Last night was mine and Nate's first pre-marriage counseling session. All I can say is that it's pretty intense when you actually start to dive into the "deeper issues of relationships". All I can give for advice for people going into this themselves is to try to keep everything in perspective. You both are on the same team, you are working through this together, so there is no need for division. The enemy is also going to try to come in and make everything 10 times worse then they really are. We need to remember this. Satan hates relationships. He hates marriage and the idea of two people about to make that covenant. Here is a quote from a book I was reading today: "The oneness (in marriage) gives us a power that the enemy doesn't like. That's why he devises ways to weaken it. He gives us whatever we will fall for, whether it be low self-esteem, pride, the need to be right, miscommunication, or the bowing to our own selfish desires. He will tell you lies like, 'nothing will ever change.''Your failures are irreparable.''There's no hope for reconciliation.''You'd be happier with someone else.' He'll tell you whatever you will believe, because he knows if he can get you to believe it, there's no future for your marriage. If you believe enough lies, your heart will eventually be hardened against God's truth." This is so true in so many ways. I just wish it wasn't so hard to go through. But this scripture brings encouragement:
James 1:2-4
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Praise God!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Shopping for my Maids
This weekend I took two trips to David's Bridal to get bridesmaids dresses for my girls. It was really fun and seeing the girls find dresses they loved was the best part. Just a tip to any future brides though, assume that you are going to have to order at least half of your dresses from outside of the store because the store will most likely not have the size you want or the color or both. So make sure that you go dress shopping at least five months before the wedding because some dresses take up to two months to finally come in. Then you will have to do fitting, and tailoring, and steam cleaning.So anyways, these are the bridesmaids dresses that we picked out this weekend.
From the top left: Krissi (maid of honor), Alysha (bridesmaid), Sharissa (bridesmaid), Tara (bridesmaid). Very beautiful huh? I love them all! By the way, have you ever thought of the word "bridesmaid"? This is what I found when I looked up the word "maid":
maid–noun
1.a female servant.
2.a girl or young unmarried woman.
3.Archaic. a virgin.
1.a female servant.
2.a girl or young unmarried woman.
3.Archaic. a virgin.
Interesting huh? I wonder which definition fits best :)
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Six months and counting...
Ok, so it's December 1st and we have six more months to go. Logically, I am trying to figure out in my head if time is going to go fast, or if time is going to go slow. From experience, time moves fast. But my experience when I am waiting for something, time moves slow. But the cool thing is that Nate and I are making a lot of progress on wedding planning. Here is what we have so far:
-Wedding dress
-Grandma is going to pay for the cake and put us in her time share in Maui!
-A catorer
-A flower guy
-A possible wedding planner
-Our guest list
-Bride's maids and maid of honor
-Best men (yes there are two)
Also, next weekend I have two appointments at David's Bridal to get my bride's maids fitted for their dresses. I am also meeting with my catorer, a good friend, tomorrow to talk about the details. We still have to get the photographers down and figure out our music. According to wedding checklists, those are the next thing on the agenda.
To talk about more then just wedding stuff, Nate and I spent our first 
Thanksgiving together the other week and we will be spending Christmas together as well. It's good because we are easing into eachothers families. My grandma hugged him before we went home and said, "oh, my grandson in-law!". It was very cute :)
Thanksgiving together the other week and we will be spending Christmas together as well. It's good because we are easing into eachothers families. My grandma hugged him before we went home and said, "oh, my grandson in-law!". It was very cute :) Well, we are in a waiting season. It will be good for us. I just want us to continue to honor God and stay strong. We will make it!
Until next time!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
I can't wait!!!
I am getting very anxious today for some reason. Earlier today I was looking at Nate's name and knowing that someday I am going to share it. Oh, the longings of an engaged woman! There are too many to count. Sometimes I have this thinking that once we get married, then I will be happier. I know that lie, I have thought it a thousand times with a thousand different things. For example: If I could just be skinny, then I would be happy. Or, how about this one... If I could just have a boyfriend, then I would be happy.
Well, I have more then a boyfriend, I have a fiancee, and I am still not content!!!! What is a girl to do? OK, I guess I just needed to vent. A real update of how everything is coming along for the wedding will be coming soon.
Well, I have more then a boyfriend, I have a fiancee, and I am still not content!!!! What is a girl to do? OK, I guess I just needed to vent. A real update of how everything is coming along for the wedding will be coming soon.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Engagement
11/15/07
Someday soon, I will be Elisabeth Diane Benjamin. Wow! That's so cool. We are 7 months away and I am getting anxious at times. I keep thinking about how fast time will go, but the relief only lasts for a second and then it's back to being impatient again. I have been really trying to learn everything I can about the way men work because I now realize how difficult it is to get along with one :) If you love a man and want to be the "best" for him, then you will run into some problems. It seems like I fail at being a "good" woman a lot. But books like "Love and Respect", and "Wild at heart", are helping me dive into the male psyche so I can better understand the man I am going to marry. Getting married still feels like a dream or another world away to me. I don't think it's hit me yet. Everytime I look at my wedding dress it hits me though :) I can't wait to wear it. I can't wait to be princess for a day and be "the most beautiful woman" he has ever seen. I want his heart to fill with love and awe for me. I guess that's a longing in my heart; to be the object of desire, for someone to be in awe of me- to be captivated. Isn't that the heart of God too though? He longs for us to desire Him and be in awe of Him. I believe that :) Thanks Lord for giving me your tender heart. I love you.
