Author Archives: Jen
Jennifer Wilbanks
I’ve resisted saying anything about Jennifer Wilbanks until now (particularly yesterday because I wanted to think about happier weddings) but I thought I should add my two cents, especially after seeing her bridal registries and hearing the statement on the news.
(Her registries are here, here, and here. I got this information from a friend who got it off of WeddingChannel.Com.)
I wish I could shake this girl. Her wedding has 14 bridesmaids and 14 groomsmen. She invited 600 guests. I’m thinking this wedding costs 6 or 7 figures. She claims she ran away because the stress was too much. Well DUH! She’s doing the stereotypical fragile Southern belle routine and it’s really annoying. The items on her wedding registry combined are worth more than the parsonage, Jon’s yearly income, and all our possessions. Can you say “greedy”?
My wedding had 3 bridesmaids, 4 groomsmen, and 2 flower girls. I had 100 of my closest friends and family there. It cost 4 figures and people still talk about how it was one of the best weddings they’ve been to. WeddingChannel.Com and others cater to the HUGE affairs and it annoys me to no end because people end up focusing on topping one another instead of celebrating a special day when two people commit their lives to each other.
I really hope that they make her pay back the amount that was spent searching for her. Granted, it might equal the cost of the wedding but still… normal people see psychiatrists and some even get Valium or Xanax to deal with the stress. (I’m not saying I approve of or condone drugging the bride during the week before the wedding. I’m just saying that it happens.) You don’t run away because “the stress of it all was too much”. If that kind of stress is too much, scale down your wedding, honey.
Wedded Bliss
Congrats to Krissy and Mike who are tying the knot today! Blessings on you two and your marriage.
Protected: The Missing Piece of the Jigsaw Puzzle
Plastic Fantastic Cat Cave
I’ve been keeping the tsunami afghan (so named because a portion of what I sold it for is going to help tsunami victims) in a plastic blanket bag to keep the cat fur off it. I got the check from the buyer last week and I was prepping the box to ship it today. I had taken the blanket out of the bag, put it in the box, put another box on top to keep a certain unnamed black cat (who we’ll call “EDDA”) from sleeping on it and accidentally getting shipped to Tennessee, and was in my study working on the inserts and packing label when I heard Jon come in and bust up laughing. I walked out and saw that the plastic blanket bag was now a cat cave and my little Viking goddess (who we’ll call “FREYA”) was in it surveying her domain from her new cave.
Forgiveness
Last night, I was journalling and doing my study on Isaiah and at the end of the study, it was put on my heart that I have to forgive everyone involved with the church debacle. I’ve known I’ve had to do this for awhile but I’ve had too much anger and bitterness. I journalled for a good half hour on it in my paper journal, part of it being prayer about how I’m a broken person and I can’t do this on my own.
I will readily admit that I am a broken and sinful person and that I need God to be whole — what would be the point of the Cross if I could be whole on my own? I didn’t realize, however, how much anger and bitterness I was storing in my heart and praying about it, both in my journal and afterwards on my own, was humbling. It was like seeing the gaping chasms in my soul and realizing that the anger and bitterness were just making them larger. Praying and seeking forgiveness from God was a step toward filling those chasms in.
Forgiveness is going to be hard but it’s something I have to do. Pray for me. I have a rocky road ahead.
Getting Up On Sunday Mornings
Rick has a really good audio post on his musings this morning while driving to church. Go listen to it!
What I liked about it is that he admits that he did not want to get up and go to church because he woke up feeling icky. He goes in to talk about how he wants to go to church more than he wants to be lazy. I so agree when he says…
I would rather be with God’s people on God’s day and give God more than my whining.
I’ve had a really rough couple months and I went to the BIG LUTHERAN CHURCH IN TOWN this morning because it was getting to the point where I was having to take massive doses of anxiety meds to deal with worship on Sunday due to my hurt and anger. I had taken some Seroquel last night to calm my nerves and it meant that I was really sleepy this morning but I got up anyway, showered, tossed down cereal and milk, got dressed, and trudged through the snow flurries (!!!!!!!) to church this morning. I really pushed myself to get up and do church and it was worth it. The sermon spoke to me (mostly because it was preached differently than Jon preaches) and the music was wonderful. I got to sing harmony on Love Divine All Love’s Excelling and it was set to correct tune, which made me even happier.
I think it’s good that I’m taking May off from Jon’s churches — I need some perspective right now and I feel like I’m getting it.