I’ve entitled this blog entry The Vacant Chair — a title that’s not original with me, but the title of a poem I’ll add to this post in a moment. The poem was written by a dear saint, the husband of a precious friend who passed into heaven earlier this year. It’s interesting that the poem should come in the mail today… as I have been thinking of several different ones who have ‘vacant chairs’ at their tables again this year. I think of the mothers and fathers who stand at the glass watching for the wayward son or daughter, continue reading
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Category: marriage Springtime came…
I smile as I look back and recall a blog entry I wrote on the 22nd of March called Springtime… seasons. At the end of that post I wrote: “… And I can truly say that God has had the sweetest surprises in store for me following some of the seemingly most barren seasons. Praise the Lord. He only does all things well. May I never take this for granted.” Additionally, in that post I included the lyrics of a song Spring Time’s Comin’ that’s surely become even more meaningful to me since that post was written — because just continue reading
View Article...Category: marriage 33.25
Thirty three and a quarter years ago today, Wes and I were married in SanFrancisco. The glow we had that 4th day of February truly was the glow of love, but it was also the glow of a high fever — a fever that led us to go to the doctor for meds and a fever that led to us to cancel our honeymoon plans to go to Hawaii — to Maui. We’ve often commented over the years that we knew the Lord was in control of those plans — those cancellations — and had a better plan for us continue reading
View Article...Category: marriage Could this be *the* year for you?
Could This Be *The* Year For You? “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” —John 14.15 O, sisters in the LORD—could this be *the* year for you? This is when the real change will occur… when we finally seek to know and to live the truths of God’s Word…when we lay our lives at His feet, when we give Him everything we’ve held on to: hands down… when we accept and apply the teaching of the Lord Jesus—demonstrating our love for Him by our obedience to Him… When we finally reckon with: If you love Me you will obey Me. continue reading
View Article...Category: marriage The Love Dare Journal — Day 4 — Love is Thoughtful
“Love thinks. It’s not a mindless feeling that rides on waves of emotion and falls asleep mentally. It keeps busy in thought, knowing that loving thoughts precede loving actions.” Today’s ‘dare’ is based on the principle that Love is Thoughtful. I have been prompted to ask myself many times: is this thoughtful… am I mindful of his feelings, wishes, desires? Am I thinking — really thinking — of his needs? The book outlines ways we slip out of being thoughtful — or how we tend to be less thoughtful than we were, say, when we were continue reading
View Article...Category: marriage The Love Dare Journal — Day 3 — Love is not selfish —
Love is not Selfish. This chapter begins with the comment: “We live in a world that is enamored with ‘self.’ The culture around us teaches us to focus on our appearance, feelings, and personal desires as the top priority. The goal, it seems, is to chase the highest level of happiness possible…” I am continuing to mull over each days’ entries and suggestions. I am finding that it’s increasingly difficult to relate to this book from my personal standpoint — and I’ll tell you why. My husband and I have determined to whatever has been necessary to have a strong, continue reading
View Article...Category: marriage The Love Dare Journal — Day 2 — Love is Kind
The Love Dare — Day 2 — Love is Kind Today’s Dare was much like (in my mind anyway) yesterday’s dare — except it was more “outward” or “tangible” instead of passive, personal or inward. Whereas yesterday’s dare was a “be careful, little mouth, what you say” sort of thing, I think today’s dare was more: be careful caring, little hands, what you do. However, that said, being kind (as with being patient) also requires great emotional and verbal restraint from time to time. Not reading ahead for tomorrow’s dare, the coupling of the first two ‘dares’ for the continue reading
View Article...Category: marriage The Love Dare Journal Day 1 ~ Love is Patient
This is going to be some journey as I attempt to follow the ‘rules’ and go through each of the forty days’ suggestions. I cannot, however, resist making a few comments. I’ve skimmed through the book — but I’ve intentionally not read through the whole thing… so that I will approach each day with an open mind. I understand why the authors have chosen some of the headings or topics – as they follow 1Corinthians 13 in presenting some of the days challenges or “love dares.” I also want to point out a thought expressed in the introduction: “If you continue reading
View Article...Category: marriage 30 Favourite Things #13
Another favourite memory of my fiftieth year was going to the movie Fireproof! For a bit, the movie was blazing like a wild fire. Though I still don’t have the Love Dare Journal, one of our daughters did buy the DVD of the movie. It really is a great movie I’m so glad to have seen — and I’m so thankful — for many reasons — to have been able to go see the movie in the theater. The first time was with Wes and then again with a couple of our older children; and, if I could, I’d go continue reading
View Article...Category: marriage I ♥ marriage
I love it. I love my own and I love others’ marriages as well. I love God’s beautiful plan for marriage – His picture and His design. I love the imagery of marriage and am thankful that God, in His gracious wisdom and mercy, created marriage and called it a picture of Christ and the church — the Lord and His bride… that’s an incredible picture — an incredible gift. What a loving and merciful God — to show us Himself by what He creates, what He designs and what He establishes. So, yeah…I ♥ marriage. I’ve seen a lot continue reading
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