Part of me cannot say why, but lets just say that planning this sponsored wedding is really hard work! I know that from the post that I put up last night (which was meant to go up last week, when I was really feeling the frustration), that you will all know that I was frustrated but I think shedding a little light on this will help.
I need to have a 'rise up' moment and get over myself. Its not about me. People will make decisions and ask you things, and you need to comply when the authority to choose otherwise resides in their hands, not yours.
Over the last 2 weeks, I found myself not wanting to blog as much, simply because there were some things (backlash, outrage etc) that were said by people, that had Kyle and I on shaky ground.
Should we really be planning this sponsored wedding.
Can we accomplish it.
Are we REALLY focused on doing our best for others, and not just ourselves.
Are we greedy?
As these words kept being thrown into a pot of doubt, one to which I didn't voluntarily start brewing, I began to allow it all to stew. And anyone making soup will know that you have to let all the ingredients boil together to really release their flavor and maximize their potential.
Question: Whose hands is this wedding in? Yours or Gods?
As a Christian that answer should come easily to me, however combining the frailty of my mind and shaky confidence in what we are doing due to un-kind words tossed to and fro; it has taken a few days, and a few prayers... and finally and throwing of my hands in the air... I am not in control.
All I can do is trust.
This the reason that I didn't write anything over the last 2 weeks. I began to doubt where my trust was, and why I am putting so much into this sponsored wedding, yet receiving such un-kindness from certain outlets. That being said, at the end of this past week, Good Friday came. Literally.
Now, honesty for honesty sake, I am still uncertain of how to pull off some of this, but I have to realize that I will eventually get see the fruition of hard work.
To give you a taste of what has been said...
1. You are greedy... look at all those gift registries.
2. You just want a free wedding.
Now I will not justify those statements with an outlandish answer as to why I know that they are wrong. I would only be putting myself in the hands of those ready to crush and grind. However, I will say these two things.
1. We have a number of friends and 'family' that are overseas and can not afford the trek to Winnipeg to come and be apart of our blessed day. Yet they have expressed an understanding of who we are, and want to support us as we venture out into marriage. One of the ways of doing this is through purchasing a gift online and having it delivered to us, through our registered store. And as we have no previous 'house ownership' or 'home furnishings', being registered at a number of stores that have a 'completion program', allows us to have a fixed discount on items not purchased as gifts for an entire year following our 'i do' day! And everyone knows that a discount, as small as it is, can go a long way!
2. I recently viewed a YouTube video of a couple in the USA, in their attempt to have a sponsored wedding. Thing is, they really do want a free wedding. They are not doing anything for their sponsors. They simply were asking for 'donations' as sponsorship. Kyle and I believe whole-heartedly in each of our sponsors and have considered them and their ability and financial commitment to our wedding, before we move forward with sponsorship. We want to be able to help propel our sponsors toward their future goals and help them achieve an audience that they would otherwise not normally reach. I think that the true heart of a sponsored wedding must come from a couple wanting to secure their future marriage and not be in debt going into a new life together, while helping others and putting others before themselves.
Just a few thoughts on the happenings of the past few weeks.
I promise that from here on out that the good, the bad and the ugly... but mostly the amazing (said in faith), will be what is spoken about here...
so keep reading... We still have 100 days (EXACTLY!) until our wedding!!
