Special Gestures

 

 

          The first official thing that Mr. Awesome did to let me know that he was ready to take our friendship to the next level was to send flowers to my job.  I remember seeing the flowers for Valentine's Day and I became speechless. He made the nicest gesture of getting my favorite flowers {Tulips} sent to me.  It was the beginning of something special.  As time has gone on and we have just celebrated our third year of marriage, it would be easy to believe that there is no need to do these types of gestures anymore.  But as the saying goes, " you need to keep doing what you did to attract the love of your life even after you get them".  If I had to remind Mr. Awesome of that, this blog post would be different, but it isn't.  Over the course of our relationship, he has kept the flowers coming.  He still opens the door for me.  He still does all of those things that I found attractive in him in the beginning.  In fact, the other day he sent the Tulips in the picture to my job.  I was given many compliments and was asked many questions. "Is it your birthday?"  No, my birthday is in October.     " Are you mad at him?" No.  "Is everything OK?" Yes, these flowers are something that my hubby does on a regular basis. I thought that the questions were funny, but I couldn't help but to feel proud that my husband still goes through the process of showing me how much he loves me.  Although these gestures are not special for everyone, Mr. Awesome knows that they are special to me.  In no way do I take this for granted.  I am highly thankful for my husband and all of the ways that he shows his love for me.  More than that, I thank God for choosing to place us together as he did.   

 



Love

 

 

 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
-I Corinthians 4-7

     On a recent trip to the city of brotherly love (Philadelphia) to visit with family that I haven't seen in a long time and to get some authentic Cheesesteak sandwiches, we stopped to take a pic with this all too famous sign.  As we braved the type of cold that Philly is also famous for (at least in my book), we were able to get some other nice tourists to capture this moment for us.  Although the original designer of this sculpture, Robert Indiana, did such an artistic notion by making this display, we have to give all honor and credit to HE who constructed the concept of LOVE in the first place.

    Many times we think of love as that "tingle-in-my-spine-and-butterflies-in-my-stomach" feeling that we get when we see that special someone that we are enamoured with, but love is more than that.  In God's definition, it involves more action than anything.  It involves sacrifices with the perfect example being that of Jesus' death on the cross for our sins.  Although, we can never display that type of love, we must strive daily to adhere to the definition of love that our father has given us.  With that, I do hope and pray that I am able to continue to love my husband in the way that our father would have me to.  I pray that I will love my Bonus daughter in the way that he will have me to.  I pray that I will display this love in my daily walk out in the world.  But the humbling thing is to know of the depth of love that he has for us all.

For My Girls

     It is often that I thank the Lord for my husband.  I look at my blessing and I thank the Lord that he blessed me with a God-fearing husband that treats me like nothing less than a Queen.  I would be a fool to consider hubby less than anything but the King that he is.  As I think of this blessing, I also can't help but think of many ladies who are still praying for Mr. Wonderful.  From some of my closest gal pals to others, I often pray that they too will experience this type of love.  When I was a  singleton, I had a friend who prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed that God would send me a God-fearing husband.  Some twelve years later, he did (only on his time).  For those that I know who want the blessing of a God-fearing husband, I send up this prayer:


     Dear God,

     Today, I pray for those friends, family, and ladies in my life that have been praying for the blessing of a good husband.  I pray that you prepare them as well as their future spouses for the art of Holy Matrimony.  I pray that their hearts  will remain pure and healed from any hurts that may have happened along the way. I pray that they will completely forgive any and every perpertrator that has ever come to try to rob them of their innocence.   I pray that they will take out the time to seek you first in their decision making when it comes to giving certain people a piece of their precious time.  I pray that you will give them peace and contentment during this phase of life for in your word, it does command us to be content in whatever state we are in.  I pray that you will protect their minds, hearts,and bodies as they are being prepared for Matrimony.  I pray for physical purity during this time as it very hard not to give in to fleshly desires.  Lord, I pray that they will take this time to seek your face as this is the time of life where there is nothing standing in the way of complete devotion to  you.  I pray for complete discernment in their lives as well as the patience that is needed to go through the chiseling and grooming process.  Lord, I pray that they will see the beauty in holding themselves to a higher standard, knowing that pearls are not for pigs. Lord, I did not make all of the best decisions during my time as a singleton and you still saw fit to bless me.  I pray for the same grace on these ladies.  More than anything, I pray that these ladies will be at peace, filled with faith and hope, and know that this is ultimately for your glory.  To you we give all of the honor.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

It's Our 3rd Anniversary !!

