can someone help?
WHAT THE HECK DOES IT MEAN TO GUARD YOUR HEART? i could use some feedback here...
posted by Be at 21:22
This is an obsolete blog
I am in the long process of becoming "me," and this blog is not longer part of that process, or that person. It was real (in a virtual way) for a time. I am so thankful for the new present.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Previous Posts
- Colossians 1:15-23
- friendship 101
- the girl of your dreams
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- prelude to the biggie
- the biggie (appellated after the fact--and I`m usi...
- quote
- the last breath is wet
Inspiring blogs to spark your cognitive wheels and pleasure faculties...
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- Jenn Jenn Klassen
- the Bigger Groenling (who also needs to post more)
- My Jilly
- Christine Cullaton
- Rich Easter-hoff
- Shawn Matthew, the middle Groen
mmm...my favourite should-be-doing-school-work-but-would-rather...(a.k.a. time-bending procrastination devices):
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- Loreena McKennitt: Celtic Canadian singer-songwriter
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- Society for Creative Anachronism: Kingdom of Ealdormere
- Sacred Space Jesuit Prayer and Meditation site
ASLAN REIGNS!
"Not all who wander are lost" ~J.R.R. Tolkien
“The Bible…does not release the Christian community, especially those [sic] gifted for the task, from the grind of studying and thinking about such matters.” ~John Peck, Uncommon Sense
Rational thought is the servant of faith: “Unless thou believe, thou shalt not understand.” ~Saint Augustine of Hippo
"If we ignore our culture we will be destined simply to reproduce it and those who are wedded to the spirit of this age are destined to be widowed in the next." ~Dean Inge as quoted by Dr. Craig Bartholomew
'Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lack'd anything."A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here"; Love said, "You shall be he." "I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear, I cannot look on thee." Love took my hand and smiling did reply, "Who made the eyes but I?" "Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame Go where it doth deserve." "And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?" "My dear, then I will serve." "You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat." So I did sit and eat.' ~George Herbert, Love III
I am 41% Geek.
You probably work in computers, or a history deptartment at a college. You never really fit in with the "normal" crowd. But you have friends, and this is a good thing.
11 Comments:
personally i think that's really dumb, and i hear it a lot... arent we supposed to give our hearts, love people, etc?
i guess that means not letting someone overtake you and then they hurt you because they have your heart. but i think the "rule" is abused...:P
Thank you for your comments, Summer! I miss you! :-).
I would hesitate to say that it's dumb...perhaps when people use it without knowing what they really mean by it, it's dumb--but it is found in God's Word, after all. "Above all, guard your heart; for it is the wellspring of life." Do I think God was referring specifically to relationships when He said this? No. I think He was warning us to guard our hearts against anything that could try and infiltrate their soft shell and attempt to take His place. But, I would say that the recurring phrase in Song of Songs, "O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field; do not stir up nor awaken love until its time [or until it pleases]" definitely has to do with romantic relationships (and friendships with persons of the opposite sex). And putting the two together provides a fairly clear suggestion regarding how we should approach situations in which we are sharing ourseleves with people--perhaps functioning as an aid as we guage how healthy any particular level of intimacy has become.
What do you think about this? I'd love to dialogue with you (and anyone else who has an opinion on this!).
I'm still unsure how to do it though...how to guard my heart in a godly way, and still share in deep, meaningful conversation (conversation that always seems to spark growth and healthy introspection)--especially with guy "friends".
Yeah, I see what you mean. Definitely true. :-) The thing is I hear it in an unrealistic context. The people that I hear it from and the way they mean it are often hypocritical (on this subject). They don't think intimacy is good but they don't think "flirting" is bad.
Hmmm... I'm not sure either how to go about being friends with guys. Especially since I'm only fourteen, and I have to be careful because people are touchy about age. Also because I have very little experience. I don't find that flirting comes to me "naturally" and often I wonder if I expect to much of a "friendly" relationship from guys. I've been asked if I thought I was talking to a girl. I don't see why I should distinguish between the way I act around guys GREATLY from how I act around girls. I'm still the same person. Of course, being modest, pure-minded, and courteous is important.
I also wonder if it's impossible for teenagers to be friends with the opposite sex without "liking" each other. I hear this from all my girl friends. They can't expect a relationship with a guy as a FRIEND unless they "like" them. I guess patience is the key. Then some of my friends come along trumping "guard your heart" and I wonder, why should I guard my heart? Why can't I love people? How far is too far, and where am I supposed to be going/doing?
Anyway, I got a bit carried away there... :P I should have hesitated to say it's dumb, I agree. We'd love to see your face at our church again... :-)
i think Summer was being pretty accurately perceptive when she said that girls tend to just be friends with guys they are attracted to. i've had to fight this in my own life. this past year (i am now 20) i had my first real, close guy friends, but i was attracted to the first one and the second one was attracted to me...so many complications...we've figured a lot of stuff out, but it doesn't mean that we're now completely free of struggle. i think it can get worse as you age, 'cause, ladies, hormones tend to kick in in a powerful way. relationships are such wonderful, difficult, complex and simultaneosly simple things. flirting is definitely hard to control sometimes (very often you won't realize you were taking advantage of your femininity in the presence of a guy until after the fact). all i can say, girls, is listen to your conscience--especially when you don't want to. strive for modesty (something i probably should be conscious of more), seek Christ with your whole heart ('cause He really is the prince we all desire in our heart of hearts). each of us is beautiful...each woman has so much to offer the world; so much love, grace, godly feminine power...wait for the Christ-desiring man who will pursue you and seek to discover the unique beauty you alone can unveil. he will come! i promise. but it will likely be in the most unexpected way--and he won't be your fairy-book ideal; he'll be so much better--in REAL ways!
"Our great desire is that you will keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and patience." ~Hebrews 6:11-12 AMEN!
Hear hear!
Amyann,
What a blog roll!
I just wanted to extend my greetings to you and let you know that you are daily in my prayers...maybe one day this summer we'll cross paths as I now live in Cambridge and not all over the place.
Anyway this post/commentary reminded me of a wonderful article written by Deborah Bowen in the Crown this past year. ..."the gift of close friendship, without any consideration of either dating or marriage." The article, 'Is Dating a Sinful Aberration?, can be found here and do take a looksee, http://thecrown.ca/issues/22-04/dbowen.html
Also, a book that was recommended to me a number of times in the past few years is entitled Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue by Wendy Shalit, http://www.probe.org/content/view/766/169/, which I am told is completely worth ordering as I did just recently.
So, best wishes, and hope these referrals lead someone somewhere better:)
Love and Peace in Christ,
Andrea
amyann, that was beautiful. thank you. i won't forget it. :)
andrea (#2), those look like interesting books... and i'll look at the article sometime. thanks.
Ames, my interpretation (for what it is worth) of this pericope is in the context of the body/temple sort of metaphor. your heart is the wellspring and it is an intimate place. you need to watch what goes into it. i guess in a more graphic way you could compare your heart to your genitals; you would just let anyone touch them or put things in them, but they can be stirred by the unexpected...
Oh Glory. I hope that helps.
I love and miss you, pay me a visit next time you're in the hammer.
#1 oh laura...
#2 summer, you should read the bowen article right away...otherwise you never will...and it will take like five minutes...
#3ps. ames...thanks for the question! one never knows where a question will lead, i guess that's the fascinating part about them.
lata,
Andrea
haha ok:P
thanks for all the commentary everyone!!! how unexpected and delightful! i need more of this on my blog. maybe i start asking short, (pseudo-) random, thought-provoking questions on my blog every week or so i can actually GET people to comment! yay! i love you all!
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