Valentine"s Perfection

Valentine's weekend wasn't all it was cracked up to be initially.  We had a family emergency we needed to get out to Las Vegas for, which meant a long car ride.  Fortunately, thanks to grandma and grandpa we were able to go solo which made for great talk time and no pit stops to pee.  We had our fancy meal on the road, surrounded by desert for as far as the eye could see.

Late that evening we headed home.  We wanted the comfort of our own bed and had really been looking forward to a fellowship event that our new marriage ministry was hosting.  I'm so glad we did because it was all kinds of perfect.  The weather was perfect, the kids were entertained and well behaved the entire time, the food and fellowship were perfect, and the blessing by our pastor was just perfect.  The resolutions we read aloud, face to face were just beautiful reminders of what we should be working towards on a daily basis in our loving each other whole heartedly.  It was one of the most perfect Valentine's ever. . .even a day late!  (My diamond cross, Ernie bought me was pretty perfect too!)

"It's not the length of years. . .it's the depth of love."--Fr. Rich

THE

RESOLUTION

(men)

I DO solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibility.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged. 

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

___________________________________                        ____________________________________

SIGNATURE                                                DATE                              WITNESS                                                   DATE

THE

RESOLUTION

(women)

I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment.

I WILL ACCEPT and celebrate my uniqueness, and will esteem and encourage the distinctions I admire in others.

I WILL LIVE as a woman answerable to God and faithfully committed to His Word.

I WILL SEEK to devote the best of myself, my time, and my talents to the primary roles the Lord has entrusted to me in this phase of my life.

I WILL BE a woman who is quick to listen and slow to speak. I will care about the concerns of others and esteem them more highly than myself.

I WILL FORGIVE those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged. 

I WILL NOT TOLERATE evil influences even in the most justifiable form, in myself or my home, but will embrace and encourage a life of purity.

I WILL PURSUE justice, love mercy, and extend compassion toward others.

I WILL BE FAITHFULL to my husband and honor him in my conduct and conversation in order to bring glory to the name of the Lord. I will aspire to be a suitable partner for him to help him reach his God-given potential

I WILL DEMONSTRATE to my children how to love God with all their hearts, minds, and strength, and will train them to respect authority and live responsibly.

I WILL CULTIVATE a peaceful home where everyone can sense God’s presence not only through acts of love and service but also through the pleasant and grateful attitude with which I perform them.

___________________________________                        ____________________________________

SIGNATURE                                                DATE                              WITNESS                                                   DATE

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

JOSHUA 24:15

White Space

We're finding our rhythm of the new year.  The cold that bogged me down seems to be gone.  Classes are in full swing.  Basketball and volleyball games are weekly occurrences.  Homeschool is this inexplicable joy and sadness all at the same time as I realize we are halfway through the year.  I am choosing to enjoy every. Single. Second.  Because this is it.  I won't get this time back. Never.

Speaking of time, the second week of the month is always jam packed.  As I looked at our calendar, I knew something had to give.  Four nights out of five, one or both of us would be gone.  There is good stuff going on.  Stuff we enjoy and look forward to, but we cherish our home time more--we had to make the call to skip something this week.  So, we didn't attend our marriage ministry last night.  We had dinner together and then E and I snuck away for a walk.  Just the two of us, out in nature, enjoying the cool, crisp air.  It wasn't at the church with our group, but it was intentional, and it happened on our time line, and allowed us to be where we wanted to be.

Sometimes even the good stuff can be too much.  There is too much writing in the boxes of our calendared lives and it gets messy to cross things off or say no.  But if we don't intentionally create that white space, then the spaces in our soul will be stifled and barren.  I don't know about you, but I don't want that.

I've had to look at the margins of my life lately and I'm seeing a need for some change.  My book club that I've had for the last two years is two meetings away from finishing our book, and it's time to pass the torch. It has been good.  But it's time has come for me.  In order for me to pour into our church MOMS group, I need some room on my plate and unlike the past, I'm giving myself permission to let go.  It has been a really good thing for me.  But sometimes even the good things need to shift in order to create more white space.

White space.  Calm. Peace. Freedom.  Joy.  Ultimately, we decide what takes up our time.  Choose wisely.

Full Circle

I can't believe we are sitting on the heels of another week gone by!  It has been a good week.  A rich one.  I am on the cusp of an exciting opportunity at church that only God could have orchestrated.  We have come full circle in terms of our church going.  We are right back where we started with some incredible ministry opportunities open to us.  It has been the perfect reminder that God has His hand on every single detail.  Always.

To begin with, a new marriage ministry is beginning that we are going to check out and hopefully be able to be a part of on a regular, monthly basis. E is still involved in the weekly men's group and is so encouraged and inspired each time they gather, which in turn encourages and inspires me.  Also, I am transitioning into  a co- leadership role with the monthly Mom's Ministry.  I would have never imagined God's calling on our lives to be answered in such a rich way.  I have prayed for years for my husband to be the spiritual leader I thought he should be. What God showed me instead was to appreciate the husband and father he is, and to get rid of my rigid expectations.  He has revealed a gift better than I could have imagined.  So now we walk this church community together, hand in hand.  A blessing so worth the wait.

Life is good down here in the trenches.  Carpool duties, homeschooling, writing instructor, cheerleader. . .the duties are many and the requirements immense but I'm so blessed by the beauty of these totally precious, every day moments.  My dad wrote a poem that I just love. . .I want it painted on a sign in a prominent place in our house to continue to remember, to be inspired, to be thankful for all the gifts that are right here in front of me!

I have felt such happiness this week to be right where God put me, to be living the life that I had only dreamed about up to this point.  I'm counting my every day blessings and encouraging you to always count yours too.