Gateways to Joy

"I'm glad I didn't leave him."  This is my thought as we make smoothies for our family.  As I watch this 6'3" man with broad shoulders take the fruit out of the refrigerator. He's talking, smiling handing me strawberries, blueberries, ice, Greek yogurt, organic apple juice, this and that ... all the while being oblivious to my long stares, stares of how my eyes are watching him ... tracing the outer curves of his body. I wash the fruit.  The kids are all there looking on, listening and smiling. There, in our kitchen, we all stand and talk ... laugh and I do my usual: interrupt so I won't forget my words ... my thoughts.  They all laugh.  Their Dad tells them about our daily Wheat Grass routine.  He likes it and I don't!  But I do love the many benefits so I partake daily, consuming the horrible! The kids laugh and tease as we tell our tales. I think back to doctors saying they—my children would never be.  But God saw fit to...

Order.  Most of us, if not all, function better in our day-to-day goings on when we have order in our lives.  Everything from government to our homes has order, or some resemblance of it.  At one time it seemed as if I were telling my children every other day that, even when they leave our home they will still be subjected to the rules of others.  Be it God, government, school, work, or a spouse. There is order to keep from having chaos. A lot of women, including myself at times, doesn't like hearing that we are called to submit, obey or subject ourselves to anyone, even if it is God's order.  We still aren't thrilled about it. The reason that I'm not thrilled about hearing the subject preached on first and far most is my human nature, secondly is the fact that I've witness many men who don't quite understand their role as a husband or the woman's role for that matter, and they begin to abuse their wives. ...

M arriage: a covenant between a man and a woman that binds them together for life.  Today we will discuss, "The Practice of Marriage," as it causes us to Walk Closer to Him.  The practice of marriage is a practice of FULLY and COMPLETELY giving of oneself for the other—even when you may not want to.  It's a life long practice . Marriage teaches us to love the "seemingly" unlovable sometimes.  The same qualities that Christ uses with us—His bridegroom we must use with our spouse, and they with us. It's a union that's only released through death. It's the coming together of two to become one. "It's the worse of times.  It's the best of times ." In the practice of marriage, we laugh and we cry.  We love and we hate.  We learn how flawed and sin-ravished "we" are. On the surface it seems like a most "ordinary" experience, but it is the most HOLY of experiences.  For in marriage we practice: Livin...