I saw the link to Elizabeth Foss's blog and anxiously went to read her topic on gentleness in the real world. It was not at all what I expected and rather surprising to me. I read, and then I watched this video which, apparently, everyone has seen but me over the past year. You can read the entry here:
http://www.elizabethfoss.com/reallearning/2011/06/gentleness-in-the-real-world-1.html
I don't think Ms. Foss deals very "gently" with this young woman and her aspirations of finding a Catholic husband. Maybe she doesn't remember what it was like to be young and unmarried with high hopes of changing the world and finding a soul mate to change it with you. These are big goals at this age and they are good. God gives us this tough outer vision that makes us feel like we can make a difference, even though we're so small and don't know how hard it is yet.
In a world where young men are being redefined by the world's warped definition of manhood, this young woman long's for a boy willing to pray, willing to remain chaste, willing to speak out against abortion, and more. It's not a list, it's a lifestyle. I'll say that again...
IT'S NOT A LIST, IT'S A LIFESTYLE!
And while the lyrics didn't happen to include acts of mercy, they are rooted in the lifestyle. This criticism is unfair. It's a song and it doesn't have 20 verses. If it did, I'm sure it would cover lenten fasting, attending mass on feast days, and more.
I think this young lady has a beautiful vision of her future husband and more importantly, she knows he may not be easy to find. We cannot change men into who we want them to be. While we grow together in marriage and learn how to serve and become God's family unit working together, if you don't start with the right ingredients then things can go sour pretty easily.
Marriage is hard enough without choosing someone who needs to be reformed or who has habits that tend toward worldliness.
I have a son and I hope his future wife demands more of him than he does of himself. "Iron sharpens iron, So one man (or woman) sharpens another." (my italics)
Proverbs 27:16-18
My son will have the opportunity to be a leader of a family someday. I hope his wife doesn't settle for him doing things and falling into habits that are not beneficial for the entire family. My husband shakes me out of my boots sometimes when I get lazy and I thank God for it. I am a better person because of his high standards and vice versa.
The merciful and kind thing to do is to not marry or be joined with someone who does not share your passion in faith. This young woman is young but it is clear she has a huge passion and desires to share that zeal for her faith in marriage. It is naive to think she is unaware that her future husband will not fall into sin or have struggles in his life.
In a world that is constantly leveling the playing field in the name of "peace" or toleration, which is a secular form of gentleness, I say let her have her high standards and see who she finds to help her change the world. Soon enough she will be beaten and trod on by things she cannot control and a world whose ideals have become barren.
If my daughters ever write and sing a song like this I will stand up and cheer and know that I have done well as a mother.
God bless you all and may a little of her fervor rub off on us today!
http://www.elizabethfoss.com/reallearning/2011/06/gentleness-in-the-real-world-1.html
I don't think Ms. Foss deals very "gently" with this young woman and her aspirations of finding a Catholic husband. Maybe she doesn't remember what it was like to be young and unmarried with high hopes of changing the world and finding a soul mate to change it with you. These are big goals at this age and they are good. God gives us this tough outer vision that makes us feel like we can make a difference, even though we're so small and don't know how hard it is yet.
In a world where young men are being redefined by the world's warped definition of manhood, this young woman long's for a boy willing to pray, willing to remain chaste, willing to speak out against abortion, and more. It's not a list, it's a lifestyle. I'll say that again...
IT'S NOT A LIST, IT'S A LIFESTYLE!
And while the lyrics didn't happen to include acts of mercy, they are rooted in the lifestyle. This criticism is unfair. It's a song and it doesn't have 20 verses. If it did, I'm sure it would cover lenten fasting, attending mass on feast days, and more.
I think this young lady has a beautiful vision of her future husband and more importantly, she knows he may not be easy to find. We cannot change men into who we want them to be. While we grow together in marriage and learn how to serve and become God's family unit working together, if you don't start with the right ingredients then things can go sour pretty easily.
Marriage is hard enough without choosing someone who needs to be reformed or who has habits that tend toward worldliness.
I have a son and I hope his future wife demands more of him than he does of himself. "Iron sharpens iron, So one man (or woman) sharpens another." (my italics)
Proverbs 27:16-18
My son will have the opportunity to be a leader of a family someday. I hope his wife doesn't settle for him doing things and falling into habits that are not beneficial for the entire family. My husband shakes me out of my boots sometimes when I get lazy and I thank God for it. I am a better person because of his high standards and vice versa.
The merciful and kind thing to do is to not marry or be joined with someone who does not share your passion in faith. This young woman is young but it is clear she has a huge passion and desires to share that zeal for her faith in marriage. It is naive to think she is unaware that her future husband will not fall into sin or have struggles in his life.
In a world that is constantly leveling the playing field in the name of "peace" or toleration, which is a secular form of gentleness, I say let her have her high standards and see who she finds to help her change the world. Soon enough she will be beaten and trod on by things she cannot control and a world whose ideals have become barren.
If my daughters ever write and sing a song like this I will stand up and cheer and know that I have done well as a mother.
God bless you all and may a little of her fervor rub off on us today!
3 comments:
I was not able to read this when you first posted it (for some reason IE was having trouble producing the page). I am glad that Mary's post this morning reminded me of it & so I finally got to read it - beautiful thoughts! Thank you for sharing it with us!
~Vivian
Hi there-
this is Sarah (from the video) and just wanted to say thank you for this post. I'd read Elizabeth's post back in July and it was very hurtful to me. I stumbled upon this sharing of my video tonight after reading another blog that called me a "snob" and "delusional" and "immature" and I'm not going to get into defending myself to them or letting them know I'm not a cookie cutter perfect (or even near perfect...) Catholic, but I was feeling very attacked by the Catholic blogging community over this little song that is just an innocent/semi-satirical description of what the Lord has led me to pray for (and has led me to find in my best friend & boyfriend of a year).
Rambling. Anyways, this post kept me from crying as I'm sitting here just feeling sad from being called a snob by people who don't even know me, or what is in my heart.
Thank you for this.
-Sarah
and also- does the Bible not say "ask and it shall be added unto you" ya know?
Because I asked, and I was specific, and an incredible Catholic man was "added unto me." :)
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