Broken Together

Casting Crowns has their new “Thrive” album out. The song “Broken Together” was playing on the radio a few weeks back and I’ve really had to think on this one because the song seems so hopeless… Then I was listening to an interview with Mark, the man behind the song and Casting Crowns lead singer,  and he was talking about how no one is perfect and we have to come to a point of just being broken together. This really did get me thinking though, and I’d like to make a point that is missed in the song and that is this.

Yes, we get married and it’s all rainbows and butterflies till one day it all hits. We get married to a person we thought we knew better than anyone else only to find time sets in and you don’t really know them. So the question becomes, can you lay aside the person you thought was and still love the person who has shown up? As long as that person was honest before marriage, all those same qualities you once loved are still there.. maybe the way they smile, or the goofy nature, or maybe the way they spoke softly when you were having a meltdown.  Those characteristics may not be visible all the time but they are there. No one person is perfect, even if we believe that person is perfect before marriage, as people we are simply perfectly imperfect, made perfect by God. And that is where we get stuck. We get angry with someone and we set higher expectations when we should just forgive, allow God to work in the relationship, and be broken together.. Because if we can come to that point, honestly in any relationship, parent to child, husband to wife, boyfriend to girlfriend, if we remain broken together, allowing God to make our relationship whole, it will all be ok. There is hurt in every relationship, whether it’s big or small, it’s still hurt. If we can learn to love that person despite their flaws, there’s hope for the relationship. Back to that point I was getting at, if we keep God as the head of the relationship, any relationship can be made complete. Even if that completion is found by being broken together…

God Bless,

Jessica

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8 Reasons Skype Might Be Alive

My friend and I were joking about our Skype habits and how ridiculously horrible they are… I mean even when the internet crashed or Skype is being fussy we still fight through it and get SOME Skype time… Now over the past 3 months there and about we have learned a few things from Skype.. One of them being Skype has got to be alive.. I swear Skype has a mind of its own.

1. Skype is narcissistic. It has an ego that needs to be stroked. We can talk about Skype all night long and it wont cut out. Heaven forbid we bring up something other than Skype because at that moment that we quit talking about Skype it cuts out. Sometimes it is even so bad that we have had nights were the ONLY word that will come through is “Skype”… You say any other word and the other person wont hear it.

2. I know mom said that Skype must be a guy because it needs its ego stroked.. But I tend to lean more the direction that Skype is a girl… It’s WAY too moody/fussy to be a guy. I mean everything can be perfect and it will still complain that it is having connection issues even though the internet is working 100%.

3. For us at least, Skype works half the time.. literally. If it is working great the first half of our conversation, we know the end of our conversation will be a pain. If it is fussy for the first half of our conversation then we can expect good things for the last half of our conversation. BUT every so often, Skype is merciful and gives us one night where it isn’t complaining about crummy connection and is giving us good video and clear audio.. And then the next night or two… it dashes all our excitement by making us text WHILE we are trying to Skype because it is spending more time trying to reconnect the call or keeping the audio jumbled up so nobody can hear or understand each other.

4. Sometimes Skype has a wonderful sense of humor. It can freeze up at the best times because inevitably SOMEONE is making a crazy face and that is when it will freeze. Then it gets funnier the longer it stays frozen like that and you can’t help but crack up laughing, especially when you were doing something and when you looked back to the screen that frozen crazy face is all that you see…

5. Often Skype will take sides. Generally it seems to take sides with the person who is being harassed. I’ll go to smart off about something and it will cut off before my friend can hear it and visa versa. Then while Skype is trying to reconnect we momentarily relish the fact that Skype protected us from whatever goofy sarcastic remark was about to be said. But that might go along with Skype having a good sense of humor since it seems to amuse the two of us so much.

6. Skype is teaching us pure determination and willpower because when it is being so fussy, and we spend more time waiting on the call to reconnect than we do actually skyping, we either stick through it and text while we wait, OR we’ll just use a phone.. it causes us to use other forms of communication. Either way though, we refuse to allow Skype to cut our conversations short.

