Friday, December 30, 2011

Today’s Guest Blogger: Meagan Smith!

Yes, you read that right.  Meagan is writing today’s Smithellaneous post!  She is going to tell you about the picture below that I included in a recent Wedding Wednesday. When I posted the picture, I didn’t look real closely at the ring that was in the box;  it was only this week that Meagan told me about that ring’s significance.  When she finished telling me the story I said, “Meagan, would you please write that story for Smithellaneous?”

And happily she said she would.
IMG_0093




A Ring and Two Promises
By Meagan Smith

My sisters and I are close in age with only two years separating us from each other; because of this, we’ve had the opportunity as we were growing up to become very close friends.


As we grew up, our parents initiated what we dubbed rites of passage. At ten, we were able to cut our hair. At twelve, we were able to wear make-up and shave our legs.  At fifteen, we were promoted to eye make-up.


Fifteen years old was also the age when we received our promise ring. This was a special time when each daughter was taken out to a nice dinner with our parents and they would discuss with us the importance of saving ourselves for our husband and for our wedding night.


As time would have it, December 20, 2002, was the appointed day for me to receive my ring; that evening found my mom, my dad and myself cozily tucked away in a booth at Carrabba’s Italian Grill. I had chosen a beautiful baguette diamond ring to remind me of my promise I would make that night.


After we ate dinner, my mom took the ring out and set it on the table in front of me. My dad began to talk to me about the promise I would make that night to save myself for my husband. They explained how this promise was not one that I would only make to them, but also to God and to my future husband.
As I put the ring on that night, I made a vow before my parents and God that I would save myself for the one He had for me. It became very real to me as we sat at the table and prayed that God would help me in the years to come. I was making a vow not only to protect my body, but also my mind and my eyes from the things that would take away from that vow of purity.


It wasn’t just the ring that helped me keep the promise but it was also the many prayers of my family and myself as I got older that reminded me every day of the vow that had been made sitting in that booth in 2002. I wore that ring every day for nine years. And every day I would pray, “God help me keep my promise for one more day.”


Then in 2009, I found him, the man of my dreams, the man I had prayed for so many years. He was handsome, tall, smelled good, was a childhood friend, was good with money, was funny, had a great family, loved kids, loved Jesus--and did I mention he looked good? His name was Nathan Smith and he was a psychology major one year behind me in school, but what does age matter?


We began dating on June 19, 2009, and continued the relationship until February 26, 2011 when he asked me to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him. That night was the first time my promise ring had ever been replaced with another ring. It also meant my second promise would begin just five months from that night.


On July 23, 2011, I sat down in the dressing room of the church where I was about to be married and penned words to my soon-to-be-husband of the promise I had kept to God, and my parents, and him.


I explained to him once again the importance of the ring and what it meant to be able to truly give him the gift of myself on our wedding day. I wrote everything he was to me and expressed how excited I was that my promise had been kept for so many years. I could not think of a better man to give this gift to than him. He was a true answer to my prayers and God had given me the desires of my heart through him.


As I walked down the aisle toward my husband-to-be, holding on to my daddy’s arm with my family, friends and God watching me, I could not have been more thankful that a promise was made, a promise was kept and a new promise was about to be made. Only this time the promise would not be to save myself, but to give myself whole heartedly.  The promise would not be for only nine years, but it would be for a life time.


(Edited to add:  A comment was left asking if Nathan had made the same commitment and he did; he just didn't have the ring to wear.)


Thanks, Meagan, for sharing the beautiful story of a beautiful promise!
And just to make this entry all the more meaningful, tonight is the night that we have chosen to present Sarah with her own promise ring.  She asked Steve and I if we could wait and do our ceremony until Nathan and Meagan got home so that they could take part in it.  (Which I think says a lot about how much she thinks of the two of them.)


So tonight Sarah will make her own promise of purity, surrounded by a family who loves her.  What a joy it will be to see the tradition continue as we wait with her to meet the man that God has set aside to be her husband.

28 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Vicky Elder said...

Very beautiful! My prayers are with Sarah, also!

Stacey said...

Beautifully written! It reminds me of the book I read to my daughter, The Princess and the Kiss! :) You can find it here: http://astore.amazon.com/imalazymom-20/detail/1593173806

Anonymous said...

Such beautiful thoughts beautifully written. Thanks for sharing, Meagan.

Anonymous said...

Very cool.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Meagan! What a treat to have you as a guest blogger! You write very well. Today's post was both touching and impactful.

Pam D said...

Beautiful in every sense of the Word.... (and beautifully written, as well. Megan, you fit in perfectly with the WordSmith family... !)

Lisa from Georgia said...

Becky (and Megan),
Thank you so much for sharing your story of purity. Today, sex seems to be as casual as holding hands and it is so refreshing to be reminded that people do save themselves the way God intended. God will surely bless you and your marriage for the sacrifices you have already made to honor Him. I am so proud for Sarah on two levels: one, that she is making this special vow with Nathan and Megan. How honored the two of them must be to be included in something so personal and intimate! And two, that she has lived to be old enough to need to think about that future! You remember that my own Sarah did not get to live long enough to even have to think about holding hands, but I celebrate (again) with your family in this milestone. As another year passes and we miss our Sarah so much it actually hurts some days, I find so much joy and hope in your Sarah's life and victory against the monster that is neuroblastoma. I continue to pray for Sarah's continued health and happiness. Also, tell Megan I received the precious picture/thank you note for the wedding gift and it was MY pleasure to remember them at such a special time. I can't wait until WW. Video?? Blessings to ALL the Smiths!
Lisa

Lisa from Georgia said...

