The [Honor] Ring...

Let me begin by giving you a little background info;

Straight out of High School, I packed up my bags and hit the road! Sixteen [felt more like a million!!] hours later I arrived at my new home for the year; Garden Valley, Texas. Yes, Texas. An interesting place, with interesting inhabitants! I was finally at Teen Mania Ministries about to undergo my new adventure at their internship called, "The Honor Academy"! I had known since I was in grade 9 I wanted to go to The Honor Academy after High School. It wasn't even a question in my mind. At this point, all of my siblings have gone there actually [and no, our parents didn't make us!]. It was such a pivotal year in my life. I looking back on that year somewhat remorsefully, however, at this point knowing how much more I could have put into it...but hey, let's not live in the past! All in all, it was a life changing year! Upon graduation of this internship we got this!!

The Honor Ring! [Well, not this one exactly, because, you see...I lost the one they gave me somewhere along the way....and got this new one  yesterday!]

The point of this ring though was to symbolize the "brotherhood", "sisterhood"....uh...community of believers that you had just journeyed on with through the past year of your life; and also joining you with all the others who had gone before us, or who were to come after; and by taking this ring you were saying, my house, my heart, my life is open to my Honor Academy family at all times...like some massive networking system [kind of how the Body of Christ is supposed to be anyways!] We had this Ring Banquet when they gave us all the rings and we all in unison said this pledge [I know, sounds a little sketchy!! Haha!], and then got to proudly were our Honor Rings.

Here's the thing though; I don't think I ever took all of this that seriously until I began thinking about it in recent weeks. One of the main things we were taught at this academy was honor [hence, The Honor Academy.] The thing that began my thought process on all of this recently was a sermon I heard a few weeks ago about honor. How we need to honor our forefathers, honor our parents, honor our pastors, honor fellow brothers and sisters...and to esteem them more highly than we do ourselves. It was refreshing to hear such a relevant and impacting teaching, in a body of Christ were I don't think many people truly understand the concept of Honor, or how to operate in it. Then I began thinking of all of the things I learned my year in Texas, and everything I have learned since; and began feeling a certain level of ownership over this whole situation, because you're responsible for what you know. I am responsible to be an example of a God fearing, righteous, honorable young lady...because I know that I should be. I then began to feel distressed knowing I had so carelessly misplaced the ring I had originally been given; thus frantically contacting Teen Mania by way of calling the Guard Booth repeatedly until I heard back from someone!

Now that I think about it I am glad I lost the first ring, and then have been able to go through this whole thought process now...and come to a deeper and more meaningful understanding that perhaps I would not have come to otherwise. I look at this new ring now though, and honor  Teen Mania for the vision of excellence and Godly character that they [and my parents before then!] had instilled so strongly in me. However, I wear this ring now reminding myself of the sole fact that this is how the body of Christ is to function, not just my Teen Mania comrades. I want to love, respect and value each individual I come across, and be open to them regardless of anything; and to show them honor. I want to show this to all people, not even  just followers of The Way.

All in all. I am very thankful for and honor the heritage my parents have began for my siblings and I and our future families, I am thankful for my year in Texas, and I am even more thankful for everything that has come since then, teaching me yet more invaluable lessons in my character and in living for my beautiful Lord.