Surviving Till Happily Ever After

I am not sure if I mentioned that my parents recently celebrated their 5oth wedding anniversary or not.

In these modern times, that is no small feat!

I want to share with you some things that I have learned from them over the years.

The first and foremost thing is that "Marriage is not perfect."

I have seen my parents survive some extreme ups and downs over the years. And, there were times when I know they felt like throwing in the towel and saying "enough is enough." But, they didn't.

"Family needs to be FIRST after God in your home."

If you reach a point where something else becomes more important than those that you share each day with then you are in for some major problems! You have to remember at all times that each decision you make not only effects you, it effects your family too.

"If Mom and Dad don't have a relationship then the whole family suffers."

You have to take time out for each other, make it a priority! Talk to one another, have a date night, and support each other!

"Make memories!"

Have little adventures and share simple times TOGETHER! Know one another!

"For Better or Worse is easier said than done."

I would be remiss not to say that there have been times in my own marriage where I have wanted to run away from home. Marriage is hard work. And I know that there are problems and situations that cannot be overcome especially in these complicated times we live in. But if the end comes then I want it to be said that "I" did all I knew to do!

We recently snuck away for a weekend together. We went to Plains, GA and stayed at the Plains Historic Inn! It is one of my most favorite places.

While we were there we went to hear Former President Carter teach Sunday School and had our picture taken with Mr. and Mrs. Carter after service. One of the things that has stuck with me was the fact that during our INSTRUCTION period before he arrived we were told that they stood together, holding hands and we were NOT to try to separate them!

That is the MAIN key to making it right there! Don't let anything separate you! Stick together!!

When my father was so very sick recently and we were called in thinking it was the end my father said of our family "We've got to stick together."

I have seen some difficult times in my parents marriage, some difficult times in my own, and I am quite sure I will see more. But, if we can just stick together, hold on to each other, maybe we will survive to our 50th anniversary.

Maybe we can live happily EVEN after!!

Coffee, Tea, or Me.....Having a Heart of Servanthood

I have felt a higher calling of late.

My prayer has always been to have the heart of a servant. But during my study the other morning I thought, "exactly what does that mean?"

Yes, I want to be of service, but do I really understand what it means to serve?

So, I looked it up.

A Servant is one who serves, no big surprise here.

To SERVE is to be subordinate to, to act a secondary part under, to appear as the inferior of; to minister to.

To SERVE is to be of use; to answer a purpose; to suffice, to suit; to be convenient or favorable.

To SERVE is to be used by; as of a utility.

To SERVE is to promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to.

When I think of serving I think "what can I DO!"

Maybe I need to be thinking "what can I GIVE!"

I prayed that the Lord would give me a good biblical illustration of serving, of real servanthood. I had many pop into my mind...

But suddenly He brought to my mind Matthew 25:36-40

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me, I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

The part I love the most about this section of scripture is the setting He described before He began this in Matthew 25:34

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

This is the reward for the servant.

During his reign, King Frederick William III of Prussia found himself in a bind. Wars had been costly, and in trying to build the nation, he was seriously short of finances. After careful reflection, he decided to ask the women of Prussia if they would bring their jewelry of gold and silver to be melted down for their country. Each piece of jewelry he received, he would exchange for a decoration of bronze or iron as a symbol of his gratitude. These decorations would be inscribed, ‘I gave gold for iron, 1813′.

The response was overwhelming. But more importantly, the women prized these gifts from the king even more highly than their former jewelry! The reason, of course, is clear. They were proof that they had sacrificed for their king.

There is a reward for the servant. But the key may be not in what we do for those around us, but in what we willing GIVE to those around us.

Preparing The Nursery

Isaiah 66:7-8 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

I have had many dreams in my past. I can still remember dreams I had when I was a child.

Sometimes I dream and the dream will be so vivid, so real, that I can smell smells and feel things I am touching.

Last night I had such a dream.

I dreamed that somehow I had a baby. I was on my way somewhere and I had this fat little healthy baby in my arms.

And I crawled into the back of the car because I had no car seat to put the baby in.

Then I noticed as I was holding the baby that it only had on a diaper and his skin was cold under my hands.

So I started looking for clothes in the diaper bag to dress the baby....only there were no clothes.

The diaper bag was full of dirty diapers. There were no wipes to clean the baby up with.

There was a bottle that was full of only water and I had no formula to mix in it, no other way to feed this baby.

I had this beautiful little baby boy and I was totally unprepared to care for him.

This baby has haunted my thoughts all day, and every time I picture him in my arms looking up at me and expecting me to take care of him my eyes fill with tears.

Somebody trusted me with him and I blew it. I was totally unprepared to take care of him.

Oh, I could have cuddled him and loved him, but that wouldn't have put food in his belly to stop his hunger. I could have sang a beautiful lullaby to soothe him, but that wouldn't have protected him from the cold, that wouldn't have cleaned him up.

I can't count the times today I have wept, not for the baby, but for me.

I was not prepared.

I have prayed for revival, prayed for new birth, to see new souls born and to watch them grow in Him.

I have wept and travailed awaiting the arrival of these new babies.

Could it be that I'm not ready?

Could it be that I have not prepared? Do I not have in place inside me what it will take to nurture new life, to teach a new baby, nourish a new baby, protect a new baby until it is ready to move from milk to meat?

Could something in me be the reason Zion has not given birth here in this city??

I sit here tonight with tears running down my face because more than anything else I want to be READY!!

Search every part of me, LORD, every part. I have been travailing so long and I am certain the time is near. Make room in my life, let me have everything in place so that when I have those babies in my arms I will be prepared to care for them, for Your Word says "for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought for her children" so I know many are coming.

I am so longing to see "The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!" (Lamentations 4:2)

Welcome 2010

I am anxiously anticipating this new year! So many exciting things are on the horizon.

Keep checking the blog. I am working on a couple of things that I should be posting soon.

In the mean time....God Bless....God FIRST!! That is the key to success!!