7. Sometimes you just don’t question an unlikely good connection in the midst of a hundred disconnected calls.. depending on the time, you take that good video and say goodnight before it cuts out.. no lollygagging just get to the point and get off Skype. Otherwise that 3:00 bedtime can quickly get moved to 4 or 4:30. Simply because you had 5 minutes of good connection and you are too stubborn to let Skype have the last laugh.

8. Since I’m on the topic, Skype is like a child, or horses.. You can’t let it have the final laugh. It tries, but you’ve got to fight with it until you show it that you are in charge and it can’t boss you around and tell you when it is time to get off. Which is why you don’t question that few minutes of good connection when Skype is being fussy. Because then You have disconnected the call and Skype doesn’t get that last laugh.

So yes, I do have a tendency to think Skype does have a mind of its own and I’m pretty sure it needs counseling or something so it can get over its emotional issues. Anyway, I think I have covered everything. Despite the frustrations that go along with Skype, I hope you got a laugh out of this.

And for those of you who know my frustrations, I feel for ya, in more ways than one for some of you. I really do.. Hopefully we can get on Skypes good side one of these days..

Degrading Names

Ok, I was going through facebook again last night and it got me on another wound up rant that I kept to myself for the night.. So here we go…

More of those… uhm.. memes? I think that is what they are called. Yes, I’m 19 almost 20 and not caught up with the modern lingo.. Anyway, I was coming across ones that were encouraging men to take care of their B******, or how a guy shouldn’t bother with a hoe, instead he should protect his B****…. REALLY? Or the pictures that have the “B****** be like….” There’s a plethora of them and they are driving me crazy! No girl should be degraded so much!

I find it comical listening to talk between friends because calling each other N*****, or B******, or Hoes, or sluts or whatever other degrading name they can find.. I’ve seen it between boyfriends and girlfriends, I’ve seen it between girls, it is almost sickening how people use it as a term of endearment.
Seriously though, if we as people are suppose to be valued, why do we degrade the girls? I understand some of them don’t help their case but that doesn’t mean they should be talked to, talked about, or treated like trash. I don’t care if it is suppose to be in love… We are suppose to guard our hearts, ears, eyes, and minds. The way we talk, what we hear, and see, it affects us even if we don’t necessarily notice the effects of it right off the bat. Or even in a few years.. We become desensitized to it.. Part of why when I talk to people the first thing I notice is whether or not they cuss, and then I am seriously intrigued when cussing is not a part of their vocabulary. Because I have managed to keep myself from becoming completely desensitized to it.
Once more I am annoyed by the carelessness of the people who make these pictures, on top of that if a guy is choosing a “B” over a slut or hoe (dang those words just don’t even feel right to think to me..), or whatever you want to call her.. He probably shouldn’t be dating her. At least not if he values a relationship. And if he’s only looking for a “B” then he isn’t worth her time or emotions, no matter how jacked up she is.. In fact, he probably needs a good sucker punch to the face.

Now you have my two cents for what it is worth.

Guys, be respectable, respect yourselves. If you value a relationship don’t date someone who could actually be classified in one of those categories. Value the women, don’t be degrading..

Girls, if you are dating a guy who is continuously referring to you as a slut, hoe, B****, etc. He is not worthy of you. You are far more precious than that. I know it is hard to believe, especially if you have hit rock bottom.. it’s hard to believe that you should be treated like you are valuable… Even now with my friend, he’s an awesome guy, he really is, we all have our issues, but sometimes I don’t feel like I deserve such an amazing friend.

The second note for the guys and girls, try to refrain from degrading each other even in playful banter. It’s not good for the mind or soul. I’ve heard boys refer to each other as F***ers… There’s just no need for that sort of banter. It isn’t uplifting no matter how you phrase it.

We as people, no matter what our past, no matter male or female, deserve to be treated respectfully and not be talked to, talked about, or treated like trash.. none of us.. Every person is worth much more than that.

Ok…

I’m stepping off my soap box now.

God Bless,

Jessica