For the Emmitt family, the wedding season has officially begun. About a week ago we were excited that we didn't have many weddings to attend this summer, then we actually counted them and we realized that 2011 does indeed have a wedding season. Six weddings to be exact. Thankfully, we are not in any of the weddings and we only have one a month from June - October. Of the six weddings, three are local, one in Metro Detroit, another in Chicago and the farthest in Hawaii.
Weddings are great. If you are religious they represent a bond created by God, as a gift to man and woman. For those whom see the more secular side of weddings, weddings are an opportunity for the best of friends to publicly commit to one another, in a way that is both joyous and exciting. Whatever your belief, watching two people, whom are in love, commit to each other is an awesome thing. It is great when the bride and groom are so into the moment that nothing else in the world is occurring. For a brief moment in time the world revolves around them and many guests would agree. Beth and I have been to weddings at numerous churches of varying denominations, at golf courses, a planetarium, a state park, beach side while vacationing in Mexico and each time brings something new and awesome to the experience.
With last night's wedding being officially in the books, I'm happy to say that things started out well. The wedding and reception had everything they were supposed to, a glowing bride, a grinning groom, two "I do's", loving family, happily supporting friends, a strong message, a 7' tall associate pastor and Sam Adam's Boston Lager on draft. Two notes about that list, I was told the food was good but I didn't I could not verify it for myself and I did place the list in what I fee,l was order of importance.
Despite drinking a bottled milkshake from the grocery store as my dinner, the reception was a good time. Beth and I were sat at a table where we didn't know anybody, but were able to chat and enjoy the company of new people. Obviously, our table guests noticed that I never got up to get food form the buffet, which opened up the conversation of Lent. While I didn't have an immediate breakthrough in my spiritual witnessing I was able to convey that I was not doing this to get skinner but rather to focus more on the spiritual aspect of Lent, which as far as I'd want to push the subject in that particular setting.
It seems to me that there is not an ideal time to witness to another person. When you do witness, you subconsciously want to impose your beliefs, without seeming to want to impose your beliefs, this is the comical aspect of what we do. The fear of becoming "that guy" or "that Christan" holds people up from witnessing, we fear the reaction "You don't see me pushing my lack of faith on you, don't push yours on me". Often it is easier to witness to strangers or loose acquaintances as oppose to close friends and family. Largely, people would rather build shelters in 3rd World Nations, in the name of the Lord, rather than personally invite neighbors to their church at the next block party. This is something that I struggle with as well, "How often do I bring up God to my friend, neighbors, family?" Again, there seems to never be an ideal time "Would you pass the salt and by the way, if you don't start looking into Jesus as your personal savior, I think you're not going to end up in Heaven with me and I don't want to spend the rest of eternity without you, so get on that would you?" This is a hard point, the mission of Church is to go out and make believers, one of the main goals of Christianity is to spread it. It is hardest to spread to a person close to you, whom you are unsure where their future lies, but you know you want them to end up with you.
Last night I didn't have a strong witness experience, but unlike Day-3, I don't feel like a wasted an opportunity. I'm still have a laundry list of things that I need to improve on but it is nice to know that they are at the front of my mine and I'm taking them seriously as they arise.
Random Notes: Started the day at 195 Lbs, finished around 1,900 calories.
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