Friday, August 17, 2012

No Refunds! No Exchanges!!!

I recently was out and about CHAPERONING and while chaperoning...I got BORED...it seemed like a brilliant idea to go SHOPPING!!! Lets just say it got a lil wild... I kept findin the CUTEST things for the most amazing prices and I just kept sliding my debit card!!! (Yes, I had sufficient funds for EVERYTHING I was buying...LOL) Buuuuut yeah, they weren't neccesary purchases, I was just BORED!!! (This was before I got an iPhone, I'll NEVERRR be bored now!!! HAHA!!!) 
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Sooooo after I made my purchases, i'm sitting at Starbucks chaperoning still and I look at my pile of bags and just crack up laughing!!! Then I send a text message out to all my friends, I say something like, "HEY! I'm out chaperoning tonight buuuut I think the real ONES that need a chaperone is ME and my DEBIT CARD!!! We are having waaaaaaaaaaay to much fun together!!! HAHA!!!"
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Well about two days later, I realized that I did NOT need most of the stuff that I had just bought and since I STILL had my receipts, I went BACK to all the stores that I had just been too, returned my purchases and got all my money back!!! I was like, NIIIIIICE!!! Ah...its NICE to be able to return things that we bought on a whim buuuuuuuut...I HATE those stores with the NO REFUNDS policy!!!
 I NEVER buy anything from them unless I absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt KNOW, that it is EXACTLEY what I want and need.
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Then  i got to thinking about it and I was like you know, those stores are kind of like relationships...
There are NO refunds in relationships.
Whatever you give, you can't get back!!!
Thats why it is SOOOOO important for us to be careful and guard our hearts. We have to make barriers to protect ourselves, because WHATEVER we purchase, its FOREVER!!!
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Someone recently asked me about kissing before marriage. Just asking my opinion, thinking about what they were going to do. Then they were like, WELL MARY, I KNOW where you stand on that. I was like, WAIT, YES!!! I have a very STRONG opinion on kissing before marriage, (You can read about that HERE) buuuuuut for a reason. Let me explain myself!!!
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I said, I don't think that kissing before marriage is particularly a sin, buuuuuut whatever you give you can't get back!!! There are NO guarantees of marriage, UNTIL you actually make the vow, that it is REALLY going to happen.You can say you know,  I thought I knew, BUT I didn't!!! I thought it was a done deal, but it wasn't!!! And when it was all said and done, you don't know how many times I have thanked God, that I made a commitment to Him to save my first kiss for marriage!!! OH HOW I THANK GOD FOR THAT!!!
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I can't imagine how I would have felt. I'm not saying I was perfect. I'm ashamed to say this, but its the truth, I held hands/hugged without my pastor's permission, ANNNND I remember after the break up, after getting over the broken heart, I remember the sadness I felt. I remember just laying in my bed at night crying. I remember burying my face in the bed, beneath the covers, telling God I'm sorry. I'm soooo sorry for holding hands with a man I didn't end up marrying. I never thought it would end up this way!!!
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 Even though I was over him, there was a part of me that still wanted it to work out, JUST BECAUSE, I had given a part of my heart to him that I knew I could NEVER get back. It wasn't really him, that I wanted back, it was that part of ME that I really wanted...what I had given away. BUT I couldn't get it back, BECAUSE there are NO REFUNDS in relationships!!!
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You may be thinking, Its just a hug! Whats a little hand holding? Thats good, thats safe! Thats not a sin! Thats NOT a big deal, but for me IT IS!!! I don't take those things lightly. I worked through it, God helped and I got over it, buuuut I can't even imagine how I would have felt if I had kissed him. I thank God I made a vow when I was in my teens. I learned a lesson that I'll NEVER FORGET!!!
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I wrote this post at the beginning of this week, and honestly, I thought twice about even posting it, because addmitting this stuff...its some what...ummm... HUMILIATING!!! Yet I felt compelled, perhaps there is ONE PERSON that needs to read this!!! So I pour my heart out here today, sharing an embarrassing and humbling part of my life in hopes to encourage other young people. BE CAREFUL!!! You may think you know, BUT YOU DON'T!!! (Your NOT God!!!) Guard your heart in relationships, because whatever you give, YOU CAN NOT GET BACK!!! When it comes to relationships, there is a NO REFUND!!! NO EXCHANGES POLICY!!!
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Just how I said concerning the NO REFUND STORES,  I NEVER buy anything from them unless I absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt KNOW, that it is EXACTLEY what I want and need. I want to take that same perspective into relationships. I will give my first kiss, WHEN I absolutely know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, at the alter, AFTER THE VOW!!!
"Keep your heart with all diligence;
 for out of it are the issues of life."
(Proverbs 4:23)

♥Mary Frances :)