The Journey of Marriage

Good morning. It is Saturday, August 9, 2014.

Today is Book Lovers Day. Mmmm. . .

Let’s see. . . what happened yesterday? I worked an hour overtime to try to make the workload less for the guys coming in today. I have to work next Saturday, so I am off this coming Monday. That will be nice, but working on Saturday won’t be.

Christi has a “thing” on Monday afternoon that could prove to be quite exciting. More information to follow, as it becomes available and possible to share. Let’s just say that it could be an opportunity that is right up her alley.

Today promises to be a pretty typical Saturday. Grocery shopping, lunch, and church in the evening. We meet for our prayer time at 4:45, then the worship service at 5:45. I lead the prayer time, with a lot of help from the Holy Spirit. Okay, that’s probably wrong. Hopefully, the Spirit leads the prayer time, with only a little help from me. Or maybe I get in the way. I don’t know. . . Anyway, we are The Exchange. If you live in the Watauga/Keller/Fort Worth/Haltom City area, please join us if you want to.

(Source: This Day In History)

It was on this date in 1974 that Gerald R. Ford became the 38th President of the United States, becoming the first to come to the office by appointment rather than election. Ford had replaced Spiro Agnew as Vice-President only eight months prior, after Agnew resigned, faced with charges of income tax evasion and political corruption. Then, Nixon resigned as President, facing impeachment over the Watergate scandal. Ford pardoned Nixon in September of 1974.

Sharing birthdays on August 9th are Whitney Houston, Sam Elliott, Gillian Anderson, Eric Bana, Melanie Griffith, Ashley Johnson, Jean Piaget, Brett Hull, William Barrett Travis, Ralph Houk, Betty Boop, Rod Laver, and Smokey the Bear.

Betty Boop is a cartoon character who was “born” on this date in 1930. Here is the first cartoon in which she appeared, called “Dizzy Dishes.”

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

(From The Divine Hours)

Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Psalm 103:20-22
Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.
Psalm 5:1-2
One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.
Psalm 145:4
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:28-29
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 139:7-10

The Concluding Prayer of the Church
O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending day upon all of us who
watch for you, that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship
may give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Christian Marriage.”

“Our human experience tells us that Christian marriage is usually not lived to a lyrical beat; it often comes to awkward expression in our fumbling attempts to forgive and make peace, to walk a mile in the other’s moccasins, and to share the frightened, lonely, insecure, and sometimes neurotic journey of our spouse through the way of compassion. We can find echoes of ourselves in the petty, strange, and broken syllables of their story. With remarkable insight Vincent DePaul wrote: ‘Be compassionate and you will become a saint.'”

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.
Hebrews 10:22

What a wonderful way with words, Brother Brennan had! I can definitely say, that, as we approach 29 years of marriage, his words are “spot on.” All of us who are married, Christian or not, would do well to engage in those “fumbling attempts to forgive and make peace, to walk a mile in the other’s moccasins, and to share the frightened, lonely, insecure, and sometimes neurotic journey of our spouse . . .”

Father, help me to be a better husband as I continue on this lifelong journey with Christi. There have been great victories and engaging struggles through these years, and it is your presence in our marriage that has kept us strong. I pray that we will continue to be strong with and for each other.

I pray for this day. May our necessary tasks be completed efficiently, and with joy as we go out and about. May we do all things for your glory and in your name. I pray for our prayer and worship time this evening, that they will be glorifying to you. I pray for good rest through the rest of the weekend.

Your grace is sufficient.

May we all work harder at unselfishly engaging with our spouses in our marriages.

Grace and peace, friends.