GPS to a Joyful Marriage

Okay, here I am again learning about waiting.  I write about it, talk about it and laugh about it, but obviously God has more to teach me. As many of you know, my little Stewie (one of my Yorkies) has been in the doggie hospital since last Wednesday with pancreatitis.  I have been preoccupied with his recovery and a bit out of sorts.  He has improved and has finally gone 24 hours without vomiting, but he still has a ways to go.  I’m praying he begins to eat so he can come home soon.  I have felt led to share some of my thoughts about this event and what God is teaching me – as I wait.   First of all, I want to express my utmost respect and admiration to a young lady from our church who went through the most difficult experience any mother could face – losing a child.  I, by no means, would ever begin to compare what I’m going through with that.   This past week, though, has given me a deeper glimpse into maybe one day of what she went through during her son’s short life.  Most

“As I wait upon the Lord I grow stronger.  As I wait upon the Lord I grow stronger.  As I wait upon the Lord I grow stronger, every day.  I’m gonna fly like an eagle.  I’m gonna fly like an eagle.  I’m gonna fly like an eagle, every day!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAgi0oqHQj0 These are the words of my favorite praise song with a youtube link to it.  It seems to be the song that soothes me the most and gives me the strength to carry on.   I don’t wait well.  I grumble when I have to wait in line at the grocery store.  I complain when I have to wait in traffic.  I have to be ahead of all the other cars on the highway.  I hate sitting in the waiting room of a doctor’s office for more than five minutes. Waiting has been the most difficult task I’ve had to learn on my journey to fulfill my God-given purpose.  (I’ve certainly been tested on it, of course.)  I’m a “make things happen” kind of person (like right now!).  I’ve gotten ahead of God a few times thinking I knew

I believe we are put on this earth to reach out to other people - to show them the love of Jesus through our actions.  In order to do so, it takes lots of practice at letting go of our selfish desires, much like our relationship with God.  What greater place for us to practice this then in our own marriage? It can be difficult to always “feel” love for the people we live with, especially our spouses.  After all, we are human and can easily annoy each other.  Showing love, though, is a simple task to do, even when you don’t “feel” like it.  It is a task that will reap great benefits, especially when partnered with sincerity and the desire to do so.  Besides, the more you practice loving, even when you don’t “feel” like it, the more authentic it will become to you and the quicker it will be returned to you.   We each feel love in different ways.  Gary Chapman narrowed it down to five in “The Five Love Languages”. You don’t want to make the mistake of treating your spouse as if t

I’ve said it before and have heard it many times – men are simple, women are complicated.   Some men call us downright crazy.   While our thought patterns and communication may seem complex, it’s not a difficult task to make a woman feel loved.   Many men get overwhelmed by the multifaceted thinking of women and don’t realize how easily they can counteract that with a gentle word or action.   That, gentlemen, is an important fact you need to be aware of.   The simplest effort will go a long way – for both male and female. The problem is that we forget to show our spouse love.  We take it for granted that they know we love them.  Love is more than just a feeling; it’s a verb.  You need to act on it every day - actions really do speak louder than words.  You could say the words “I love you” three times a day yet never give your spouse time or attention, and I guarantee you, your marriage will not survive. I look at how challenging relationships can become.  When counseling cou