Reading and Cross Stitching

This week has been interesting, I would say. I think that I have learned a lot, and I think I have a lot still to learn.

Josh and I have been going to a couple's life group, which consists of about 7 or 8 married couples... It has been really cool to get to know other married couple in the area and with in the church, and to talk about all the stuff we are going through, or at least have the support or people our age who are going through similar things. We we started watching a video sermon type thing by Mark Gunger (I'm not sure how to spell his last name...) called "How to Laugh Your way To a Better Marriage". It's pretty funny, and for the most part, he speaks about all the stereotypes about men and women, and elaborates on them. I feel like a lot of the stuff he talks about isn't quite the same for Josh and I, because I feel that we are anything but stereotypical, but I have found some stuff interesting.
One part that really made me think was a part about forgiveness. Mark talked about how forgiveness is an act, and not an emotion. That was pretty cool to me, because it is so true -- I usually try to make it an emotion, and when that happens, I tend to hold it over the subject's head. He also said that forgiveness is more of a tongue thing than it is a heart or a head thing. Its getting over your pride, manning up, and just apologizing and letting the situation go. And once I just do it, and apologize and forgive, I usually feel so much better! Crazy.

Also, I am really trying to connect with God again. I kind of-- no, I DID -- put him on the back burner for a while, and then tried to start relying on myself to get things done, which led to a need for earthly possessions and material things. And that wasn't good. Then I realized what was going on. And God was there, waiting for me to come back. He has been teaching me to listen, to really listen, to Him and for Him and his presence. He has also told me to start listening more to Josh instead of just filling silences with talk and babble. And that has been harder than I thought. I tend to frustrated over silly things, and have to just stop and not say anything. And just let it go. And I realize that it is starting to get easier to listen to him when I am not talking. And I am excited for the future... :D

The reason I mentioned reading and cross-stitching is because I am reading two Ted Dekker books right now... One is called "Kiss" and the other is called "Boneman's Daughter". The first one is okay, but it is kind of confusing right now, and the second one is super good, but really creepy. I think after this, I will be ready to read something that is more along the lines of informative and helpful to everyday life rather than a ficticious thriller. But they are good non-the-less.

I have also just picked up cross-stitching again. I have a blanket that I started a few years ago, but haven't done anything on it since. The other day, I was looking at some magazines that we order supplies from at work, and they had cross-stitching stuff, and it made me want to cross-stitch again. And I am glad, because it is really cool-looking, and I feel very accomplished for being so patient with it and actually sitting for more than twenty minutes to do it :)

I probably should get off the internet now, seeing as how I am working. I think I am going to try to drink another bottle of water and then go give blood after work. There is a blood drive right down the hall today in the University Center. Cool