11/15/07
Engagement... ahhhh, engagement. Here is my take on engagement. You know that phrase from some movie or play where they say, "they
were the best of times, they were the worst of times"? Ok, so that's what engagement is. If you break down the word "engagement" it is this: en- in, into; gage-pledge. You are entering into a contract, or a pledge if you will, with another person. Now, if you look this word up in the dictionary this is what you will find:
en·gage [en-geyj] verb, -gaged, -gag·ing.
–verb (used with object)
2. to secure for aid, employment, use, etc.; hire: to engage a worker; to engage a room.
3. to attract and hold fast: The novel engaged her attention and interest.
4. to attract or please: His good nature engages everyone.
5. to bind, as by pledge, promise, contract, or oath; make liable: He engaged himself to repay his debt within a month.
6. to betroth (usually used in the passive): They were engaged last week.
7. to bring (troops) into conflict; enter into conflict with: Our army engaged the enemy.
8. Mechanics. to cause (gears or the like) to become interlocked; interlock with.
9. to attach or secure.
10. Obsolete. to entangle or involve.
–verb (used without object)
11. to occupy oneself; become involved: to engage in business or politics.
12. to take employment: She engaged in her mother's business.
13. to pledge one's word; assume an obligation: I was unwilling to engage on such terms.
14. to cross weapons; enter into conflict: The armies engaged early in the morning.
15. Mechanics. (of gears or the like) to interlock.
Ok, there are some cool things about the word "engage" and how it really shows the true meaning of "engagement". But did you see the part that said " to cross weapons; enter into conflict"? Ya, that's a big part that stands out to me. Sometimes it feels like war. But not just with eachother, but with the enemy of our souls and our flesh. I remember people telling Nate and I that things would get "different" during engagement. They did. It's another level. It's a cool level, but your in limbo now. You are half way between dating and marriage.But really, you enter a battle. You "engage" in war, with eachother, and with yourself. But I wouldn't trade it for anything- maybe except for marriage :)Here is a movie I made of my engagement:
Someday soon, I will be Elisabeth Diane Benjamin. Wow! That's so cool. We are 7 months away and I am getting anxious at times. I keep thinking about how fast time will go, but the relief only lasts for a second and then it's back to being impatient again. I have been really trying to learn everything I can about the way men work because I now realize how difficult it is to get along with one :) If you love a man and want to be the "best" for him, then you will run into some problems. It seems like I fail at being a "good" woman a lot. But books like "Love and Respect", and "Wild at heart", are helping me dive into the male psyche so I can better understand the man I am going to marry. Getting married still feels like a dream or another world away to me. I don't think it's hit me yet. Everytime I look at my wedding dress it hits me though :) I can't wait to wear it. I can't wait to be princess for a day and be "the most beautiful woman" he has ever seen. I want his heart to fill with love and awe for me. I guess that's a longing in my heart; to be the object of desire, for someone to be in awe of me- to be captivated. Isn't that the heart of God too though? He longs for us to desire Him and be in awe of Him. I believe that :) Thanks Lord for giving me your tender heart. I love you.
11/15/07
Engagement... ahhhh, engagement. Here is my take on engagement. You know that phrase from some movie or play where they say, "they
were the best of times, they were the worst of times"? Ok, so that's what engagement is. If you break down the word "engagement" it is this: en- in, into; gage-pledge. You are entering into a contract, or a pledge if you will, with another person. Now, if you look this word up in the dictionary this is what you will find:en·gage [en-geyj] verb, -gaged, -gag·ing.
–verb (used with object)
2. to secure for aid, employment, use, etc.; hire: to engage a worker; to engage a room.
3. to attract and hold fast: The novel engaged her attention and interest.
4. to attract or please: His good nature engages everyone.
5. to bind, as by pledge, promise, contract, or oath; make liable: He engaged himself to repay his debt within a month.
6. to betroth (usually used in the passive): They were engaged last week.
7. to bring (troops) into conflict; enter into conflict with: Our army engaged the enemy.
8. Mechanics. to cause (gears or the like) to become interlocked; interlock with.
9. to attach or secure.
10. Obsolete. to entangle or involve.
–verb (used without object)
11. to occupy oneself; become involved: to engage in business or politics.
12. to take employment: She engaged in her mother's business.
13. to pledge one's word; assume an obligation: I was unwilling to engage on such terms.
14. to cross weapons; enter into conflict: The armies engaged early in the morning.
15. Mechanics. (of gears or the like) to interlock.
Ok, there are some cool things about the word "engage" and how it really shows the true meaning of "engagement". But did you see the part that said " to cross weapons; enter into conflict"? Ya, that's a big part that stands out to me. Sometimes it feels like war. But not just with eachother, but with the enemy of our souls and our flesh. I remember people telling Nate and I that things would get "different" during engagement. They did. It's another level. It's a cool level, but your in limbo now. You are half way between dating and marriage.But really, you enter a battle. You "engage" in war, with eachother, and with yourself. But I wouldn't trade it for anything- maybe except for marriage :)Here is a movie I made of my engagement:
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