Love Is Something Lived Through: The Ultimate Love Banquet

On Sunday, April 3, 2011 I hosted a banquet. This wasn't your typical high school or college banquet, but a banquet for the homeless.

On Friday it all hit me. I was in Campus Ministries going through all of the formal wear that had been donated by students. I finally realized all that I had to do to actually pull off this banquet. Friday went by so fast and I didn't get everything done that I needed to but was very ready to embrace the Sabbath after a rough week of school.

Saturday night rolled around and I decided to drag my friends along with me to WalMart to pick up all the things I needed, and thank goodness I did! I realized my list of things that I needed was nowhere near what it needed to be. I would have forgotten half of the food had I not broughten everyone with me. After this I began to panic. What else had I forgotten?!

Sunday morning came around and sleep was barely an option. I set my alarm and woke up before it went off. Since I couldn't fall back asleep I started my day in complete fear that I was going to forget everything. As I ran around from place to place, I was in constant prayer asking God to make sure I don't forget anything and that everything would work out smoothly. My mom and friends helped me so much by running around and picking up all the things I forgot, because believe me I did forget some stuff.

Decorating started early and we got done quick, which was perfect so I could run around town and drop off dresses, and hair and make-up stuff to the People's City Mission.

3:30 hit and the fun began. Getting the right size dress was difficult but we got everyone's hair and make-up complete and then ran people around town who we didn't have dresses for. This was the MOST stressful part of my day. I learned how truly greatful some people can be and how so ungreatful and inconciderate others can be.

I ran one lady all the way around town, litterly. And she was so ungreatful even to the point of saying to her friend on the phone, "I am supposed to be feeling like royalty but I can't find a dress in my size so I feel even worse than before." What a blow. I almost broke down. I tried so hard to help her and all I got was complaints, so I just took a deep breath and waited it out. Well, she finally found somoething to wear and we got to the banquet...... AN HOUR LATE. I was beyond frustrated. Thankfully, this was the only rough patch that we had.

Everyone who was there had a great time and really loved all the entertainment. I was told after everyone left that one lady came up to one of our volunteers, almost in tears, and said, "I have never seen my husband in a tie before" That statement alone made my entire night worth it.

Love is Something Lived: Through Compliments

The other day my friends and I were discussing plastic surgery. We talked about if we would ever get any and if so what would it be. It was not just girls, in fact it was mostly guys. Everyone was going around saying what they would change and then one of them turned to me and said, "What would you have done?" I thought about it only for a moment and said, "Nothing." They responded with, "Oh Courtney's just sitting over here thinking she is perfect." or something to that effect. So I turned and said, "is it so wrong for a girl to be comfortable with the way she is?"

Now I know my friend didn't mean anything bad or mean by what they had said, but it made me realize what kind of a world we live in. What kind of world is this that it's strange to find a girl who comfortable with who she is and how she looks. That is not how it is supposed to be.
God's intention for us all was never to feel uncomfortable in our own skin. Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Never let a day go by that you don't encourage one another. We are supposed to be here to show others God and uplift those around us. So love everyone around you with everything you have and tell them (girl or guy) how beautiful they truly are, inside and out. Let's just try to make this world a better place, one compliment at a time.