Under His Wings

There is reason for joy and celebration today. "Remember His wonders which He has done..." Psalm 105:5 25 years ago today my beloved and I were united as husband and wife. Here is a picture of me in my wedding dress.

We were married in the little church called the Lone Rock Congregational Church in Lone Rock, WI. So many memories and a wonderful man to share them with. The rabbis say that uniting two people in marriage is like parting the Red Sea. Well, God did that miracle once and He is doing that miracle again in us and we bless His Name. He has brought us through times of hardship and sickness, of the joy of new babies and the joy of just being the two of us alone together. We love laughing when no one gets the joke but us. We love talking about the Lord and reading His Word. We love blessing others in any way we can. I came across a saying once that said, "We may not have much, but together we have it all."

"The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Psalm 126:3

For His Name's Sake.

Buck and I were the wonderful recipients of a blessing. We received a two night stay at a luxury motel in Door County, WI. Now for those of you who don't know Wisconsin well, Door County is the "finger" peninsula of Wisconsin surrounded by water and it is a very wonderful place to go in the spring, summer, and fall. Buck and I have gone a couple of other times some years ago. This was a real treat for us.

We got there later than we had expected on Wednesday evening so we checked into our room and found a local restaurant and headed back to our room for a good night's sleep. No dog or cat to wake us. The next morning we went to a special restaurant because another friend had given us some money to go to "Al Johnson's" for breakfast. We got there and this is what we saw:

That's right, there were goats eating on the grass-covered roof. The waitresses were all dressed in Swedish costume. We had Swedish pancakes with strawberries and piled high with whipped creme. Then we walked around Sister Bay for a couple of hours.

It was a crisp, clear, fall day. The water was so blue and the sky so bright. The following weekend was the weekend that the majority of the businesses were going to be shutting down for the winter so the boats were leaving the marina for the winter also.

The best part of our time there was just being together. We tried to get pictures of the sunset, but found "Sunset Beach" in Fish Creek two minutes after sunset.

So to make up for not getting a sunset picture, my Beloved wanted to let me get a picture of the full moon. I kept trying to tell him that this is a very difficult thing to do without a tripod. The picture we did get is unique to say the least.

Another thing Buck did to try to make a memorable moment for us was to make reservations at a restaurant that was having candlelight dinners. He did ask if we could dress casually because we had only taken jeans, sweatshirts and tennis shoes. We got to the restaurant and the dinners were $24 a plate. Instead of leaving we decided to share a meal.

My Beloved was very patient with me as I went through some of the gift shops. I think I found two little plaques that said exactly what I was feeling about my husband and I,

"We may not have it all together, but together we have it all."

"And they lived happily ever after."        

For His Name's Sake.

Here it is almost the end of July and I have not updated again for a couple of weeks. I hate it when I do that. This morning I am feeling the after affects of migraine medication, but want to update on summer happenings.

Josh passed his driver's test a few weeks ago so he is now driving his moped to the library and to the park to play disc golf occasionally. What more could a 16 year old want? We made a trip to the doctor's office last week to confirm that the rash on his neck was indeed poison ivy which has now spread to his elbow and his opposite hand. While we were there the nurse measured him and he is now officially 1/4 inch shorter than his dad at 6'2 3/4 inches and still growing. At least he has slowed down, I think.

Hannah is working at camp this summer. She took the young girl that she has mentored the last few years and is in some of the pictures that you see on my blog. They have been up there for two weeks and have two weeks for sure to go and possibly will stay an extra week as staff is short that last week of the summer. They have been doing accommodations work, cooking, dish crew, and working in the canteen. Yesterday during our prayer time in our home fellowship group one of the women prayed for Hannah and it was the first time that I realized how much I miss her.

Yesterday was my dear husband's birthday. I guess I'll put this picture of him up because

he likes it. How blessed I am to have someone to have shared so many wonderful and happy memories with, someone who has a servant's heart, a man of God who has a sensitive heart and seeks to please the Lord. I pray that the LORD will bless Buck as he walks in faithfulness after God.

I have been leading Bible studies and working at the crisis pregnancy center. The board approved to hire an assistant director and an administrative assistant, but the woman that was going to be the assistant director is not going to take that position so they are looking for someone. I have been asked to put in 5-8 hours a week in addition to the 4 hours that I am already putting in and these hours would be administrative hours, answering phones, etc. I see this as an opportunity to disciple women in a casual setting. However, since I am reading in the book of Numbers about the children of Israel not trusting God regarding the Promised Land, I really want to hear from God on this issue. I do NOT want to just jump into anything ahead of Him. My first priority is to my husband, my children and my home. My husband has already discussed with me that he doesn't mind me spending more time there. If God's Presence doesn't go with me, I don't want to be a part of it. I guess there are more questions in my mind that I am not ready to ask here. Please, if you feel led to pray, pray for me.

