 Well, over the last several months I have sent out onto the wonderful world wide web a little update, or you might say, thoughts on each of my children. I thought it only appropriate to conclude this series with some thoughts about my wife.
Tarah and I went on a special date a few months back. For this special date we had to answer some questions. What kind of date has assignments you may ask? Hence: a special date! One of the questions said, "If you had to get something tattooed on you to describe your spouse, what word would you choose?" Tarah chose, "Trustworthy," to describe me. Pretty good, right? Well, I couldn't be topped but I also couldn't delay in my response. I didn't want a delay to be misread as unpreparedness.
My mind started with, "Hot!" Tarah is one beautiful lady. She is all the girls' envy. After birthing a kid and 30 years of life, she still has a perfect figure. But I wondered if I said, "Hot," if I would be thought of as shallow. My mind hurried to, "Fun." Tarah is always the joy of every party. Just last night she got several girls together to watch her wedding video. One girl saw it for the seventh time! How do you get people that interested in home videos? Well, you have to have an infectious attitude, which my wife has in the bag. But I didn't say that because I thought it might be read by Tarah as a little simplistic. Looking into her eyes now at the table I knew I must rush. Too much delay would give the wrong impression. I added a, "Well, let me think," to buy an extra moment. "Adventuresome," I thought. Tarah has always been up for any challenge and adventure that I have put before her. From adopting two kids and birthing a child all in five months to moving 600 miles away to start a church with little to no means of security - she has always been willing. My fear was that all these words wouldn't do. I had to choose one? So hard. Then I thought of my favorite thing about Tarah in one word.
"Nurturing." Maybe not what she expected (and maybe not what you expected from me) but I love the fact that Tarah loves me. She loves me through thick and thin. She cares deeply about our kids, our home, and my well-being. Okay, yes, this response does make me sound like a momma's boy but I love that Tarah takes care of me and nurtures the goodness out of me. I love that she cuts my toe nails, fixes me breakfast, and pops the zits on my back (that is all true). She is the love of my life and the greatest gift that God has ever given me.
Do you have friends in your ministry? You know, those people who believe in you in a way that most other people don't? It isn't often that people see more in you than you see in yourself. It isn't often that people dream bigger dreams for you than you dream alone. It isn't often that you find people who think you can fly to heights that, to you, are too scary to even attempt.
When I felt called to ministry in 1999, I was going to a service at Northpoint Community Church for singles called 7:22. Just before leaving for my first ministry position, I stood in line to encourage the preaching pastor at that time, a well-know Christian speaker, Louie Giglio. After a short wait I told Louie,"Sir, I want you to know that God has used you mightily in my life. God has spoken to me through your preaching and I leave tomorrow to fulfill my call to the ministry." I fully expected that we would shake hands and I'd walk out the door. But Louie replied with a question, "What is your greatest dream for your ministry, Will?" I stumbled to answer. He then spoke some words that continued to shape me since. He said, "More than likely your dreams are too small. You don't recognize the God-sized dreams that our Savior could accomplish with a life dedicated to him. Will, don't dream your dreams for your life, let God dream his dream for your life."
Most of us are scared attempt God's dream. I have found that I need prodding by people who believe in me. This weekend one of my greatest champions in ministry came to town. Ms. Janet is one of those people in my life who wholeheartedly believes in me. She genuinely believes that God has a special hand on my life. She looks me in the eye and says, "Will, God is doing great things and he is going to do even more. I am with you and I believe!" Such words of encouragement and affirmation not only fuel the excitement of what God has called me too, but assures me that I don't walk this journey alone and allows me to see that God is moving in ways beyond my comprehension. I don't know where I would be if God hadn't sent people like Ms. Janet my way.
God thank you for those people who champion us through our calling. Thank you for those special people who see YOU in us so greatly ----- that they also believe in us.
While admissions made in this entry may seemingly strip away my masculinity, I will none-the-less attempt to give explanation as to why the Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Series is so appealing to teenage girls and young women of today. USAToday recently reported that in March of 2009 the first three books of the four-part saga (Twilight, New Moon & Eclipse) were the top three books sold in local bookstores. So why such a broad sweeping craze?
Every year, I try to read a few books that, I believe, are shaping popular culture. As a person who is expected to explain truth weekly, I believe this time of researching culture is time well spent. If I do not understand the bridges and barriers to the people’s epistemology, I will struggle to compel them towards eternal truths. So why is this story resonating so abundantly to particularly young women in America? Or to put it in Twilight terms: Why is Edward Cullen like a personal heroin to so many young ladies?
Six Reasons for Appeal:
#1 – The Main Character is a Normal Girl – Bella Swan is described as average in appearance, skills and intelligence. This is appealing to young women who are constantly prodded to fit the Hollywood scale of beauty and talent in order to receive any notice by the other gender. The story involves an obsessive love from a beautiful boy, who is the object of every women’s attention yet his only desires are for an average clumsy girl.
#2 – The Attractiveness of the Bad Boy – Edward Cullen, the mysterious love interest, is more than just the prototypical bad boy found all throughout American Romance. Edward is not just depicted as attractive and mysterious, but he is also dangerous. While this prose is familiar to the contemporary reader, the danger that follows this debonair hero is extra-ordinary but the story is built on this crucible: while Edward is dangerous, he is also driven by good will for Bella.
#3 – Desire of Women to be Pursued – Every woman’s fantasy is to be the sole pursuit of a virtuous man, to be the object of that man’s affection, and the desire of his heart. In this series, Edward finds it excruciating to even be away from Bella. His intrigue is heightened towards his damsel because, unlike everyone else, he cannot read her thoughts. This, and her smell, drives Edward’s pursuit for Bella; even bringing personal pain to his very being, yet his pursuit is unhindered.
#4 – Identifying with the Breakdown of the Family – Bella’s family, like many American families, has been altered by divorce forcing the protagonist to make difficult choices to appease the desperate decision her parents have made. Her parents seem unaware of the trials they have put Bella through and her cavalier approach to compensation for these decisions shows her unprecedented fortitude. One of the great contrasts is the solidity of the Cullen family who never abandons each other, shares the same values, and is uniquely bonded. This is in stark contrast to Swan family.
#5 – A Man who Protects – At the core of every woman is a desire to be protected. Edward fights the battle of being a monster that was made to destroy, yet leashes his inhuman power to protect Bella from both outward and inward harm. The outward beast wants to “bite” her and bring her harm, but the inward love and desire to protect overpowers the outward monster that is Edward Cullen.
#6 – Romance that it not Sexual – In a sexual charged generation, the motive for love in this novel series is not sexual. This is a refreshing bend from reality, particularly for ladies, who are constantly prodded by their opposing gender for sexual favors. The male love interest draws honorable lines of sexual purity that are fully upheld leaving this story of passion about a greater mission, the mission of love without self-gain. Their love is not bonded by sexual desire but by an ageless, timeless, fantasy from long ago.
Stephanie Meyers has captured the attention of American culture with her Twilight Series by carefully observing the systemic problems in our society. Namely the breakdown of the family and the obsessive 'sexualization' of our culture. She also identifies the fallout of the God-given masculine imperative to protect, cherish and admonish our created partners: our women, sisters and daughters.
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