Learn It Again, For The First Time

Have you ever grown weary of repeating the same lesson over, and over, and over? I have! And it is NOT FUN! Just when you think that course is behind you, and you are so ready to move on, you find yourself sitting (so to speak) in the classroom of the do-over, again. AAAGGGHHH!! Will this lesson ever stick...

I was a woman with a plan on that Friday, February 13th and (if I do say so myself) I was a woman working her plan, beautifully! Every detail was in order. The process had been completely painless. Everything had come together, not a single snag! I was AHEAD of schedule (a delightful first) and life was good. I was as giddy as a school girl as I waited for my Valentine to arrive...

I heard his car in the driveway and didn't think a thing about him being two hours early. My head was above the clouds in anticipation! I had rehearsed telling my Valentine the plan at least a dozen times, and could not wait to see his reaction! I just knew this would be a weekend to remember. I rushed to the door to greet him.

He walked through the door (actually he dragged himself through the door) and everything changed. In an instant my plan was torn to shreds. I had not planned on a virus - oh my, this changed everything. My heart was crushed, but I rolled with the new plan - Nyquil, and chicken soup.

I will not pretend I was not disappointed, I was. I will not pretend the weekend ended up looking anything like my plan, it did not. But it was a weekend to remember. It is, and will always be, one of my sweetest Valentine memories. I would not have missed it for the world.

For those of you that are wondering - yes, he was contagious! And yes, I did catch it! And yes, my sweetie rolled with plan B as he took care of me. Was it romantic, no. Was it anything that I would have asked for, no! Was it fun, you've got to be kidding! But during that time of taking care of my guy, and then having my guy take care of me, something wonderful happened - we grew closer than we have ever been.

That's when I had the privilege of learning (again) how great it is to NOT get what you wanted.

No doubt, I had a "good" idea. Had I been unwilling to release it - my heart would have been unwilling to receive God's idea. That would have been foolish indeed.

Father God, Thank you for allowing me to learn this lesson again, for the first time. Amen.

The Big Lie

I recently heard a "so called" marriage expert say that most people who give up on their marriage make the decision in January. I was grieved at the statistics but as I listened to this guy, I became down right angry. In reckless chatter he was (during the month of January!) giving a laundry list of reasons that would validate a January decision to throw in the towel. I started yelling at him, "Hey budy, we're not talking about numbers here, we're talking about people! Hurting people, and you're feeding them a lie!" Unfortunately my passionate outburst had no effect on the guy on TV but it did run both of my dogs under the bed.

I am not a woman with my head in the clouds, I know (all too well) there are many things that contribute to stress in marriage. I certainly would agree that buying things you cannot afford in December and getting bills (you can not pay!) is one. Another certainly is spending too much time with in-laws (and out-laws!) over the holiday season. And don't even get me started on unrealistic expectations we try to meet of our friends, our family, and (dare I say) even ourselves! Just thinking about that is making the vein in my forehead pop out! Yes, there is no denying these things do exist, and they can make for a stressful January, but they do not cause divorce.

So what does? In January, or any other month?

Choosing to buy into the lie.

I'm sorry, were you expecting something deep?

In our quest for happiness, we buy into it - hook, line and sinker!

The lie that divorce is the answer to all of our problems.

The lie that divorce will make us happy.

We want to believe it. We want it to be the answer!

Unfortunatlely, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Divorce will not rid you of all your stress.

Divorce will not rid you of all your pain.

Divorce may get rid of your husband, but hear me when I say your husband is not your enemy.

Satan is, and this lie comes straight from him.

His sole purpose is to lie, steal, and destroy.

Do not buy into his lie. Do not let him steal and destroy your marriage.


If you're thinking of walking away...


STOP & PRAY!

Ask God to turn your heart around!

You have no idea what the road looks like ahead!

It's all a big lie!

Turn around! Turn around! Turn around!


If your husband is thinking of walking away...

STOP & PRAY!

Ask God to turn his heart around.

Remember that he has no idea what the road looks like ahead.

It's all a big lie.

Wait, and Pray for his heart to turn around.


Father God, You are the creator of marriage and therefore it is good. Turn our hearts first back to you, Father. Protect us from our selfish desires that the enemy would like to use to steal and destroy our marriage. Renew in us a desire for our husbands, and our husbands for us, that we may walk in marriage as You have created it. We boldly ask You to give us a passion for nothing less than Your best. In Jesus Name. Amen.