     To God Be The Glory!!  We are at our 3rd year mark (Sept 3rd) and will be on our celebratory trip soon!  Time sure does pass quickly when you are having fun (and doing the daily grind that is called Life).  I must say that  if I must use a single word to describe this year, it would be hard to choose just one.  As with any relationship, there have been days when each of our little quirks really rattles the other person's nerves, but the blissful days definitely outweighed those days.  I look back on this past year and I am overcome with thankfulness to God that after many years of prayer, he blessed me with such a God-fearing, loving, patient, funny husband.   Through the things that we have been through that have tested us, he has always been my number one source of support and I am grateful for that.  One day recently, Mr. Awesome said that when he married me, he married up.  I had to let him know that he wasn't the only one who married up, so did I...........  As we begin our next year of wedded bliss, I pray that God continues to allow us to get even closer and use our marriage as a witnessing tool for others. 









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What Just Happened ??!!

     As many people know, Mr. Awesome and I took a niece into our home in an effort to try to do something positive and to give this beautiful young girl a chance to have a more stable environment for her upbringing.  Our hearts and arms were open to take care of this bubbly, sweet child as we were also trying to give her mother a chance to get on her own feet and to become more prepared to be a better provider for her children.  The situation was presented to us in a way that made it seem as if it was a bit of an "emergency", so why would we not help someone in an "emergency"?  We got some encouragement from some well wishers as we were preparing for this endeavor.  We also got those who felt like we should wait a while before taking this task on, especially into a marriage that was only one year old.  Yes, we were still adjusting as a couple.  Yes,  I was still struggling trying to find my place as a new Bonus Mom.  But, we ultimately looked past our own adjustments and decided to throw this new adjustment into the mix.  Hhhhmm.

     Without going into deep details, I must say that this decision required more from our family and our new life together than we anticipated.  During a time that we should have been focusing on our newlywed life, we were spending countless hours dealing with an unknown spirit that manifested itself in some very destructive ways.  While we were trying to solidify our budding family, we were trying to sift through a chaotic situation.  The more that we tried to undo the chaos, the worse that it became.  This happened while contact from her mother was voluntarily eliminated.  Who forgets their own child?  Who doesn't ask about their child's well being if someone is taking care of them on their behalf?  Who hears their child's voice on the voicemail and never picks up the phone to call her back?  This made my struggle with my prior miscarriage even more prevalent as I wondered why this mother could not see the blessing that God did give her?  What deal did we get ourselves into as a new family?  Lord is this really your will?  We went into this thinking that love and an abundance of trips, gifts, and attention would heal this child's wounds, but it was not.. We thought that the mother would take out the time to actually follow through and get herself together for the sake of her children, but she didn't. . . . . . . . Needless to say, our niece is back home where she wholeheartedly desired to be.  Many people there appeared to be glad that she was back, but then began to criticize us for bringing her back.  Did you criticize us for doing what we said that we would do which is take good care of this child while her mother tried (or didn't try) to get on her feet? Or are you criticizing us, because now you have to fully deal with the issues that you were trying to get away from in the first place?

     Am I a little bitter? Yes.  Would I do it again? Not unless it was a baby.  I do thank the Lord for giving us the opportunity to minister to this child.  I pray that he used us to get her closer to him.  But deep down in my flesh, I can't help but ask "What Just Happened?!!"

