Musings from a winter’s evening

The Romantic poets felt that the soul was revived by beauty and sustained by memories of beauty. They wrote of beauty restoring the soul and giving them meaning. They felt whole when their eyes and souls were filled with the awesome beauties of nature.

Sure enough, they forgot the One who made the beauty and missed a great deal of lovely truths that make the beauty all the richer–that give it meaning and Him glory.

But . . . they were on to something. There’s a tingling of timid delight when one sees something lovely these days. I think our culture has forgotten the simple, lonely loveliness. On the ride back from NYC, we wound our way through miles of snowy, barren hills and fields. The trees were crisply outlined against the stars and moon in the darkness by the clinging remnants of snow on their branches. The expanse of nothingness was still, the air clear, the woods deep and restful. And my heart was glad to see it, to see dear Orion high above again, to see the empty spaces and the wild beauty under the moon’s fading beams. And one girl with us in the car commented:

“There’s nothing out here at all. I don’t think I like it. There’s…just nothing.”

And I was quiet. For I love what she called nothing. The rich stillness, the pale, forlorn beauty. It’s wild and fresh, a bit uncanny, and very rich. And the One who made it all is greater still.

He’s not a tame lion, but he’s good.

The other night, as I walked across campus to my room, a very damp, sticky snow had begun to fall. I was struck by the stillness of it; the contented manner in which the flakes amble on their way to rest on the walks. The twinkling feeling of snow on my eyelashes. The silence of my footfalls in the snow. The joyous weariness of working my mind until it could absorb no more left me content and numb intellectually, but in the snowfall–with the silver glintings of the stars, street lights and the flakes embroidering the inky darkness of the night . . . my soul was refreshed.

These are the small graces, the little moments when…

Look at yourself first

A recent [and frequent] topic of discussion here at school has been what one would seek in a spouse…not in regard to any one in particular, or brought up by any one for any special reason. It’s just been discussed a bit lately, and it made me think.

There are girls who will say that they “go for the tall, dark types” or that they prefer gentlemen who like to sing, or are athletic, or that they won’t marry a poor man. I can see their reasoning behind that…but it seems to me that they are paying too much attention to the trivial.

Ages ago I did have a list of things I wanted in a husband. I’ve since quietly discarded of it, and can’t remember what half of the things on there were. That’s not what I need to be focusing on–too much dwelling on “someday” leaves me forgetting who I am and what I’m called to today. if I’m looking around, I can’t be pressing further up and further in as I ought.

While I do have a short [and I mean short--3-5 things max] list of preferences for what sort of man I might marry, I’m not going to let that determine how I think of my guy friends. I refuse to box them into the categories so many have of “no way,” “just friends,” “potential,” and “wow.”  They’re all brothers.

That said, however, I would encourage you–if you do have a list of things that you are seeking in your future spouse–to compare it to Scripture and see how it lines up. No one’s going to be perfect, but there is grace for growth through the Holy Spirit.

And I don’t mean growth for them. I mean for you. Do you match up with what the Word sets up as the ideal?

Gentlemen:
Sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, having dignity, holding to the mystery of the faith with a clean conscience, pure [1 tim. 3 & 4], pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. holding fast to the Word of truth.[1 tim. 6] sound in faith, models of good works, speaking soundly without condemnation [titus 2], not prone to anger, knowing the Word, having faith….the list goes on.

Ladies:
Adorned with inner beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, submissive (to authority, fathers, pastors, and eventually, husbands), not fearful [ 1 peter 3], dignified, sober-minded, faithful in all things, [1 tim. 3], not slanderers, not drunkards, loving, self-controlled, pure, diligent (working at home…), kind, adorning the Gospel’s testimony, [titus 2], doing good, serving others, hospitable, having great faith in the Lord, strength of mind/soul, speaking wisely and with kindness, [prov. 31], gracious, loving her family, etc.

Let’s seek to be the best He’s called us to be before we set about putting expectations on others.