. You can sign up to the needs network at giveyourselfaway08.com or bring something to give away the night of the concert.

I'm angsty and feisty and just plain bored with church done the same static way it's always been done and this excites me in a way I can't describe. Being the Church doesn't mean we gather in a building once a week to smile and sing and learn how to be like Jesus. Being the Church is about getting our atrophied butts out there and connecting to the real world. One with pain and hurt, frustration and devastation.

It can be as simple as taking photographs of a family and putting them in a nice album or changing a single mom's car's oil. Money is good, but relationship is better. I once had a conversation with a friend about "assisting" bringing the Kingdom here on earth. He disagreed and said, "God's Kingdom is already here. He doesn't need our help to "bring" it". I've since revised my view. I feel as if God's Kingdom is under a veil of ugliness, unjustness, inequality, and oppression. Every time we step outside ourselves, we tear back a small portion of the veil to reveal God's Kingdom here on earth.

Whether you agree or disagree with my theology is irrelevant because I'm learning life isn't about me anyway. giveyourselfaway08 needs prayer and participants. Check it out. Tell your friends and family and strangers on the street. It's not solely a church thing or a Jesus thing. It's about loving people because we all deserve to be loved.

Consumerism at its best...for real

So, like most females I love to shop. I have to restrain myself more times than I care to however, because of lack of the ever vital dollar bills.

In the ugly wake of consumerism versus lack of money versus "Gosh, I should be doing better things with my money", I stumbled upon the most amazing thing; Tom's shoes www.tomsshoes.com. I'm dying to get these shoes! Not only are they super Cali cool and remind me of my (almost) surfer days, they actually donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. Every pair!!! Not 10% of the proceeds, not an undisclosed portion of the profits, a whole pair!! Pair for a pair.

For those of us trying to be conscious of what we buy and how we spend our money, I think we should make a statement and get a whole bunch of these shoes. Keep a couple pairs for yourself and give some away as gifts. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving...for real. I love this company and their commitment to give.

Stay Classy Bloggers! :)