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Blessed by the Best and Highly Favored

So dear friends things aren’t always easy when it comes to marriage. (If you haven’t figured that out yet.) However, if we choose to look at our blessings rather than our problems our perspective can entirely change.

I’ve been helping my friend Trina get a house ready for moving. Her friend lives in another state and the mom and grandma will be moving there soon to be closer to family. Trina was telling me how much she still had to do so I thought “hey I like to go through stuff.” Did I mention I love to go through antique stores to find treasures? Haha I love history and always wonder how something was used or who used it or how differently life was lived in the “good ole days.” I could spend time with my friend and learn some more history considering the grandma is 96.

The first day I got there I thought wow we do have a lot of work ahead of us, but being the optimist I generally am I thought no problem. (Insert face palm here.) What I didn’t count on was falling in love with this Italian family we were helping. I always wanted to be a part of an Italian family! I love her accent and the mom puts up with me trying to mimic it and totally butchering it. Haha So my friend and I worked ourselves ragged cause we love them and truly want God to bless them.

After nearly 2 weeks straight we got everything ready for our first sale. Trina was telling me how much she owes me but I was like isn’t this what we are supposed to do? Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. That’s what the Good Book says anyway.

After the first day of the sale I got home, took a much deserved shower, put on my pjs, ordered Chinese, my wonderful son picked it up and we ate. My husband, David, who’s on a shutdown at his plant right now came home not 30 minutes later, walked into the kitchen, and promptly asked, “What’s all this?”. I went to the kitchen and there was water all over the floor. Yikes!!!

About 3 weeks ago we had a major freeze here that pretty much crippled Texas. We are NOT built for that kind of weather. We managed to get through with no pipes bursting by the grace of God or so we thought. We immediately thought a pipe had burst and David turned of the water at the main then went to the attic to check. Fortunately, it was a small leak. Unfortunately, it had already dripped so much the sheetrock under the leak was destroyed. I thought, “I do not have time for this.” We still have much to do this week to finish up the move.

Now I could’ve stopped right there and just cried and had a pity party. Instead I was thankful this happened after my husband had gotten home and he was able to address it immediately. He gave it a temporary fix and decided to permanently fix it today after church.

I went to bed exhausted and considered skipping church but I knew I needed the refreshing of the Holy Spirit more than ever. It seemed God was speaking directly to me and Trina throughout the whole service. It was such an encouraging worship session and message that I felt so renewed as did Trina.

David took me to eat at one of our favorite restaurants. We came home, took a much needed nap, and then he got up to work on our pipe issue on his only day off. I walked into the kitchen, looked up, and cringed. I’ve been working on my kitchen to create a space where I would love to work and all I could see was the big hole in my ceiling plus all the old nasty insulation and sheet rock dust on the floor.

I sent a picture of the mess to Trina with the crying emoji. She sent me a much needed reply that it could’ve been much worse and to be thankful that David has the skills to take care of the problem.

So I walked back into the kitchen and took the pictures at the top of this page. Pictures of the man that has been nothing but supportive as my own house has gone awry while I helped my new Italian family with theirs. The man that works 13 days straight with one off in between during shutdowns to make sure we have not only what we need but also what we want. The man that loves God with all his heart and therefore loves me the way I should be loved. The man that has so many skills I can’t even keep count of them all. This man has flaws and sometimes drives me crazy, but definitely the one given to me by God. Recently, God has given me new eyes to see this man in a different light. It’s all about perspective. I could be bitter about my kitchen and the things David does that irritates me but I will choose to be thankful. And that fills my heart with love instead of bitterness which feels so much better!

Everyone that knows David knows his response when asked how he is doing. He always replies, “I’m blessed by the Best and highly favored!” So today I choose to count my blessings and remember that the God who saved me is also the God that will keep me.

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2020 and Toilet Paper

As 2020 comes to a close it seems only fitting that I write something about the role of toilet paper(pun intended) in this very different year that we have had. In a masked and sometimes fearful world which we have found ourselves, it is beneficial to stop and look at the positives of this season in our lives.

When the pandemic hit for whatever reason fear drove people to the grocery store and toilet paper completely disappeared off the shelves! Why? Who knows? But it vanished all the same. Fortunately, my household had an abundance at that point as we shop at Costco and buy our beloved Charmin there. In fact since my parents were visiting right before our world was turned upside down I bought a package before we were too low thinking we might need it as we had two extra people in the house. As the year progressed toilet paper was much easier to find and things became a little more “normal”.