For His Name's Sake

I really have been trying to update for awhile. I have about 5 posts half-written that have either gotten interrupted or I just haven't had the words to finish. Right now I am waiting to see if my dear husband is able to settle down enough to get some sleep. He was called into work early tonight. He went in about 6:30 pm and about 9:00 pm he came home whiter than a sheet with a migraine and vomiting. I gave him some pain medication, but he can't keep that down. I am waiting to see if he can get to sleep otherwise I will be making a trip to the ER with him yet tonight.

After my trip to the neurologist last week I found out that not only do I probably have sleep apnea, but I am anemic as well. No wonder I have been tired all the time. I thought I was just lazy.

Let's see what else has been happening here? Not a whole lot, I guess. Hannah went to a bridal show today with the photographer that she shoots with. They had a good day. Hannah will be going up to see another photographer friend in the next couple of weeks who also does weddings and this friend is going to teach Hannah some more things, technical things regarding photography so she is looking forward to that. She will attend a bridal show with her also.

Josh has finished driver's ed so he is back on his normal schedule which we like because we don't have to get up as early. He's still plugging away at the Book of Acts for Bible quizzing. He and his dad recently bought a foosball table.

In Bible study we just finished Acts 15 where the Gentiles have been brought into the covenant with the Jews without having to go through a ritual conversion. What grace God has given to be in covenant relationship with Him. In Chapter 13:38 we read, "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you..." This would have very different meaning to a first century Jewish person than it does to us today. It would entail a national forgiveness. It speaks of the character of God. He is a forgiving God. It is part of His nature. And in order to be in a covenant relationship with His people He has to forgive. He promises that when there is repentance and turning back to Him then He is willing to forgive and restore the relationship.

We reap the benefit of that. When we embrace the God of Israel we reap the benefit of that forgiveness and that restoration. We reap the benefit to some extent now, but there is much more coming in the future. He does this all for His Name's Sake. Those of us who life for His Name's Sake must reflect His character and seek to forgive those with whom we are in relationships with. Modern psychology tries to tell us that it is for our benefit and to some extent that it true. But, more importantly is the fact that it reflects God's character. It shows the world who He is when we seek to forgive and restore and live for His Name's Sake and not for our own.

Some pictures from the last few weeks:

New foosball table

Hannah playing with her dad

Josh found a warm, quiet corner to read in

Well, it's quiet here so I don't know if I will be going to the ER or not.......Hopefully, my dear husband can sleep this one off.

What does one share in a meme on marriage secrets when she has been married for nearly 23 years? Just as I say when I am speaking about my children, it has all been a work of God's grace.

Our marriages become better as we conform our thinking to the mind of Christ and seek to think and walk Biblically. One way in which this is radically seen is in the story of Isaac and Rebekah. "Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her;"Gen. 24:67. Isaac took Rebekah as his wife and then he loved her, which is different than how the world walks in love. I choose to love my husband because he is the husband I have and the husband God gave me. Love is a choice. If I choose to love Buck the way he is, God is glorfied.

I found an interesting secret to my marriage while doing a study on "bond-servant." The bond-servant is the slave who is free to leave his master, but out of love for his master commits himself to the master's lifelong service for whatever the master desires. Jesus showed us how to be bond-servants. Paul, James, Peter, and John all call themselves bond-servants. Mary, the mother of Jesus, said she was a bond-servant. The book of Revelation is written to bond-servants. Being a bond-servant is a choice. In studying this topic I looked up the word, "master," and I found these words: strong, king, superintendent of household affairs, husband, captain, champion. This transformed my thinking about my husband. The Scriptures tell us to submit to our husbands as unto the Lord. This is a choice that I make. I lay down my life as I would to my master, my Saviour. My husband's countenance changes when I call him my champion. He just beams. There are so many things in the world today that are demolishing the idea of men and masculinity. There are so many forces at work that seek to tear my husband apart. He needs someone in his life who loves him, sees him as her knight in shining armor, her champion.

I want my home to be a place of shalom for him, a place of wholeness and rest. He should have a place where he feels safe and where he can share whatever is on his heart. Part of this is in knowing my husband. I need to know how he is different from other men, not to compare him with others, or to wish he were like others, but to esteem him as the gift that God has given to me. I need to get my eyes off myself and seek to meet his needs. I need to know how he processes information, how he deals with stress, how he communitcates and how I can be a helpmeet to him in each of life's situations.

How can I bless my husband and bring life to him? How can I seek everyday to meet his needs instead of whining that he doesn't meet mine. The Lord will supply all that I need. The Lord will accomplish what concerns me. Mature love is a process. We grow together. God is in the process of making us one. How wonderful it will be at the end of my days to have someone with whom I can look back on all the memories which we have shared.

For His Name's Sake.