Good Evening My Friend's

Well I made it thru the weekend ...... it was a blessing fellowship was great. I have used the last few days to rest and reflect on some things the Lord has or is bringing me through.

As a few of you know the last two scrap weekends my husband and I have gone through a bit of warfare. We were going to spend time on Sunday after church together to make up for time lost while I was away scrapping ......... However Greg was called into work came home late Sunday
evening and woke up at 5:30 the next morning and flew via helicopter to work in the Grand Canyon and will return tomorrow just before I leave for church so it has been a lonely couple of days......... well not as lonely as I expected the Lord has used this time as a time of reflection on where my marriage is now after 11 years of marriage , you see it was all the Lord's plan He allows everything for good to those who are called AMEN. My husband and I have had our share of issues and I am now at liberty to speak about the very real fact that we were VERY close to a divorce at one point and to my surprise it was actually all my fault. You see we go into relationships most of the times not always but most of the times expecting the other party to fulfill expectations or to meet our every need and not willing to sacrifice for the other party when really that is what we are to do. You see I expected my every need to be fulfilled no matter what .....yes very selfish (only God can fill our every need)
however a light went off and the Lord has awakened my heart to things I knew yet was not applying to my own marriage. We are called to "RESPECT" our husbands always not when we feel like it or when things are going good or when we are feeling loved but always and at times we may have to suffer and sink in the ship and go with the things our husbands decide even when we know they are wrong because in the end the HUSBAND is the head of the household he is the final decision maker. Now please dont misunderstand I am not saying we are to do nothing we are called to pray without ceasing and to be a helpmeet and give opinions and offer sound advice however we have to allow room for the Lord to work and mistakes to be made. We CANNOT BE OUR HUSBANDS HOLY SPIRIT'S I had to learn that the very hard way at a high price of lost joy in our marriage and priceless time lost in which we cannot get back.
I now know that the Lord is in control of my husband and He alone will change him nothing I say or do will make him more Godly and who are we to think it can. I am so thankful my husband has put up with my many ungodly issues and has held out and seen them through and I pray we are blessed with many more amazing years. I know my role as his wife is to esteem him higher than myself and to respect him and submit to him and with God I am able to do that with the Holy Spirit leading me. So these last few days the Lord has allowed me to miss him like crazy and that is new for me I have always enjoyed my time away from my husband for a little while however my heart has really ached for him these past few days and given me a renewed love for him thank you Jesus. So I am encouraging you if your marriage is not what you thought it was to be... I encourage you to examine your own hearts rather then trying to find fault in your mate and pray the Lord will work in you both bringing you both closer to each other as well as to Him.
See when trouble comes in our marriages as it does to us all at one point or another ,God is great and we are small, however there is nothing we need to fear if we have the faith in God that where ever the Lord takes us He will also be there waiting to help us, to bear our pain ,our suffering is never too much to yield to God's gracious, merciful, touch!
"THE LORD IS GRACIOUS, AND SLOW TO ANGER, AND OF GREAT MERCY. THE LORD IS GOOD TO ALL: AND HIS TENDER MERCIES ARE OVER ALL HIS WORKS. PSALM 145:8/9

IF WE ARE TO BE IN CHRIST'S IMAGE THEN SHALL WE NOT SHOW FULL COMPASSION
TO OUR HUSBANDS, AND BE SLOW TO ANGER AND OF MERCY OURSELVES???
Something to ponder on the next time we are quick to point our fingers to our hubby's and point out what they may or may not be fulfilling.
I have been praying this sweet prayer of patience written by a women named:Helen Rice

"A PRAYER FOR PATIENCE"
GOD, TEACH ME TO BE PATIENT
TEACH ME TO GO SLOW
TEACH ME HOW TO "WAIT ON YOU"
WHEN MY WAY I DO NOT KNOW ....
TEACH ME SWEET FORBEARANCE
WHEN THINGS DO NOT GO RIGHT
SO I REMAIN UNRUFFLED
WHEN OTHERS GROW UPTIGHT...
TEACH ME HOW TO QUIET
MY RACING, RISING HEART
SO I MAY HEAR THE ANSWER
YOU ARE TRYING TO IMPART...
TEACH ME TO LET GO DEAR GOD,
AND PRAY WITH OUT CEASING UNTIL
MY HEART IS FILLED WITH INNER PEACE
AND I LEARN TO KNOW YOUR WILL!

"BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD........" PSALM 46:10
May God give us all a great love and respect for the husbands He has blessed each one of us with
and may we pray for them daily and miss them whenever they are away.
God bless each of you and your marriages and families!
until next time,
Love your Sis In Christ,
mwah(kisses)
Cindy