The American Dream

     It does not take long to look around and see how people are striving for the biggest and best career, the biggest house on the block with the white picket fence, and the super car that lets everyone know that they have "arrived".  It is not hard to see the standards that have been given for us to strive to reach in order to be considered significant in this society.  It is not hard to see the media's tainted definition of success or the stress that people put on themselves to keep up with this notion.  Personally after working very hard to earn some of those things that society told me that I needed in order to be important, I began doing some soul searching.  One day, I was just pondering about all of "my accomplishments" and wondered a few things.  I wondered  if this was all there was to it.   Why did I have all of these things that the world told me would make me happy, but still felt a lack of purpose.  That is when God started working with me and I learned something very valuable.  The American Dream is not found in the bible.

    In Corinthians 10:31, it tells us that whatever we eat or drink, or whatever we do, do it all for the glory of God.  With that being said, we should know and believe that everything that we accomplish, do, or say should bring glory to our heavenly father.  This  is where many people get off track.  If you do things for your own glory or for the sake of having the American Dream, then you will not have peace, purpose, or rest.  There will always be this constant search for the next big thing leaving you feeling hungry and spent as you constantly search for your purpose.  When searching for a nice house, car, or any other material thing, we need to ask ourselves are we using these material things to bless others.  Are we using our big or small homes to show hospitality and love to others?  Are we using our cars to bless others?  Are we using our finances to help someone in need?  Having materials things is nice, but the main purpose is to bless others and to glorify God in these things that he has blessed us with.  When we get that notion, we will understand the real reason and purpose behind what we do.  It is not to obtain the American Dream, but to give God glory.

Where Are The Titus 2 Ladies?

     Most of us know about the all virtuous Titus 2 woman that the bible speaks about.  She shows deep respect in her reverent behavior. She is not one who gossips about or slanders others.  She is not a drunkard. She is a teacher of good things and she trains the younger women how to love their husbands and children.  She teaches younger women to be self controlled and to be women of purity.  She admonishes the younger women to be keepers of the home, kind, and submissive to their husbands. Overall, she is a woman of grace and great wisdom who imparts that wisdom into the generation of ladies that are under her influence.  She is definitely someone to look up to as her role is so vitally important in our generation and generations to come.  But, where is this Titus 2 woman in this day and age?

     Growing up, I had my mother as the primary role model for womanhood.  She was a great homemaker and a good role model for being a keeper of the home.  Although things were not perfect, she did posses many of the great qualities that I would need to mimic in my adulthood.  However, when I became a young twenty-something adult, the level of guidance from her seemed to cease.   Now, I do realize that once you have raised your children, they should be adult enough to be able to make their own mistakes and decisions, but does that give a parent the privilege of keeping all of their wisdom nuggets to themselves?  In my mid-twenties, I had completed school, started a good career and could totally take care of myself (with the Lord, of course), but I still needed my mom to impart her many years of wisdom into me as I was going along this road of womanhood.  In a lot of ways, I was searching for the wisdom of an older woman who could teach me about the true ways of life because at this point I was making a lot of needless mistakes.  Sadly, I could not rely on my mother for this type of wisdom.  I began to pray for an older woman who could be those things that the Titus woman was.  And I was blessed with it in different forms.  This has been especially important now since I have been married.  God has put some great people into my life who have "been there and done that" and have imparted wisdom to someone who is striving to be a reverent, submissive wife, and keeper of the home.

     There are some great women who have so much wisdom to impart into the generations that are after them and  it would be a blessing to see an older wise lady take a young wife or young mom and put her under her wing and help guide her as she learns her roles.  It would be great for an older wise woman to share nuggets of wisdom with those of the next generation.  It would be a blessing to so many to receive the blessing of wisdom from those who have been there and have done that.  Unfortunately, a lot of the times I have seen (and have experienced) the older "wise" woman talking about and criticizing the young mom or wife instead of trying to help her.  How does this help the situation?

     Thank God for the women that the Lord has given me wisdom through.  I do hope and pray that with the experience that I do have and with the wisdom that I will gain,  I will not be afraid to share with and bless someone younger than myself who has yet to learn what I have been blessed to learn.  What is the point of wisdom when you can not share it with others?