Set Apart

If you were to ask my teenage daughter to describe me in one sentence, she may tell you something like this:

My mother acts like a seventeen year old trapped in the body of a middle-aged woman who is a grandmother going through changes in a body that gravity has definitely taken a toll on.

Whew! That was a mouthful. So much of that mouthful was full of truth. I could go on and on about the body changes, but I don't want to embarrass my husband, my children, my friends, my leaders or other women who have the same thing(s) going on with their bodies who swore me to secrecy. (Shhh...my lips are sealed.)

However, I must confess, the part about the seventeen year old really got me to thinking. I do have a tendency to "act" like a seventeen year old. After all, I can text faster than a speeding bullet. Just text me and you'll see how fast I will respond. I post selfies on Instagram. In fact, one photo had a semi-ducklip look to it because that's what teenage girls do right? Although the ducklip is not as cute as some would think. I tweet so much that my followers know what I'm doing or thinking at any given moment. I just had the urge to tweet that I am writing a new blogpost, but I didn't.

Am I trying to fit in with a group that is clearly out of my age range?

Why I still have the need fit in even at my age?

On January first of this year, I decided to step away from any and everything for 21 days that distracted me from living. Real living. The life I had once lived not long ago. The life that the older Titus 2 woman in church encouraged me to live. A life that is set apart.

During this time, I had no idea what was happening in the social media world. I was so worried that my Facebook friends would get offended if I missed their birthday. What would happen if I went three weeks without posting a status? I thought for sure the five women who always give me a star next to my tweet would surely unfollow me thinking I had jumped ship. 

They say that social media is not real life. I beg to differ. Yes, we can be anyone we want on social media. I can easily tell you that I wear a size 2 dress. I can even prove it with the help from the latest editing software. For me, social media mirrored my real life.

In real life I strive to make sure my friends are doing well. When I don't hear from someone I would call just to make sure everything was good between us. Being quick to apologize because I did not want to offend anyone. When you offend people, they reject you. Rejection is one of my greatest fears. My greatest fear was keeping me from living a set apart life. 

Living a set apart life requires you to live a different life. I received that revelation on day 8 of 21 days of consecration. Here's the revelation...

"Why are you trying to fit in when I have called you to stand out?"

I knew then that I strayed so far from the life that God had already laid out for me. No, I was partying like a rock star at the nearest nightclub. No, I did not leave my family to go and find myself. No, I did not go to the edge to see how far I could go without falling over. I did, however, started to wonder why I would strive so hard to fit in like a teenage girl in high school.

Being certain that I am not the only one whom God has called to live a life set apart, I want to encourage you to keep living that life. That life that requires you to act in such a manner that others will not understand you. That life that requires you to dress different. That life that requires you to talk different. That life that requires you to come under the mission of your husband and leaders. That life that requires you to be the center of the gossip circle. That life that requires you to sacrificially lay it down. After all, that is what Christ did. We are to emulate Him. He was in the midst of the crowd; at the same time, He set Himself apart. Do not be afraid to live a life set apart.

"So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed." -Luke 5:16

Unplugged: 7 Days Without Social Media

I did it! I went 7 days without any social media. I didn't even Skype with my grandbabies.

My next journey will lead me down the path of asking myself, "Do I really need all of these clothes?"

I was talking to a sister yesterday in church. We were talking about clothes. I was telling her how I need some new clothes. It was then that I realized that I didn't need new clothes, I have enough clothes. Here's what the Bible says about my "dilema" of needing new clothes:

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"
-Matthew 6:25 

*big sigh* I'm finally starting to understand it after all these years...

From March 4th - March 11th, I will wear the same 7 pieces of clothing of 7 days. That includes undergarments...Washed daily of course!

The Proposal

Before we homeschooled Ruthie, she met Ryan in middle school at the age of 12. They "liked" each other back then. Ruthie was homeschooled and we moved to Idaho and they lost contact. They found each other on Facebook back in May of 2009.I've always taught Ruthie to let the guy be the one who pursues. I'm thankful she listened. Ryan pursued her like non other. He was determined to get her attention by posting on her Facebook wall and commenting on her status updates. His persistance paid off, but he had another hurdle. My husband. Ryan took all the right steps and consulted Don and got his permission to court Ruthie. After a short time, Ryan asked Don if he could marry Ruthie. Don didn't say yes at first. He told Ryan that he would pray about it and let him know in 2 weeks. Well, a week later Don gave Ryan his blessing with the restriction of not "touching" or "kissing" Ruthie until the wedding day. Ryan agreed. Ryan and my husband now talk to each other at least once a week on the phone. Don told Ryan that now he's a part of the family. Being a part of the King family means lots of hugs and saying "I love you" I watched Don as he embraced Ryan just like he does his sons.

On May 22, 2009 @ 3:00 pm, Ryan and Ruthie will declare their love for each other in front lots of friends and family. We are excited to witness this special occasion and watch their testimony of how a "Father Led, God Inspired" courtship really works. They want to be an example to other single and young people that true love waits. Even waiting to share that first kiss together.