Oh and one more thing...
Megan,
I saved my purity ring and gave it to my daughter on her 15th birthday along with a letter I had written during her first year of life for just that occasion. I also wrote her and my son letters for the day they get married, the birth of their first child, etc. A dear friend of mine did that while dying of breast cancer and those letters have proven precious to her now (almost) grown children as they receive them at the appointed time. After seeing cancer up close and personal, I decided to make sure my children had words from me in case I'm not here to say them. Giving them the letters anyway has been special to both me and my children.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful written. Thanks for sharing Meagan. :)

Trine

Anonymous said...

Beautifully expressed by a beautiful young woman! I'm so proud of you, Meagan, and so glad that God has woven your life together with Nathan's--what a joyous miracle!

Love, Aunt Deb

TheThingsIdTellYou said...

A beautiful post, Meagan and Becky. While I didn't have a promise ring or anything like that, I chose also to save myself for my marriage. God's will on the matter was my sole reason and though I stuck to my promise, and saved myself for my beautiful husband, I didn't appreciate what an amazing gift it was until that night. Realising that I was giving myself to him, and only him forever still makes me tingle and feel so grateful. And the fact that he had made the same promise, and waited for me also makes it even more special.

Sigh. Last night (Australian time) was the anniversary of the night he proposed to me. I literally just posted about that last night. I'm all sentimental, 15 years later. This marriage is such a blessing, and I really FEEL that you and Nathan will be similarly blessed.

A fan from Australia. xxxx

Anonymous said...

What a witness! Thank you...

Anonymous said...

This is a beautiful story, and how lovely that it continues on with Sarah. The only thing missing, from my perspective as a woman, was did Nathan also make a similar promise? Is not the man's saving himself and giving himself as a gift on the wedding day of equal importance? I think it is, and I wish that had been acknowledged as well.

Margie said...

What a beautiful story. I had never heard of a promise ring but will be adding an extra prayer for Sarah now.

Bridgette said...

Thank you, Megan, for sharing your beautiful story and for being a wonderful example of purity. May God bless you and Nathan with many happy years together!

Gail Puckett said...

What a wonderful story and one I would like to share with my children to share with their daughters (there are three of them, one of whom is about to turn 14). I too made that promise and am so happy that I did. It is the only gift that only you can give to the one whom God has given to you. Thank you Meagan for sharing this story, it brought tears to my eyes.

Sue G said...

I am always touched when people share family traditions with me. I grew up without many traditions, unless you call inconsistency a tradition (of sorts)! So when a family sets into motion the creation and then repetition of moments upon which to build, to which to look forward, and about which to recall precious memories...well, it touches me deeply. I am so glad that Nathan and Meagan were raised by people so similar in commitment and solidarity. I am so grateful that God brought each of them together and finally opened their eyes to what even peripheral people like myself saw (the potential relationship there). And I am thrilled that Meagan would honor us by sharing something this precious, this intimate, this special with us.

Sarah, I know you will honor your commitment with the same loving determination and wisdom with which you face life each day: enthusiastically and openly embracing God's presence. I know God has chosen the perfect mate for you, and I look forward to what you will share with us on YOUR wedding day.

Wedding Wednesdays Forever! :-)

Anonymous said...

it was good to hear Meagan's Promise Ring story, and to know that Sarah will soon have a PR story, too.

mrs pam

sharon said...

how beautiful is the story and the promise. and the promise that Sarah will make too. GOd truly blesses those who do HIS will. I have never met any of you but we are all a part of the family of GOD.

becky m said...

very nice story and so glad that megan decided to be a guest blogger now only if we can get that son to be one,lol.

jenny said...

Beautiful post. I too waited for Mr. Right - the man God chose for me. Only I had to wait until I was 33! But he was SO worth waiting for. Tell Meagan I passed this on to some godly teens I know as an encouragement to them. God bless1

Anonymous said...

What a beautifully written testimony of faith and perseverance. Thank you, Meagan, for sharing!

It is a wonderful milestone for Sarah...one which God will honor.

Love,
Guerrina

Anonymous said...

Becky,
I cried as I read this blog that Meagan wrote, I am telling you this one mother to another and because you are my cousin, and I know it won't go past those who read it here. Why I am crying is because we also had this ring ceremony, but did it at age 13, maybe we should have done it later. My wonderful daughter who is now a different person, and has made her promise all over again. Did not live by her original promise. Reading Meagan's story brought pain back in my heart. Tell her she has so much to be proud of. I believe God gives girls their virginity back spiritually and I believe he has done that for my daughter. But there is nothing like taking that original promise seriously, and praying God gets them through that day. Beautiful story Meagan.
Sandy

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for sharing Meagan. Wonderful story and commitment. Jill-Florida

Anonymous said...

Sandy, I don't think God gives virginity back, but he can give purity back. I wouldn't be too hard on your daughter - it's a tough thing to be celibate in this culture. Add to that the fact that in Biblical times people were wed at 14 and 15, and now folks often don't until mid-late 20s. It's a hard, hard thing. It's an area that I often still see a double-standard: parents' expectations of their daughters are different than those of their sons. The studies on True Love Waits and other such movements show that for most kids, they do have sex prior to marriage even those who made a promise. The positive thing is that most of them at least deferred sex until college age instead of being 14, 15, 16. Hard, hard thing. Kudos to Meagan and Nathan. I hope that Meagan also valued the gift that Nathan gave to her as well!

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