Another Marriage Post ❤️

Michael and I have been attending a class on how to help others through Biblical counseling. It’s been so, so good. We have thoroughly enjoyed it and learned so much. Still have a long way to go...

“A good marriage really helps you understand the Gospel.” Jim Newheiser, IBCD

Last night’s session was an excellent reminder on how God loves us, accepts us, is pleased with us through no work of ours, but through the work of Christ alone. In return, our love and gratitude to Him cause us to desire to honor Him and to obey His Word. He gave a sweet word picture of how marriage can (and should) resemble this. 

The Gospel is the key to change. And we are responsible to exert effort to change. Remember who we are in Christ.

Sweet Moments

Whew!  Has this last week (or so) ever been super busy!  But it's been a good busy and we've really enjoyed it!

A sweet and beautiful wedding... (*See earlier post from today.  I wanted to share it outside of my normal read area and didn't want to add all the personal stuff. 😍)

We couldn't all attend, but these cuties had fun!

A rare picture with Sarah...(oops, did not get one with my hubby!😞)

The younger children got to experience the fun of a water park for the first time.  

And some play on the courts...

Michael and I got a brief getaway for our anniversary.  We spent the day kayaking in Arkansas.  It's always so precious to spend quiet time with my love!

We wrapped up the busy, crazy week with a sweet time at Coffee 'N Crafts in Shawnee.  A great place to go for relaxation and great coffee!

Abby spent all of her time free-handing or tracing pictures onto canvas for people to paint and reading the step-by-step instructions to the little boys so they could get the picture they had picked out.  

*A bit of a disclaimer...if you go, they don't have directions there.  Abby researched how-to sites for the pictures they wanted and printed everything out before we went.  A couple of children chose to do their own thing, without a guideline and that was fine, too.

With a couple of precious friends...

And of course they got to shop specialty drinks and cakes... Yum!

The finished products... (Notice that Wallace did 2 of the same project.  Perfectionist, maybe?😆)

Selah even got to play on their piano and provide some entertainment...

These guys were so proud of their art!  Andrew wanted to take a picture as soon as we got home to send to Daddy...

They both did such a great job listening and following instructions.  And Titus learned a valuable lesson.  Abby was reading the instructions to him, a step at a time, and left him to finish the step while she went to help Andrew.  He finished but decided he didn't want to wait so he tried to paint it like the sample.  Unfortunately he had just painted the zebra a solid color so when he went to add the stripes on, they mixed together to make a very uncomely mess.  He was pretty upset and Abby explained to him that that is why it's important to follow the directions and that he was supposed to dry it between colors.  He was pretty sad because he couldn't fix it so she told him it was okay, they'd fix it together.  She painted white over it so he could basically start over.  Of course he waited and followed directions EXACTLY the rest of the project.  At the end, he brought it over to show me and said, "Momma, look at my picture.  I messed up really bad but Abby helped me!"  I talked to him about how life is like that, too.  Sometimes we mess up and sometimes it's really bad, but those who love us come along beside us and help us set things aright.  We talked about how sometimes he can help others, too.  Later, we talked about how instructions aren't just for projects but that God has given us specific instructions to follow, too, and it's important that we know them and follow them.

I love how God gives us valuable life lessons in the small, ordinary, everyday things!

Sacred Marriage

We recently attended a few wonderful, godly weddings and it's put me to thinking on marriage a lot.  It helps that this is the month of our anniversary!  😍  

I love how marriage is such a beautiful picture of Christ and His Bride.  Also, how it teaches us so much about our relationship with the Lord.  

We've been listening to a message on marriage by Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage, What if God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy.  It has been so, so good! 

John Fuller says that one of the best wedding gifts God gave you was a full-length mirror called your spouse.  If there had been a card attached, it would've said, "Here's to helping you discover what you're really like."

Here is a quote from Gary: 

"I believe in every aspect of marriage, there's the invitation to become more like Christ.  The problem is that we have to accept that as one of the purposes of marriage.  I got married for entirely opposite reasons.  I wanted somebody to love me.  I wanted somebody to appreciate me.  I wanted somebody to occasionally serve me.  I'm embarrassed to say that.  And it wasn't until I really began to understand that marriage is about becoming, that I really began to get a feel for why God created marriage and what it could do.  We don't have this sense that we're becoming someone.  We have this sense that we want someone to be there for us.  We don't even have the sense that we need to become something we're not.  In fact, we kinda define love as, you're supposed to accept me as I am and appreciate me as I am and respect me as I am.  And so, we lose that whole emphasis that marriage can call us to become someone else.  More importantly, call us to become more like Jesus Christ."

A few other key points:

*Holiness is what protects happiness.  When you have 2 people who are fighting over selfish things, there's no way to resolve it.  But when they are both seeking to grow in holiness, resolution can be found.

*Become ONE isn't easy.  We have to die to the sins that push us apart.

*God has a mission for each one of us.  Sometimes our most difficult relationships are the tools He uses to give us the character so we can succeed in that mission.

I encourage you to listen to the whole message at 

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/episodes/broadcast/embracing-gods-desire-for-your-marriage-part-1-of-2/.  Be sure to listen to both parts!

And get the book! 😍

Anniversary

This man...my heart overflows with love for him. He is the strongest of men, yet gentle. Kind. Humble. He lives out Ephesians 5:25 consistently and well. I am so grateful for this man who walks worthy, fully submitted to the Lord, for His dedication to holiness, for His faithful leadership of our clan, for his tender love and protection. And I’m thankful for anniversary days that cause us to pause and reflect on God’s abundant goodness to us! ❤️

From Grief to Glory

I had a conversation last night that reminded me once again of this book. I highly recommend it! This is the first book I read after William died that gave me hope that it didn’t make me of weak faith to grieve.

Read the original post here: https://causeme2hear.blogspot.com/2017/07/godly-sorrow.html?m=0

The Unwanted Club

Another sweet friend has joined this most unwanted club. Millie Mounts received her miracle yesterday, though not in the way we had so hoped for. Please pray for her family as they navigate this dark valley.

Too Busy?

I’ve been so busy, I completely forgot it is Thursday! 😳

Busy is good for me. It helps me not to overthink. But I can easily get over-busy and exhausted! I have to constantly balance that fine line. Even when I’m filling my life with good things, it can easily become too much.

Here’s a weekly dose of cuteness...❤️

And a good reminder...

Be mighty! ❤️🦖❤️🦖