Monday, January 26, 2009

How to Destroy a Marriage


While I was making dinner one evening, Michael got home from a long, cold, wet day at work and headed into the bathroom. And he started blustering LOUDLY and calling for me.

The unthinkable had happened. It could NOT get any worse than this. Something HAS to be done. WHAT was I going to do about this?

I was clueless. I had no idea what could have befallen our bathroom.

Please understand that Michael does not typically over-react. He was tired. He was cold. He was wet. He was hungry. He had talked to me about putting things in the toilet that don't belong there MANY TIMES.

And there it was. A piece of floss in the bowl.

HOW was i going to dispose of this?

In my defense, it wasn't me. We have 3 children, to whom I have spoken many times about putting things in the toilet that don't belong there. I was just thrilled one of them was flossing their teeth.

And I looked at my tired, cold, wet, hungry husband who was demanding that I do something about the floss in the bowl. And I was smelling the dinner in the kitchen that needed my attention. And I DID NOT want to reach my hand into that bowl to retrieve that floss. So I made the best decision that I felt I had at my disposal. After all, here was Michael and he was demanding that I fix this problem. So I did.

I very slowly reached down, extended my arm, put my hand in the appropriate location, and WHOOSH!, it was gone. Boy, that was surprisingly easy. And quick. And painless. And I laughed in relief.

And then I looked at Michael. He was tired. And cold. And wet. And hungry. And angry.

And I had to apologize. With a straight face.

That was several years ago, and we are still married. Although in the 14 years we have been married, I have discovered there are many ways to destroy a marriage.......Please pray for us!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

My Dad


This week would have been my dad's birthday. He would have been 59 years old last Sunday, January 4th. I miss him and wish he were still here, but more than that I wish he had been the man God created him to be. More than his death, I regret the end of his life and the way he chose to live it. And I wonder how eternity looks for him when he is smacked up the side of the head with the complete and total view of the choices he made and ramifications of his actions. I hope he finally has some true remorse over his decisions and regret over the relationships he harmed.

These are not the least of what his choices cost him:

-A long and prosperous life
-A satisfying and loving marriage
-The respect and admiration of lifelong friends
-A relationship with all four of his children and all 9 of his grandchildren
-The legacy of a Godly man in the lives of:
son Allen and his children
Ethan
Elijah
Lillianna
daughter Michelle, her husband Michael and their children
Aaron
Sarah
Joshua
daughter Brenda, her husband Chris and their children
Jacob
Emily
Daniel
daughter Sheila

I miss you dad. So do the kids.