Purity, Chivalry, and Honesty

Another month has drawn to a close, and I am nearer to my monthly blog post deadline than I have ever been. This has been another busy month for me. It seems that my standard response to new tasks and opportunities has become "I'll have to do that in August". Oh August; that month of semi-perpetual freedom that stretches between work term and university. Although that is theoretically the next time my life will become relaxed, I am not looking forward to it at the expense of the present... or nearer future.

The month of March has been full of study, but as my uncle Kerry likes to remind me, a jar full of rocks is not a full jar. The spaces between the rocks have been filled with many beautiful pebbles; evenings watching Green Acres with my family, intriguing conversations with permanent fixtures at the UC, reunions with Twi'leks and humans, and even some good clothes shopping. I've enjoyed Bible studies at Steve Noseworthy's house, had some amazing SNACs with more amazing friends, and savoured some sweet car rides. Purity has been sought, found, and debated (courtesy of The Muse), SASF hierarchies have risen and fallen, and the important questions of life have battled the desperate questions, as they always have.

This was the first year that the youth group decided to have two chivalry nights instead of one. That way, there was more time for each group to prepare. If you have never heard of chivalry night, allow me to explain. The idea of chivalry night is that the males in the youth group prepare a meal and entertainment for the females, while the females do the same for the males. One group presents what they have prepared and then the other group presents theirs. After everyone is finished, a 'winning' gender is chosen by a neutral party - generally Valerie, our youth pastor. Still, the validity of this claim could be contested with the simple suggestion that those who receive the best meal and entertainment are the real winners. In my opinion, the females were the most chivalrous this time around. Michelle's kisses were sweet (and thoughtful), Allison's wings were heavenly (oh Steve), and Laura's poetry was touching (even if she thinks I'm old!). If any Temple youth group females are reading this - thank you!

This has been a great month of rediscovering joy. In a Mara colloquialism, allow me to explain what I don't mean. I don't mean that I have been happier this month than I was last month. I haven't been. I don't mean that I had forgotten the wonderful blessings God has graciously bestowed upon me. I hadn't. What I mean is that I trust God.

If you had asked me a month ago about that for which I most needed prayer (and if you could phrase your question as grammatically questionable as I just did), I would have told you that I had divine trust issues. Trusting God isn't as easy a thing as it might seem. I can't trust God by simply telling Him that I do, or even attempting to live like I do. It's not like entrusting - that's a lot easier. I can entrust God with my money by tithing. I can entrust God with my emotions by not getting attached to what isn't Planned for me. I can entrust God with my education by studying hard and attending class. But to trust God, I have to do a whole lot more. I have to give Him the worry I harbour about the money I no longer have, the anxiety I hold about the things that aren't in his Plan, and the stress that eats away at me about the grades I'm not getting.

I do. Praise God, I trust Him. He gives me all the strength and mercy I need to do so. This is my one and only boast, and I proclaim it with all the joy with which He floods me.