Oh marriage, what was I thinking?

I have, by choice, signed myself up for a marriage class here at Olivet. Well, actually, it's a required class for my minor, but I suppose I could have tried to get out of it. At first I was really excited about what was going to bed discussed during the course, and now, well I guess I am just intrigued.

Last week we received in article during class that we were to read, and we would then discuss it later the next week. The article was called "Defending "The Cost of Delaying Marriage," by Candice Z. Watters. To keep it short and simple, the article goes in to talk about how women are delaying marriage by getting married later on in life, instead of in their early 20's, when they are fertile and still "sexy". That's me keeping it short and simple :)

I couldn't help but be baffled by this concept and the idea's that they brought up and actually believed in this article. To put a time limit on marriage, something that you hold to be a sacred commitment between a man and woman makes me laugh. If marriage is something that is so special to you, then why make women feel as if they must rush into something because their clock is running out......ding!!

Have we forgotten the most important factor of it all.....that GOD IS IN CONTROL!!! We can make ourselves available, we can shout it from the mountains "MEN WE ARE SINGLE AND LOOKING TO GET HITCHED!", but in the end it all comes down to God's timing and will. I mean I would suspect that most of us believe that God knows who we are going to marry, and I suspect that right along with that you believe only he knows when you will meet that person. So what I'm saying is that for as long as we make ourselves available, it will never be up to us or in our control. God has that person for you....whether it be when you are young and fertile, or later on in life, say you're 30's when you are in your prime :) I mean that would be a plus for any man you meet, right? :)

All I'm saying is that I can want to get married tomorrow, but if that is not God's will for myself then so be it, but don't make any women feel like she is less then any other for not being married younger! If we are to get married, we will, because God willed that!

"To love someone properly probably means that you won’t be very popular. Pure love, loving the way it was intended, is unfortunately a foreign concept to many. Love is messy. Love will involve hardship, demand patience, require forgiveness, test maturity, strain friendship, challenge priorities, refine character, ignite the heart and unleash the soul. Love is not something you sing about, it’s the reason you sing. Love is not something you write about, it’s the reason you write. Love is not something you live to find, it’s the reason that you are alive."

Mark Hart