Recently, I walked into the bathroom and I came face to face with “it”…an almost empty roll of toilet paper just waiting for me to switch it out…again. My husband has this talent for leaving a tiny bit of toilet paper on the roll and starting a new roll. The kicker is he leaves that almost empty roll on the holder pretty much every time and the new roll sits waiting to be placed where it belongs.

As I began to change it for what seemed like the thousandth time I became a little bit irritated. It was in that moment that God revealed something to me…I still had my husband alive and well to perform these little “irritating” acts.

I then began to look back on this year and realized there were others not so fortunate. Many lost loved ones…either to Covid-19 or to other causes. My uncle lost his long time love, my precious Aunt Ruby, and I imagine he would love to change out the toilet paper roll for my aunt just to have her near.

My perspective changed and in that moment I was glad I was able to serve my husband in this small act. As I took off the old roll and put on the new one I also got rid of my negative outlook and adopted a new attitude of thankfulness that my husband is around to “annoy” me in such a way. One day I might walk into the bathroom to discover a full roll of toilet paper only to be wishing for a near empty roll.

So as this year comes to a close look around at all the blessings you have. Life is short and we must live it to the fullest as we enjoy the wonderful people that surround us. Love lavishly and forgive freely.

By the way, I’m finishing up a short trip to visit my parents. When I walked into the bathroom after arriving guess what I found…an empty roll of toilet paper. I just smiled.

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It’s a Wonderful New Year

As we get ready for a new year and a new decade I can’t help but think back over this roller coaster of a year. It started off great! Then went downhill, back up, back down again, back up…well you get the picture.

I started off with this blog and did well for a while. David and I had good times and bad, but I found it harder to write about the good times. Why do we always seem to wait for the other shoe to drop? Maybe it’s just human nature or maybe if we don’t expect too much we won’t be disappointed as much. We don’t live freely in the good times because we’re waiting for the next calamity to hit us. And that can paralyze and alienate us.

As we finish off this year I find myself in sort of a weird place mentally and emotionally. I began seeing a counselor to help sort through the chaos that is my brain. David has been gracious through it all. He’s been supportive in words, prayer, and deeds through all my crazy. And therein lies the true meaning of a wonderful marriage. 

To have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, til death do us part. We recite these words at the very beginning of our marriage, yet do we really mean them? Do we truly know what we are saying? When the first big disagreement or disappointment happens do we stand by our vows? Do we love and cherish all that is our spouse?

Back to not expecting too much so as not to be disappointed. Dear friends, how about in this coming year we throw ourselves with abandon into our marriages and our lives? At the end of our days will our biggest regret be that we lived life to our fullest? I think not! I believe as 2020 is on the horizon it’s time to take back our lives. Expect the unexpected and so what if we’re disappointed from time to time? That’s what happens when you fully live. Oh, what a life there is to be had! We can sit on the sidelines waiting for tragedy to strike or we can take the proverbial bull by the horns and live and love like there’s no tomorrow. Because truly we are not promised tomorrow. 

Let that sink in.

In the light of that truth does it matter if your spouse didn’t do something just the way you would have? I mean, are any of us perfect? I’m fairly certain we know the answer to that question. Besides, who said your way was the right or better way? Gasp! Yes, I know it’s hard to believe, but just maybe our husband or wife has a different way of seeing and doing things. More than that they don’t WANT to do things just like we would. Think on that for a minute. That’s the beauty of marriage! God has a way of stretching and perfecting us through our better half. We are all unique. It’s through our differences that we are made whole. Not one person can be everything to everyone. Instead of focusing on our differences this coming year let’s celebrate them!

So as 2020 rolls around, let go of past hurts, failures, and disappointments. Hold onto all the good things that happened. Embrace the possibilities of the future. Live and love to the fullest. Allow God to work in yourself and your marriage like never before. Offer mercy freely to your spouse. Because, my friend, one day you will be in need of that same mercy. I leave you with this blessing: “The LORD bless you, and keep you [protect you, sustain you, and guard you]; The LORD make His face shine upon you [with favor], And be gracious to you [surrounding you with lovingkindness]; The LORD lift up His countenance (face) upon you [with divine approval], And give you peace [a tranquil heart and life].” Numbers‬ ‭6:24-26‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Happy New Year!