Monday, August 30, 2010

*Seek, Find, Knock..."

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7)

So, it is Monday which normally means "Marriage Matters" Blog... well I wasn't "feeling" it today! But, the Lord had other plans! Alas a Blog is meant to be produced for today; just not specifically on Marriage!

Lord knows the last week has been "tough"... Spiritually, Emotionally etc. He knows circumstances! Just starting to come out of the specific "funk;" turning to HiM... "Duty" called! After having maybe 3 hours sleep... I was exhausted! Hubby graciously got kids up and off to school before heading into work. I slowly attempted to begin my day! Keziah happily played in my Bedroom; I made quick use of the restroom (5 min.) Bored Keziah= Lock & Closed Mommy's DooR! Upon exiting R/R I "Seek to Find the scenario!" She's "Knocking" to get out! Bawling, Screaming, Crying Hysterically! Of course Prayer ensued... Lord "You got a Problem!" Fortunately lil SiS was on the way to watch kids after school. Sweet P. began to reach out her little hand from under the door (My touch soothed her) then it was a foot! The house key SiS had wasn't the right one for the "Back Door." Option #2: Thanks to Elijah we had multiple screw drivers in a drawer. Window with A/C in it has plexi-glass, so sis was able to just reach to remove most screws from top part of window! PTL!!! She crawled in and after an hour Sweet P. was Out!

I thought of the many who are "Locked" in their own "Rooms" called "Life." They feel "Trapped," just want out... like my lil girl! They whine and scream and cry! They shake the handle, bang on "The Door..." wondering if anyone hears them; if Somebody Cares?! In Revelation 3:20 Jesus states, " Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."
He does have a few expectations for those wanting a relationship with HiM! "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matt. 7:8) It's that simple!

I know without HiM I would not have been able to have "Safely" gotten my daughter out... Lord knows! He "Knew" just what was needed, even before I did! HiS timing is "Perfection!" I could of been stuck with a 22-month old locked in a room with all the keys & my purse. I was wearing less than appropriate leave the house attire; and 3 kids waiting to be picked up from school! He knows our needs even when we don't! He even helped "repair" some of my "Hurts" from the previous week, HE knows details! If you need to know, Ask HiM!! :) Now, I know why my Fave & Life verse is & Always will be, "For I can do ALL things through Christ, who strengthens Me!!" (Phil. 4:13)

He's Patiently Waiting for many to "Open the Door to HiM!" Are You One of them?!

IMpatiently Awaiting HiS Return,
HiS Daughter,
*JKEST*

Monday, August 16, 2010

"Marriage Matters" #11: Part 2 Love Cherishes & Nourishes

"He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it." (Ephesians 5:28-29)

(The Message Bible proclaims) "Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church- a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk- radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor- since they're already "one" in marriage.
No one abuses his own body, does he? No, he feeds and pampers it. That's how Christ treats us, the church, since we are part of his body. And this is why a man leaves father and mother and cherishes his wife. No longer two, they become "one flesh." This is a huge mystery, and I don't pretend to understand it all. What is clearest to me is the way Christ treats the church. And this provides a good picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself in loving her, and how each wife is to honor her husband." (Ephesians 5:28-31)

What an Awesome picture of perfection I thought this was! But, of course none of us are perfect; alas this just gives us something to strive towards! We can give of ourselves without expecting "something" in return. This includes our time, energies, $money$. We all tend to "Spend our Time & $Money$ on whom or what we love! This says a great deal about a person... How is your "energy" spent throughout the day?! Are you lacking it when it comes time to "give" to your mate?! What can you do to improve on this area?!
Are you "one" with your mate in everyday routine decisions?! How about major decisions?! Purchases, where you go on vacation... do you have one at all!? Even simple choices like what to have or where to go for dinner! Whatever doesn't unite you; can divide you! No matter how trivial at the time the matter seems!
Do you bring out the "Best" or the "worst" in your mate? Only you as the spouse can know the answers... Strive to fully bring out the "Best Yet;" yet keep the "worst" hidden away! Remember, this is greatly to your advantage! You will truly feel Better & your spouse will be a "better" person as the result!
Feed, nourish & Pamper each other... this will be different for us all! "Feed" on the Word together and separately. "Feed" each others "Needs"... again this will be different for each person! The one constant is we all have needs! If you don't know or understand each other's needs; find them out!
Finally, pamper each other! Some of us tend to "Pamper" ourselves, our kids, pets, even cars... but what about your spouse?! I will allow you your own definition... but it doesn't just involve $Money$ especially in these hard times!!

*Love Dare* Do something this week that shows your spouse you are "one" with them! Ask them what their needs are and work on fulfilling as many of them as you can!

Recommitting to Love, Honor & Cherish MY Beloved!!!
JKEST-Vicki

Monday, August 9, 2010

"Marriage Matters" #11: Love Cherishes ALLways!!!

"Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies." (Eph. 5:28)

The Day you got married you said & made vows to your spouse. Did your vows include to Love, Honor & CHERISH...?! What does it mean to cherish another person? In terms of materially speaking I ask Husbands: Would you say your Wife is more like a $30 Million Bugatti (yes this car exists!) or a brand-new $10,000 Hyundai? Now, let me rephrase it. Do you treat your wife or does she feel treated like the Bugatti or the Hyundai? Wives does your husband feel he's treated like a $100 Million estate or a $50,000 fixer upper? (They both do exist; I know full well) Would you literally give all you have for your mate? Do they feel you treat them this way? (Matthew 13:46) states "When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!" Is your mate, your marriage not worth as much?!
The way we treat our mates determines their value. How we value them determines the cost of our marriage. How much is your marriage worth? Can your mate honestly say they feel their worth the $$Millions$$ to you... or would they say they feel like their just a "fixer upper" in your eyes?! If they can't say they feel highly valued and treasured by you... something needs to change and it's not them! Our marriages count for eternity! It's time to raise the Value on your marriage!
In the end, Our Faithful Father will be the one to say, "Well done Son/daughter, you treated my Daughter/ son well!" Do you want to have to explain to the Creator of the Universe why you treated HiS child wrong or badly? What will your response be? Will you have to say you were selfish, too tired, lazy, it wasn't worth it, I just gave up!? Will you say "I wasn't treated like a Queen/King so I treated them the same way!"

If your marriage is in need of a tune-up don't neglect doing it! Just as cars & homes take Time, $Money$, attention to detail, expertise and investment of energy. Many of the same things will be required in restoring, revamping, refreshing, rekindling, reconnecting, rebuilding, refurbishing, reigniting, resolving, and Remember when you do you will be reValuing your mate & Marriage to their highest Worth!
The "other" option is Devalue which is what happens if you Deny, Deprive, Desolve, and Destroy your Marriage! This will lead to divorce, which is the Death of your marriage & the aftermath that follows!

I just realized what I had originally planned to go with this blog... is much too long! So, this will be my 1st to be continued... C-U next Monday! *JKEST*