Purity Rings

When I was thirteen years old I received my purity ring. It is a precious memory and one that I am going to share with you today.

One evening after my dad and I had been working out in the barn yard, he and Momma told me to go upstairs and get cleaned up because I was going out to eat. I was slightly confused for we normally all go out to eat together and it wasn't my birthday. I proceeded to get more confused when she made me get dressed up in something nice and then took several pictures with daddy:) As a "nosy first born" I love to be "in the know", and that night neither of them would tell me anything!:)

Daddy drove me to town and we had dinner at a beautiful old-fashioned restaurant. Apparently Momma had called ahead of time and requested that we sit somewhere by ourselves. After a delicious meal daddy pulled a little red box from his pocket and handed it to me. I was so surprised when I opened it! When we got back home momma and daddy talked about all that my purity ring symbolized. The company that they ordered if from included a letter which was a covenant between myself, my parents and God. I was committing to remain pure and my parents were committing to protect me. We all signed it. My father wears a "key" pin on his lapel which symbolizes that he is protecting and guarding my heart until the Lord brings the right man along. My ring is the shape of a heart with a "key hole" in it. One day if the Lord wills that I marry, he will present a card and the pin to my future husband.

Of course my dear sweet little sisters (Madeline and Mariah) were still awake when I went to bed:) Mariah's (she at the time was 4 years old) little blond head popped up and asked so very sweetly, "So, when are you going to get married?!! " I laughed and quickly explained that my new ring was a purity ring not an engagement ring!!!

When I received my purity ring I understood that I was not only committing to keeping myself pure physically, but emotionally as well. It meant that I would approach marriage from a biblical point of view ( known to some as courtship) refraining from what is commonly known as dating.

For all the girls in my house, courtship means that when any potential suitor is interested in any one of us he will go through our father first. And for my brothers they will have to be the one to approach someone else's father! I understood that courtship was two young people with the blessing of their parents, beginning a relationship with the purpose of marriage.

Recently my dear friend Sarah and her family came for a visit (I will be posting pictures from their visit soon) . She had just received her purity ring for Christmas and she allowed me to do some photography of her new ring. I had a wonderful time and I thought I would share a few of the pictures with you...

My beautiful friend Sarah and her purity ring.

This is a picture of Sarah's and my ring.
Daddy's pin
Much Love and Many Blessings

~M.E.~