Enjoy

Wherever you are today, Enjoy...

The Lord reminded me of this today. So often, I fail to see His gifts and His goodness. The very things I have been fighting Him on...turn out to be an opportunity to enjoy Him and all that He has given me.

Do you know that He has you right where you are for a reason? Do you know that everything you are going through right now is for your good and will draw you closer to HIM? Do you know how much HE loves you??? How very much He desires to spend time with YOU? Do you know the lengths He will go to to pursue you? Do you know that He will not let ANYTHING stand between you?

Lord, thank You for the glimpse you gave me of YOU today! Thank you for drawing me closer. Thank you for reminding me to Enjoy You and see You in everything. Thank you for changing my heart.

- Luci

P.S. Did you know that the Serenity Prayer has a second stanza? Amazing words...

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

I Learned a New Word Today

This morning while I was talking to my (usually) sweet wife, she had what I understand to be "a meltdown". A meltdown is mysterious and unfathomable to the male of the species, but I have learned a few things not to do:
1) Never ask, "Are you having a meltdown?"
2) Never lay the entire blame for the meltdown-causing incident on the "melter"
3)Do not respond to highly emotional questions with silence.
4)Do not respond to highly emotional questions with speech.
5)Yes, I know 4 and 5 don't jive but that is what makes it a meltdown.
6)Never try to end the meltdown conversation too early.
7)Saying "I'll pray for you" is not a cure-all
8)It is impossible to solve the meltdown-causing problem during the meltdown conversation.
Now for the benefits of enduring and surviving a meltdown. (having been humbled and broken by God and making up)
1)Sanity returns 2-6 hours later
2)The meltdown-causing problem is easier to solve post-meltdown
3)Repenting to your spouse is sooo much fun! LOL
4)It builds patience
5)It builds trust
6)It builds faith
7)It builds LOVE
8)God works all meltdowns together for the good of those who love Him
9)Make-up kisses!
I'm still new at this, but I'm better equipped for the next one. Note to the guys: Meltdowns WILL happen. Wishing them away is delusional. Embracing the opportunity to grow is wise. My wife and I are commited to growing in our knowledge of one another. We know that we will only grow closer in the difficult times. Thank you Lord.
-Robert

Thoughts on Contentment

Heard a song today. The words went something like this:
"Its all right, I'm ok / I kinda like doing things this way."
"And the life that God gives / is the only life that I was meant to live."
The song was by John Reuben, a Rap/Rock crossover artist. The song had a kind of mellow, hip-hop groove. I had heard it before but it struck me today as being very soothing. I realized just how much I wish to live a different life than God gives. If He's really God and He really loves me, then the only smart thing to do is take life as it comes and see God in everything. I always catch myself wishing I could be different, act different, or do different things. When I see my life now I am dissatisfied. When I look ahead I get scared. But... Every time I look back I see only His mercy and guidance. He has brought me through an incredible journey and has never let me down. Why is it so hard to "live the life I was meant to live." For 3 1/2 minutes of song today, I saw again the hope in it and surrendered a bit more. Thanks John. You rock!
-Robert

Highest Halls of Human Happiness

I am such a blessed man. The late Peter Marshall was fond of referring to marriage as "The highest halls of human happiness." I most certainly concur. We have just returned from what was my first family vacation as a step-dad. I have thoroughly enjoyed blessing our boys with fun activities, I have been thrilled to hear heartfelt "thank you's", and have had my heart melted by constant hugs and "I love you's". Joshua and Braden had just been at their dad's for six weeks which made the time with them even more special. The icing on the cake is seeing the true and deep happiness of my dear wife. Knowing all that she endured in her first marriage and as a single mom makes it extra special to be God's instrument of restoration in their lives. I enjoy my wife so much and appreciate so much the way she completes me. Luci has been truly chosen and prepared by God for me. I cannot imagine anyone more perfect for me. Marriage is of course difficult. And having a good marriage is even more hard work. But to see that work reflected in her smiling face and joyful heart is more than reward enough. Thank you Jesus for my marriage!
-Robert

P.S. many more vacation blogs and pictures to follow. (We promise)

Timeout

I have a confession...I am a non-blogger (thank you Ericka for helping me see that). Those of you who know me well know that I am much better at starting things than finishing (ask me how many books I am reading right now)...you mean the point of setting this thing up was so that I could write something??

Sorry folks...I will work on it.

So...here is the latest

I am in timeout. Yep, that's right, TIMEOUT. You know, the common discipline of choice these days? That is where I am...and the Lord has put me here. I know that it is for my good, but like all discipline, it is not pleasant while in the midst of it.

Some people call this the desert, others call it the wilderness, a dry spell, even a dark night of the soul. All I know is that my emotions have run the gammut. Fear, Anger, Frustration, Desperation, Sadness. Have you been in that place where EVERYTHING is dry? The place where your treasure, the Lord of your life, is not even a desire? Oh my heart aches to even write that.

I miss Him, I love Him, but it is SO difficult to spend time with Him, and SO much easier to avoid Him. And, I'm mad. I'm mad that I am in timeout. I want to be laughing and playing and DO-ing. I am a doer and I have been "doing" nothing. And...as you can see I am definitely resembling my 6 year old throwing a temper tantrum in the corner. Ouch! How horrible to realize how I struggle and fight against the Lord.

As I write this, the parent in me is reminded of the point of timeout. Timeout is good. Timeout removes a child from the situation (possibly even a dangerous one) and gives the child TIME to become quiet, settle down, and reflect on what he has done wrong. Why am I refusing to sit before the Lord quietly? Deep down...I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what He will ask of me, what I will have to do or keep doing for Him, or in this case, NOT DO. I'm afraid to see myself as I really am.

Lord, I beg you to change my heart. I confess, I have been fighting You and I am sorry. Please accomplish Your work in me. Please help me to be grateful that You discipline me. Please help me have confidence that all of this is because of Your great love for me. Please help me to trust You. Please help me to sit quietly before You. Please help me help me to walk by faith and make baby steps toward You. Help me to ENJOY YOU!

Luci

Hebrews 12:4-12
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]

7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Love this baby!!!

Please pray for Luke today! Pray for miraculous healing!! He is at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN right now and they are giving him a drug at 9am that could have dramatic results!! So dramatic that Andrea and Jon are videotaping. For the latest update, please check out Andrea's blog http://andjonbabyluke.blogspot.com/

Thank you faithful prayer warriors for continuing to pray for this family.
Love you!

Help, I'm blogging!

A word to the wise. Never say never. For the record, let me say I was coerced by my sweet, beautiful wife. I still don't know how it happened, but now we have not one, but TWO blogs. Only one of them has a name, so please help! My sweet, beautiful wife and I fought for over an hour about names and this is all we could agree on. Notice I have called her sweet and beautiful two, no three times now. I am trying to earn back all the points I have lost. Note to husbands: You are being graded on a point system whether you know it or not. - Robert

My WONDERFUL husband...you are an expert blogger. I am SO PROUD!! Not only is the content fantastic, but the color scheme is EXCELLENT. Thank you sweetie for allowing me to coerce you into this...and for putting up with my endless..."uhh, not that color, uhh, rewrite that." God has truly blessed me with a patient, adoring husband. Ummm...I need points too!! Love you! - Luci

P.S. Stay tuned for more of our madness. We made it this far in blog land, can't wait to see what is next!

It's a GIRL!

Our first blog has been born :)