The CONSTANT CARER

There is something very special about a woman who takes her wedding vows seriously at a time when so many give up and walk out of a marriage.

Leslie Sherrod tells about her mother:

A quiet woman with busy hands, my mother has been a constant caretaker. When the diagnosis of my father's illness first entered our family in the late 1980s, my mother was working as a nurse on the night shift. With an invalid husband and two daughters to raise in Baltimore City, she continued working while caring for him, nurturing my sister and I, and also tending to her father who had Alzheimer’s, and her mother who had a stroke.

Her faith in Christ a foundation, my dear mother’s compassion and care for others extends beyond her previous nursing duties and ongoing family obligations.

I do not know when my mother slept,and now that I am an adult with a family of my own, I do not know how she balanced it all. Resources were always limited. Sometimes the electricity was off and the food and clothes we had were donated. But she managed. And to this day, now unable to work but still required to serve, I haven’t heard her complain. She shares silly jokes and plays goofy games with her grandchildren, and few would know the trauma, the trials she’s endured, is enduring.

I am sure such a woman will hear the Lord's commendation, "Well done, you good and faithful servant."  

Thanks for sharing about your mother, Leslie.

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CLOSE CALLS

Francine Rivers, bestseller author of Christian fiction  says,
In truth, the Bible is a romance and every word is true.  It is the story of the heights, lengths and depths that God will go to bring us into an intimate, all-consuming love relationship with Him.

She also tells of the way her family have needed God's care:
We all have close calls, those times when we know we have come face to face with eternity. Our heart rate skyrockets and adrenalin kicks in to reaction quickly.  Sometimes we look back and see how we were plucked out of situations that could have ended disastrously.

My husband, Rick, has had numerous close calls in his life.  When he was a boy and living in Jordan, his family scheduled a photo safari in Kenya.  At the last minute, they had to cancel because Dad Bill got a call from the airline he directed that he was needed.  The Mau Mau Uprising sent tribesmen on a rampage, killing every white person they could find in the same area where Rick and his parents would have camped.

When Rick served in Vietnam, he stood guard duty one night.  He stepped down and headed into a bunker when a rocket hit exactly where he had been standing.

And another time Rick took our eldest son fishing in British Columbia.  The one and only time he forgot to check for a map and compass, he got lost in heavy fog.  They knew they were close to shipping lanes and in danger of being run down in a small fishing boat.  He tried to dead reckon back to shore, but couldn’t find it.  So he prayed, “Lord, if anyone has to die because of my mistake, please don’t let it be Trevor.” As soon as he finished praying, the fog lifted and they were right at the mouth of the cove where their camp was located.

I sometimes wonder how many other times the Lord has intervened or sent angels in disguise to protect us. 

Thank you Francine, I agree wholeheartedly!!     Follow me on Twitter  @RitaSGalieh

THE NEXT CHAPTER

What will He write in the way of recording my life and yours?

My first chapter began at birth and followed my growing up years until I reached school age. Then followed fairly uneventful teens filled with longings I didn't fully understand.
Then I grew up only to discover the chapter of romance and love and being cherished in return. I also learned about conflict and resolution. A few years later I became a mother and found another love in my life. Then the chapters fly by and I believe there are more to be written, but I still wonder about my final chapter.

His Word, the Holy Bible, was written by His scribes. Even so He is the Author. No one can add or take away from this precious book. It stands for all time unedited.

He is also the lover of my soul. He is my wise all-knowing Heavenly Father who is always there to listen to me...ME! The wonder of this never ceases to amaze me.

He allows things to happen that I would never choose for myself. But when I look back I can see the purpose. Sometimes a case of correcting, sometimes a time of learning. Often the special training for patience because He knows I hate waiting. Yet everything, yes, everything is for my good. And only a loving father does that.

My name is already written in His BOOK of LIFE, but there are still many chapters yet to be written and I cannot read between the lines. And being human with a free will I can make a host of mistakes. That is why He took the trouble to give us HIS STORY which is even more than mere history. We are privileged to read the Manufacturer's Directions every day... if we choose. And so many genres! Poetry, history, love songs, praise songs, prophecies, guidelines and more ... it's all there.

What will my next chapter be? I can plan a rough outline of my life, but desire His will not mine. He knows best as I've proved so many times in my life. And He wants the best for me ... and you. To think He loves us so much He gave His only Son, Jesus as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for all those sins of ours!

Oh yes, my Lord is a God of variety who has created us to fulfil His purposes. And best of all, following Him is NEVER DULL. Our lives can be real page turners when He is in control.

What will be the next chapter in your life?

A Covenant Not a Contract

Ken and Pam were like typical young marrieds.
Then their children were born. They will take up their story.

That’s when our relationship began to develop cracks.  Ken’s seminary classes and study groups and Pam’s work schedule, together with balancing the needs of a 4 and 2 year old led us further away from one another (when we were together, it was usually arguing).  We found a short term solution when we discovered a seminary in Phoenix with evening classes and a more stable lifestyle for our family.

Just when we were starting to feel like our relationship was on solid ground, Pam's 22 year old sister, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law were killed in a car accident in Indiana.  A year after Jen’s death, Pam was severely depressed and Ken was doing everything he could to keep the family together while working a full time job and going to seminary at night.

A year later, we moved to San Diego.  We would love to say it was smooth sailing from that point on but there were still many obstacles to overcome.  It was our covenant before God and our tenacious commitment to accountability with other couples that we were able to stay in the ring!  We “survived” teenage children (our son decided to prove he was not a Pastor’s kid – he’s a High School Pastor today), job challenges and aging parents.

What made it work for us?  It’s the understanding that marriage is a covenant and not a contract – it’s a personal promise made before God, family and friends.  If you break that promise, it’s so much more than a contract ripped up – it’s an attack on personal integrity and family destroyed!

Through the years, we’ve grown to understand what it means to have a true best friend, to know what the other is thinking. We laugh, we cry, we work hard and play hard, and at the end of the day, we reflect on how blessed we are just to have stuck like glue!

THAT is the reason we are passionate about marriage – we made it and we know what it feels like!  If there is one wish we have for you – it’s that YOU make it too!

Wonderful advice from a couple who have proved their covenant with God worked.

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