Here's the story of their proposal as told by Ryan and Ruthie.

Ok...so we are gonna be writing this together, so we'll be bouncing back and forth between me talking and Ryan talking...hope you can keep up ;)

RuRu: Well I woke up friday morning...nothing out of the ordinary. I didn't really have anything planned for the day so I got dressed for work and didn't do my hair. Little did I know, today would be one of the most amazing days of my life.

RyRy: Friday morning I woke up and the first thing that was on my mind was...FOOD!!! (haha jkjk) Seriously though...it was Ruthie. Knowing that today would be the day that I ask her to be my wife. Taking the shuttle to the airport from my dorm and getting onto the plane...knowing that she had no clue I was coming..Getting off the plane and riding to the Chapel in her parents car...stepping into the Chapel and spotting the most beautiful woman in the place (and world) singing and worshiping God, and me sitting in the back of the Chapel waiting for it to end so I could propose to her..

RuRu: The funny thing about that Chapel service was that after the first couple of songs, I stopped and looked around..because I could swear I felt Ryan there. You know how you spend so much time with someone and you can feel their presence when they enter into the room?...that's exactly what I felt. I would see people next to me or behind me out the corner of my eye--

RyRy: --Sorry but I just wanted to say that as she was looking around, I thought she had seen me, and the surprise was gone! But thank God she didn't see me!

RuRu: Yeah I had no clue! Ok...so...back to my story ;) I thought you were standing next to me. But I started to rationalize in my mind that "No...he's in school. There is no way he could be here.. STOP THINKING IT RUTHIE!" And the feeling was bugging me the whole way through the rest of the Chapel. Then Chapel ended...I looked around...just to make sure he wasn't there, got my stuff and started to walk through the center isle out the double-swinging doors.. And then, someone told me that someone was there to see me, so I turned around and...there was Ryan! I was in shock haha Literally I was paralyzed and started to say over and over "Are you really here?", and he reassured me that he was :)

RyRy: I'm going to back track and tell you when I was doing leading up to the proposal. I got to the Chapel about 40 mintues til the end of it and so I kind of lost track of what I was actually there for because the Chapel was so moving and powerful that I had to stop and start saying to myself "I am here to propose!!" So with about five mintues to go I went out into the little hallway to wait for Ruthie to walk down the middle isle. When she passed me and her friend told her that I was over by the wall, I started to walk towards her and she went into her "Are you here" stage. And then I told her..."Ruthie, you know i love you. You know that God destined us to be together." Then I got down on one knee and pulled out the ring that was in my pocket and said those four wonderful words..."Will you marry me?"

RuRu: And I looked into his eyes...and knew in my heart...that the answer was yes. And so at the entrance way of the Chapel, with a big group of people around, I smiled and laughed a little...and said "Yes!".... Gosh that was wonderful :D Then we turned around and my parents rushed in, Mom with the camera in hand and captured a few of those precious moments. This was absolutely unexpected and I loved it. Ryan proposed in the most unpredictable and special way. And I'm very very proud to say that I am going to marry him, and spend the rest of my life with this wonderful man!

RuRu & RyRy: Thats all folks!! haha

Commitment

New Year's Day has come and gone. People are talking about their resolutions: go on a diet, walk two miles a day, get organized, clean out the hall closet, spend more time with the family, give more attention to devotions and prayer.

Promises, promises.

Talk, as the old adage says, is cheap. It's now two weeks into the new year, and most of those resolutions have already gone into the recycling bin. The spirit may be willing, but the flesh just can't seem to keep up. We mean well, we really do. We fully intend to keep those promises, this time. But before long "this time" becomes like all the other times. We slip back into our old comfortable patterns.

Why is it so difficult for us to keep the commitments we make? Perhaps because the changes we seek are external rather than internal. We can make vows to God and to others until Jesus comes, but unless true commitment is rooted deep in our hearts, we are bound to fail, to disappoint our loved ones and ourselves.

We live in a society where lack of commitment is the norm. If the road to marital bliss gets a little rocky, bail out and start over with someone new. If a job's tougher than you planned, turn it over to someone else-or just abdicate it altogether. If you're always late for appointments-hey, no big deal. They'll wait.

No wonder we have trouble keeping our word. No wonder our zeal flags and our determination fades. Commitment, in the modern world, simply isn't a very high priority.

To God, however, commitment is the very bedrock of faith. And it begins, not with our external efforts to change our outward patterns, but with a profound inward conviction that draws us into a commitment to Someone greater than ourselves.

"How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?" the Psalmist ask. "I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people." (Ps. 116:12-14)

When we commit our lives to God, something happens deep within us. Our priorities begin to changes. We begin to see the spiritual truth keeping our word is not just a matter of making a good impression, but a matter of being true to the One who created us and redeemed us, the One in whose image we have been reborn.

Commitment is not an outward effect, but an inner transformation.

It's not a New Year's resolution; it's the gift of grace.

*Taken from the book "Simple Words of Wisdom 52 Virtues For Every Woman" by: Penelope J. Stokes