thankful for my marriage

I sat near an older couple, ok they were probably my age, recently meeting for the first time and discussing their past marriages talking about the fact that it's hard to date in your 60's, I'm pretty sure they met on-line.

It made me VERY thankful for my marriage.

We recently moved and found that it drew us closer together, a common dream and quite the challenge to empty a house after being there 23 years and squeezing into a tiny house!  So fun.

I also appreciate a ministry that offers opportunities to grow closer as a couple.  

Currently Crossroads is offering a Valentines Banquet CLICK HERE for couples and singles both and we're bringing Kirk Cameron live to speak to us about both marriage and parenting.  PLEASE register right away CLICK HERE.

I'm challenging you to take advantage of both of these events, as well as classes and groups being offered right now in our Winter Semester CLICK HERE to see the catalogue, and try to be intentional about being thankful for your marriage!

Go love your spouse well!

stark contrasts

 I was in the process of texting my son to tell him how proud I am of him after watching his most recent video, http://vimeo.com/54815992 and how I marvel at the seemingly unending talent and ability that God has blessed him with, when a text came in on my hubby's phone laying beside me.

My amazing hubby, makes a certain special needs adult young man feel he can come to him about anything.  So he very often and sometimes MANY times a day hears from this young man.  The other text message told my hubby that he was going back to the doctor.  His 'shaking' has become very bad.

It struck me what a contrast this was.

On one hand our son, a young man fully capable of doing almost anything he puts his mind to, on the other hand a young man who would give anything for an opportunity just to be fully functional and able to choose what to accomplish today.  Instead it's dictated to him, day after day, what he'll accomplish based on his current health and stability of mind.

Why does God allow this kind of contrast...I don't know.  I do believe God is sovereign and He decides what best furthers His kingdom.

Watching this special needs young man struggle sometimes just to survive, does draw me to the Lord.  It draws me in prayer and it encourages me when he succeeds - I cheer for him.  I can understand - just a little  bit more, how things that don't make sense to us fit into God's plan, and I rest in that.

Yes, it's easy for me to say, because my son is doing well and is healthy, but I've worked with special needs kids in the past and I understand even more now why they are so special.  It's their pure belief and joy in the Lord.  It's the uninhibited joy and their expression in worship that I see in our services at Crossroads.  God uses the 'least of these'.  In His eyes I suspect THEY are the closest to the heart of God - they are unquestioning.

Stark contrasts drove me to the Lord today.

the greatest is love

I was reading this morning and came across the scripture where Peter asks the question, "What about John?"

Obviously this had to be upsetting to Jesus because Peter had his eyes on John instead of what Jesus was calling him to do. As I continued to read I realized it was a question of love.

Jesus knew the only way Peter would follow him through everything he was called to do is if Peter loved Jesus more than life itself. This forces me to ask myself, how much do I love Him?

Beth Moore wrote, "dedication to ministry and to serving others can sustain you for a while, but without being deeply and completely in love with Jesus, we will eventually burn out and fall away."

That is NOT what I want my legacy to be. How awesome would it be if people someday look at our life and say, "she was so in love with Jesus that her love made her unafraid, un-distracted and unselfish".

I will admit, I do not think I am anywhere near that level of love. In 2011 I long to fall deeply into my Savior and I want all of my work to come from that love not obligation.

You don't have to work in the ministry in order for your day's work to come out of love for Jesus. Love Him so much that those around you see it and want it.

what I learned today

I learned I am very, very thankful for my husband! We are celebrating 32 years of wedded bliss today!

I like Ron because...

He loves me regardless...
He loves God with his actions as well as his words!
(consistency- something I greatly admire!)
He is SO kind all the time!
He is a great father!
He works very, very hard! (something else I greatly admire)
He is cute!
He celebrates my victories as if they were his own!! (he's my greatest cheerleader!)
He loves my family.

Well, as you can see - he's pretty much perfect!

LOVE YOU RON!

quote

This is a quote from the conference I just attended:

SUCCESS: having the people that know you the best - love you the most


Is that even possible? I want this to be true of those around me! To be loved even more by those closest to me than those who only see me when I'm 'out in public' so to speak, when I'm on, when I'm dressed up. I pray it is true, and I'll do whatever I can to make it so!

So how about you? Do you think those closest love you most? I'd love to hear from you!